Question 1

With daytime temperatures that can reach 430°C,why is nighttime on Mercury so cold?

Accepted Answer

A) Because the year is so short,there isn't enough time for the heat to build up in the equatorial regions. 
B) With very little atmosphere,heat is quickly lost back into space. 
C) The weak gravitational field doesn't retain the daytime's heat. 
D) The solar winds quickly dissipate all heat on the planet's dark side. 
A) Because the year is so short,there isn't enough time for the heat to build up in the equatorial regions. 
B) With very little atmosphere,heat is quickly lost back into space. 
C) The weak gravitational field doesn't retain the daytime's heat. 
D) The solar winds quickly dissipate all heat on the planet's dark side.

Question 2

The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Earth is

Accepted Answer

A) oxygen. 
B) nitrogen. 
C) water vapor. 
D) carbon dioxide. 
E) methane. 
A) oxygen. 
B) nitrogen. 
C) water vapor. 
D) carbon dioxide. 
E) methane.

Question 3

The gravity lock of the Moon to Earth is similar to the action of a

Accepted Answer

A) tidal wave. 
B) giant pendulum. 
C) master key. 
D) magnetic compass. 
E) spinning top. 
A) tidal wave. 
B) giant pendulum. 
C) master key. 
D) magnetic compass. 
E) spinning top.

Question 4

What is the cause of Jupiter's slight flattening,which results in an equatorial diameter 6% greater than its polar diameter?

Accepted Answer

A) its rapid spin cycle 
B) its massive gravitational pull 
C) nuclear fission within its core 
D) its frequent reversal of its magnetic poles 
A) its rapid spin cycle 
B) its massive gravitational pull 
C) nuclear fission within its core 
D) its frequent reversal of its magnetic poles

Question 5

Only one side of the Moon faces Earth.Is this because the Moon spins about its axis,or doesn't spin about its axis? Defend your answer.

Accepted Answer

The Moon does indeed spin about its axis

Question 6

To scale,if Earth were the size of a basketball,then the Moon would be about

Accepted Answer

A) 5 feet away. 
B) 10 feet away. 
C) 20 feet away. 
D) 80 feet away. 
A) 5 feet away. 
B) 10 feet away. 
C) 20 feet away. 
D) 80 feet away.

Question 7

A cloud of interstellar gas is held together by

Accepted Answer

A) the gravitational force. 
B) infrared radiation. 
C) electromagnetism. 
D) All of the above. 
A) the gravitational force. 
B) infrared radiation. 
C) electromagnetism. 
D) All of the above.

Question 8

Distinguish between an asteroid,a meteoroid,and a comet.

Accepted Answer

An asteroid is a small,rocky,planetlike

Question 9

Like Jupiter and Saturn,Neptune emits about 2.5 times as much heat energy as it receives from the Sun,although calculations show it should have already lost all of its original heat.What is the most likely explanation?

Accepted Answer

A) Unlike Uranus,it is still contracting. 
B) Radioactive decay has kicked into overdrive,with runaway reactions taking place. 
C) The basis for these calculations is currently being questioned by a new generation of scientists. 
D) There are gravitational anomalies taking place,which may hold some clue as to where the heat may be coming from. 
E) Uranus' gravity is creating a "slingshot" effect,catapulting solar winds into Neptune's atmosphere in the form of as of yet undetected radiation. 
A) Unlike Uranus,it is still contracting. 
B) Radioactive decay has kicked into overdrive,with runaway reactions taking place. 
C) The basis for these calculations is currently being questioned by a new generation of scientists. 
D) There are gravitational anomalies taking place,which may hold some clue as to where the heat may be coming from. 
E) Uranus' gravity is creating a "slingshot" effect,catapulting solar winds into Neptune's atmosphere in the form of as of yet undetected radiation.

Question 10

The ecliptic

Accepted Answer

A) occurs during a solar or lunar eclipse. 
B) is the average distance between the Sun and Earth. 
C) is the plane of Earth's orbit. 
D) refers to the gases from which our solar system formed. 
A) occurs during a solar or lunar eclipse. 
B) is the average distance between the Sun and Earth. 
C) is the plane of Earth's orbit. 
D) refers to the gases from which our solar system formed.

Question 11

What is the cause of Jupiter's extremely high-energy radiation belts?

Accepted Answer

A) an enormous magnetic field that captures high energy particles 
B) the capture of a high number of metallic asteroids 
C) tidal forces due to the interaction between Jupiter and its moons 
D) the remnants of a massive collision between Jupiter and another large body 
A) an enormous magnetic field that captures high energy particles 
B) the capture of a high number of metallic asteroids 
C) tidal forces due to the interaction between Jupiter and its moons 
D) the remnants of a massive collision between Jupiter and another large body

Question 12

What travels up and down the Sun's magnetic loops extending from the surface?

