Question 1

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Summer on Mars will be

Accepted Answer

A)  short and hot 
B)  long and hot 
C)  long and mild 
D)  short and mild 
A)  short and hot 
B)  long and hot 
C)  long and mild 
D)  short and mild

Question 2

What is the most convincing piece of evidence to suggest that Martian meteorites actually come from Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  they are igneous rocks 
B)  they contain trapped gases with a similar composition to the Martian atmosphere 
C)  they are red in color 
D)  they show evidence for having been in contact with water 
A)  they are igneous rocks 
B)  they contain trapped gases with a similar composition to the Martian atmosphere 
C)  they are red in color 
D)  they show evidence for having been in contact with water

Question 3

When Percival Lowell insisted on the existence of Martian canals, even though his observations were discredited by other scientists, he exhibited

Accepted Answer

A)  objectivity 
B)  stupidity 
C)  madness 
D)  personal bias 
A)  objectivity 
B)  stupidity 
C)  madness 
D)  personal bias

Question 4

What are the most likely sources of the methane gas detected in the Martian atmosphere by the Mars Express orbiter?

Accepted Answer

A)  biological activity only 
B)  biological and/or volcanic activity 
C)  comet impacts only 
D)  volcanic activity only 
A)  biological activity only 
B)  biological and/or volcanic activity 
C)  comet impacts only 
D)  volcanic activity only

Question 5

The most important geological process occurring on Mars today is

Accepted Answer

A)  water erosion 
B)  plate tectonics 
C)  volcanism 
D)  wind erosion 
A)  water erosion 
B)  plate tectonics 
C)  volcanism 
D)  wind erosion

Question 6

The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much

Accepted Answer

A)  warmer, thinner atmosphere in the past 
B)  cooler, thicker atmosphere in the past 
C)  cooler, thinner atmosphere in the past 
D)  warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past 
A)  warmer, thinner atmosphere in the past 
B)  cooler, thicker atmosphere in the past 
C)  cooler, thinner atmosphere in the past 
D)  warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past

Question 7

The extent to which Mars has been habitable essentially boils down to the

Accepted Answer

A)  question of whether liquid water has ever been present on its surface 
B)  question of whether oceans of liquid water have existed on its surface 
C)  amount of water that has been present on its surface 
D)  length of time liquid water has been present at or below its surface 
A)  question of whether liquid water has ever been present on its surface 
B)  question of whether oceans of liquid water have existed on its surface 
C)  amount of water that has been present on its surface 
D)  length of time liquid water has been present at or below its surface

Question 8

As far as we know, the first scientist to seriously suggest the possibility of life on Mars was

Accepted Answer

A)  Angelo Secchi 
B)  Percival Lowell 
C)  Giovanni Schiaparelli 
D)  William Herschel 
A)  Angelo Secchi 
B)  Percival Lowell 
C)  Giovanni Schiaparelli 
D)  William Herschel

Question 9

Observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter show that most of the water on Mars today is

Accepted Answer

A)  frozen beneath the surface 
B)  flowing in rivers on the surface 
C)  present in the atmosphere 
D)  present in the residual polar caps 
A)  frozen beneath the surface 
B)  flowing in rivers on the surface 
C)  present in the atmosphere 
D)  present in the residual polar caps

Question 10

Due to the dust suspended in the Martian atmosphere, sunrises and sunsets on Mars are

Accepted Answer

A)  red 
B)  orange 
C)  blue 
D)  yellow 
A)  red 
B)  orange 
C)  blue 
D)  yellow

Question 11

Liquid water cannot exist for very long on the surface of Mars today because

Accepted Answer

A)  it gets rapidly destroyed by intense solar radiation 
B)  its surface temperature is too high 
C)  it rapidly reacts with the Martian surface to form peroxides 
D)  its atmosphere is too thin 
A)  it gets rapidly destroyed by intense solar radiation 
B)  its surface temperature is too high 
C)  it rapidly reacts with the Martian surface to form peroxides 
D)  its atmosphere is too thin

Question 12

The interior of Mars cooled more quickly than the interior of the Earth because it has

Accepted Answer

A)  a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio 
B)  a lower density 
C)  a larger surface area-to-volume ratio 
D)  a thinner atmosphere 
A)  a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio 
B)  a lower density 
C)  a larger surface area-to-volume ratio 
D)  a thinner atmosphere

Question 13

Which of the following statements best describes the idea behind the Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer Experiment on board the Viking landers?

Accepted Answer

A)  soil with living organisms in it should contain organic molecules 
B)  radioactive gases should be produced when radioactive nutrients are added to a soil sample 
C)  living organisms in the soil should incorporate carbon from atmospheric gases 
D)  living organisms in the soil should give off gases when they metabolize nutrients 
A)  soil with living organisms in it should contain organic molecules 
B)  radioactive gases should be produced when radioactive nutrients are added to a soil sample 
C)  living organisms in the soil should incorporate carbon from atmospheric gases 
D)  living organisms in the soil should give off gases when they metabolize nutrients

Question 14

If a glass of liquid water were suddenly exposed to the Martian atmosphere today, the water would

Accepted Answer

A)  either freeze or evaporate away 
B)  burst into flames 
C)  remain liquid 
D)  decompose into hydrogen and oxygen gases 
A)  either freeze or evaporate away 
B)  burst into flames 
C)  remain liquid 
D)  decompose into hydrogen and oxygen gases

Question 15

The positive result from the Labeled Release experiment was inconsistent with the results from which other biology experiment or experiments?