Accepted Answer

A) helium atoms 
B) plasma 
C) hyrogen atoms 
D) a blend of helium and hydrogen atoms 
A) helium atoms 
B) plasma 
C) hyrogen atoms 
D) a blend of helium and hydrogen atoms

Question 13

Venus and Earth started out with roughly the same amount of water.While Earth still has water in abundance,all of Venus' was lost.Where did it go?

Accepted Answer

A) It chemically combined with CO2 to form H2CO3. 
B) Ultraviolet rays split the hydrogen from the oxygen components,and the hydrogen escaped into space. 
C) It all evaporated into space due to the intense daytime heat of 470°C. 
D) Scientists are still trying to determine this. 
A) It chemically combined with CO2 to form H2CO3. 
B) Ultraviolet rays split the hydrogen from the oxygen components,and the hydrogen escaped into space. 
C) It all evaporated into space due to the intense daytime heat of 470°C. 
D) Scientists are still trying to determine this.

Question 14

The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Mars is

Accepted Answer

A) oxygen. 
B) nitrogen. 
C) water vapor. 
D) carbon dioxide. 
E) methane. 
A) oxygen. 
B) nitrogen. 
C) water vapor. 
D) carbon dioxide. 
E) methane.

Question 15

The Trojans,Greeks,and Hildas are in orbit around

Accepted Answer

A) the Sun. 
B) Jupiter. 
C) Saturn. 
D) Uranus. 
A) the Sun. 
B) Jupiter. 
C) Saturn. 
D) Uranus.

Question 16

Why do comet's tails always point away from the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A) because of solar wind 
B) because the inner planets cause the ice and other volatile materials to be pulled towards their orbits 
C) because of the comet's interaction with dark matter 
D) because when they move away from the Sun they begin to lose inertia 
A) because of solar wind 
B) because the inner planets cause the ice and other volatile materials to be pulled towards their orbits 
C) because of the comet's interaction with dark matter 
D) because when they move away from the Sun they begin to lose inertia

Question 17

During the peak of a total annular eclipse,the image of the Sun cast onto some white paper is

Accepted Answer

A) a circle. 
B) a crescent. 
C) a large white spot. 
D) not going to be seen. 
A) a circle. 
B) a crescent. 
C) a large white spot. 
D) not going to be seen.

Question 18

The Sun

Accepted Answer

A) rotates in the same direction as the planets revolve. 
B) rotates in the opposite direction as the planets revolve. 
C) does not rotate relative to the planets. 
D) takes longer to rotate than for the planets to revolve. 
A) rotates in the same direction as the planets revolve. 
B) rotates in the opposite direction as the planets revolve. 
C) does not rotate relative to the planets. 
D) takes longer to rotate than for the planets to revolve.

Question 19

The percentage of the Earth's surface covered by ocean is about

Accepted Answer

A) 50%. 
B) 60%. 
C) 70%. 
D) 80%. 
E) 85%. 
A) 50%. 
B) 60%. 
C) 70%. 
D) 80%. 
E) 85%.

Question 20

No greenhouse effect occurs on Mercury because of no

Accepted Answer

A) daily spin. 
B) atmosphere. 
C) relatively cool regions. 
D) plant life. 
E) terrestrial radiation. 
A) daily spin. 
B) atmosphere. 
C) relatively cool regions. 
D) plant life. 
E) terrestrial radiation.

Exam 26: The Solar System

With daytime temperatures that can reach 430°C,why is nighttime on Mercury so cold?

The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Earth is

The gravity lock of the Moon to Earth is similar to the action of a

What is the cause of Jupiter's slight flattening,which results in an equatorial diameter 6% greater than its polar diameter?

Only one side of the Moon faces Earth.Is this because the Moon spins about its axis,or doesn't spin about its axis? Defend your answer.

To scale,if Earth were the size of a basketball,then the Moon would be about

A cloud of interstellar gas is held together by

Distinguish between an asteroid,a meteoroid,and a comet.

Like Jupiter and Saturn,Neptune emits about 2.5 times as much heat energy as it receives from the Sun,although calculations show it should have already lost all of its original heat.What is the most likely explanation?

The ecliptic

What is the cause of Jupiter's extremely high-energy radiation belts?

What travels up and down the Sun's magnetic loops extending from the surface?

Venus and Earth started out with roughly the same amount of water.While Earth still has water in abundance,all of Venus' was lost.Where did it go?

The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Mars is

The Trojans,Greeks,and Hildas are in orbit around

Why do comet's tails always point away from the Sun?

During the peak of a total annular eclipse,the image of the Sun cast onto some white paper is

The Sun

The percentage of the Earth's surface covered by ocean is about

No greenhouse effect occurs on Mercury because of no

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Shaping Earths Surface

Geologic Time - Reading the Rock Record

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Driving Forces of Weather

Stars and Galaxies

The Structure of Space and Time

Prologue: The Nature of Science

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