Accepted Answer

A)  Carbon Assimilation 
B)  Gas Exchange 
C)  Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer 
D)  it was inconsistent with all of them 
A)  Carbon Assimilation 
B)  Gas Exchange 
C)  Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer 
D)  it was inconsistent with all of them

Question 16

Which of the following did NOT contribute to the thinning of the Martian atmosphere during its early history?

Accepted Answer

A)  the photodissociation of water molecules by ultraviolet light in the atmosphere 
B)  the stripping of the atmosphere by solar wind particles from the Sun 
C)  the consumption of carbon dioxide by photosynthetic bacteria 
D)  atmospheric gases being blasted into space by large impacts 
A)  the photodissociation of water molecules by ultraviolet light in the atmosphere 
B)  the stripping of the atmosphere by solar wind particles from the Sun 
C)  the consumption of carbon dioxide by photosynthetic bacteria 
D)  atmospheric gases being blasted into space by large impacts

Question 17

Spacecraft orbiting Mars have detected hydrated minerals, such as clays, sulfates, and silica, which are known to form in the presence of

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen 
B)  water 
C)  carbon dioxide 
D)  oxygen 
A)  hydrogen 
B)  water 
C)  carbon dioxide 
D)  oxygen

Question 18

Which of the following do winds on Mars NOT cause

Accepted Answer

A)  global dust storms 
B)  local dust storms 
C)  hurricanes 
D)  dust devils 
A)  global dust storms 
B)  local dust storms 
C)  hurricanes 
D)  dust devils

Question 19

What method has been used to determine the most recent time the Tharsis volcanoes on Mars have erupted?

Accepted Answer

A)  measuring the thickness of lava flows on their sides 
B)  measuring the intensity of infrared radiation emitted by them 
C)  measuring the changes in sulfur compound concentrations in the planet's atmosphere 
D)  counting the craters on their slopes 
A)  measuring the thickness of lava flows on their sides 
B)  measuring the intensity of infrared radiation emitted by them 
C)  measuring the changes in sulfur compound concentrations in the planet's atmosphere 
D)  counting the craters on their slopes

Question 20

Even though 95% of the Martian atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse effect on Mars today is very weak because its atmosphere is very

Accepted Answer

A)  dusty 
B)  thin 
C)  dry 
D)  cold 
A)  dusty 
B)  thin 
C)  dry 
D)  cold

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Summer on Mars will be

What is the most convincing piece of evidence to suggest that Martian meteorites actually come from Mars?

When Percival Lowell insisted on the existence of Martian canals, even though his observations were discredited by other scientists, he exhibited

What are the most likely sources of the methane gas detected in the Martian atmosphere by the Mars Express orbiter?

The most important geological process occurring on Mars today is

The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much

The extent to which Mars has been habitable essentially boils down to the

As far as we know, the first scientist to seriously suggest the possibility of life on Mars was

Observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter show that most of the water on Mars today is

Due to the dust suspended in the Martian atmosphere, sunrises and sunsets on Mars are

Liquid water cannot exist for very long on the surface of Mars today because

The interior of Mars cooled more quickly than the interior of the Earth because it has

Which of the following statements best describes the idea behind the Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer Experiment on board the Viking landers?

If a glass of liquid water were suddenly exposed to the Martian atmosphere today, the water would

The positive result from the Labeled Release experiment was inconsistent with the results from which other biology experiment or experiments?

Which of the following did NOT contribute to the thinning of the Martian atmosphere during its early history?

Spacecraft orbiting Mars have detected hydrated minerals, such as clays, sulfates, and silica, which are known to form in the presence of

Which of the following do winds on Mars NOT cause

What method has been used to determine the most recent time the Tharsis volcanoes on Mars have erupted?

Even though 95% of the Martian atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse effect on Mars today is very weak because its atmosphere is very

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

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Exam 8: Mars

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Summer on Mars will be

What is the most convincing piece of evidence to suggest that Martian meteorites actually come from Mars?

When Percival Lowell insisted on the existence of Martian canals, even though his observations were discredited by other scientists, he exhibited

What are the most likely sources of the methane gas detected in the Martian atmosphere by the Mars Express orbiter?

The most important geological process occurring on Mars today is

The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much

The extent to which Mars has been habitable essentially boils down to the

As far as we know, the first scientist to seriously suggest the possibility of life on Mars was

Observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter show that most of the water on Mars today is

Due to the dust suspended in the Martian atmosphere, sunrises and sunsets on Mars are

Liquid water cannot exist for very long on the surface of Mars today because

The interior of Mars cooled more quickly than the interior of the Earth because it has

Which of the following statements best describes the idea behind the Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer Experiment on board the Viking landers?

If a glass of liquid water were suddenly exposed to the Martian atmosphere today, the water would

The positive result from the Labeled Release experiment was inconsistent with the results from which other biology experiment or experiments?

Which of the following did NOT contribute to the thinning of the Martian atmosphere during its early history?

Spacecraft orbiting Mars have detected hydrated minerals, such as clays, sulfates, and silica, which are known to form in the presence of

Which of the following do winds on Mars NOT cause

What method has been used to determine the most recent time the Tharsis volcanoes on Mars have erupted?

Even though 95% of the Martian atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse effect on Mars today is very weak because its atmosphere is very

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters