Question 1

Why did the Soviet spacecraft survive for only a few minutes on the Venusian surface?

Accepted Answer

A)   They landed in very rugged terrain and were not able to land upright, and they became damaged when they toppled over.
B)   They landed very fast because there was insufficient atmosphere to slow down their descent.
C)   They were attacked and destroyed by native inhabitants, but the space agency is not telling the world.
D)   The conditions of extreme pressure, corrosive atmosphere, and high temperatures severely damaged it.E) A) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 2

What is the observed feature that suggests that Mercury's iron core is molten?

Accepted Answer

A)   presence of a global magnetic field
B)   background sloshing sound in radio transmissions sent back by the Mariner 10 spacecraft
C)   irregularities in Mercury's rotation rate
D)   extensive lava flows near the regions of greatest tidal stress, such as the Caloris BasinE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 3

If you were standing on the Moon with Earth in view,how much time would elapse between two successive "Earthrises"?

Accepted Answer

A)   about 1 synodic month
B)   about 1 sidereal month
C)   essentially forever
D)   about 1 dayE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 4

How did the maria form?

Accepted Answer

A)   Large impacts formed craters, which were immediately filled with lava from the Moon's molten core.
B)   Large impacts formed craters. The impacts themselves melted the surface rock, and this eventually solidified to form the maria.
C)   Large impacts formed craters. Later, radioactive decay melted portions of the Moon's upper interior, and this moved upward to fill the craters.
D)   The Moon's surface was molten and unstable after its formation. Parts of the surface collapsed to form the maria.E) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 5

How large were the impactors that created the craters that in turn became the large maria?

Accepted Answer

A)   100 meters or more
B)   10 kilometers or more
C)   100 kilometers or more
D)   1000 kilometers or moreE) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 6

Where are Earth's Van Allen radiation belts located?

Accepted Answer

A)   in the magnetosphere
B)   in the stratosphere
C)   in the molten iron core
D)   in the atmosphere above the auroral regions, centered over the north and south magnetic polesE) B) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 7

Which major constituent of the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is present in only very small amounts in Earth's atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   methane, CH₄
B)   carbon dioxide, CO₂
C)   nitrogen, N₂
D)   oxygen, O₂E) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 8

The lowest temperature in Earth's atmosphere occurs at an altitude of about:

Accepted Answer

A)   80 km.
B)   50 km.
C)   10 km.
D)   0 km (the surface of Earth) .E) A) and C)
F) All of the above

Question 9

What is the PRINCIPAL reason we have no volcanoes on Earth anywhere near the size of Olympus Mons?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mars' smaller gravity allows the formation of taller structures without crumbling.
B)   Because Mars is smaller than Earth, it retained its interior heat longer and allowed volcanic activity for a longer time.
C)   Because of tectonic activity on Earth, a volcano does not sit over the same spot for long periods, therefore allowing it to continue to grow.
D)   Because of colder temperatures on Mars, lava solidified more quickly before it had time to move far from the volcanic cone.E) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 10

What significant evidence is there for the idea that large quantities of water once flowed on the planet Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)   a network of relatively straight canals linking polar and equatorial regions
B)   clouds and frost that formed above and around the Viking spacecraft
C)   frozen, dust-covered lakes inside ancient craters
D)   deep, winding canyons and flood plainsE) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 11

If we characterize the age of a planetary surface by the age of the oldest feature that has been dated there,then the ages of the surfaces,from youngest to oldest,are:

Accepted Answer

A)   Venus, Earth, and the Moon.
B)   Earth, Venus, and the Moon.
C)   Earth, the Moon, and Venus.
D)   Venus, the Moon, and Earth.E) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 12

Earth's solid inner core results from the fact that the:

Accepted Answer

A)   outer core is heated and melted by friction between the core and the mantle, and this heating does not extend to the inner core.
B)   melting temperature of an iron-nickel mixture increases with increasing pressure and rises above the actual temperature in the inner core.
C)   inner core has a different composition than the outer core, with a higher melting temperature.
D)   temperature of the inner core is lower than the temperature of the outer core, producing a temperature inversion.E) A) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 13

Mercury can be characterized as having:

Accepted Answer

A)   a Moonlike surface and an Earthlike interior.
B)   both a surface and an interior like that of our Moon.
C)   an Earthlike surface and a Moonlike interior.
D)   a surface and an interior significantly different from either the Moon or Earth.E) B) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 14

In 1976,the Viking 1 orbiter imaged what appeared to be a humanlike face on Mars.Mars Global Surveyor did not image the same features in 1998.Which do we believe did NOT contributed to this difference?

Accepted Answer

A)   a different camera angle
B)   the washing away of some of the original feature by running water
C)   the eroding away of some of the original feature by winds
D)   improved camera technologyE) None of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 15

At greatest elongation,the Earth-Venus line makes an angle with the Sun-Venus line that is:

Accepted Answer

A)   nearly 180°.
B)   90°.
C)   0°.
D)   an acute angle, less than 90°.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 16

Earth has an average density of 5500 kg/m³,although the density of rock on its surface is about 3000 kg/m³.What conclusion can be reached about Earth's core from this observation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth's core consists of lower-density material than surface rock.
B)   Earth's core must be composed of material with density several times that of the surface material.
C)   Earth's core must be very hot.
D)   Earth's core is made of material far denser than surface rock.E) A) and B)
F) B) and D)

Question 17

One chemical element that plays a major role in the coloring and chemistry of the Venusian atmosphere and clouds,and is suspected of coming from volcanic eruptions,is:

Accepted Answer

A)   nitrogen (as gas) , nitric oxide, and nitric acid droplets.
B)   chlorine (as gas) , hydrogen chloride, and hydrochloric acid droplets.
C)   iron (as red dust) , iron oxides, and iron sulfides.
D)   sulfur (as dust) , sulfur dioxide, and sulfuric acid droplets.E) A) and C)
F) B) and D)

Question 18

The MOST common surface features on Venus are:

Accepted Answer

A)   impact craters.
B)   ancient river valleys and huge flood plains.
C)   evidence of plate tectonic motion, including long mountain ranges and subduction troughs.
D)   volcanoes and lava flows.E) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 19

The smooth,dark maria take up what fraction of the entire surface of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)   between 1/3 and 1/2
B)   more than 4/5
C)   less than 1/5
D)   between 1/2 and 3/4E) None of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 20

The gravitational force at the surface of Mars is not sufficient to retain what gas in its atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   carbon dioxide
B)   nitrogen
C)   oxygen
D)   water vaporE) None of the above
F) A) and B)

Exam 6: The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

If you were standing on the Moon with Earth in view,how much time would elapse between two successive "Earthrises"?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How large were the impactors that created the craters that in turn became the large maria?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In 1976,the Viking 1 orbiter imaged what appeared to be a humanlike face on Mars.Mars Global Surveyor did not image the same features in 1998.Which do we believe did NOT contributed to this difference?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

At greatest elongation,the Earth-Venus line makes an angle with the Sun-Venus line that is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The gravitational force at the surface of Mars is not sufficient to retain what gas in its atmosphere?

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Why did the Soviet spacecraft survive for only a few minutes on the Venusian surface?

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What is the PRINCIPAL reason we have no volcanoes on Earth anywhere near the size of Olympus Mons?

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Where are Earth's Van Allen radiation belts located?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The lowest temperature in Earth's atmosphere occurs at an altitude of about:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How did the maria form?

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The MOST common surface features on Venus are:

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What is the observed feature that suggests that Mercury's iron core is molten?

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The smooth,dark maria take up what fraction of the entire surface of the Moon?

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Mercury can be characterized as having:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Earth's solid inner core results from the fact that the:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

One chemical element that plays a major role in the coloring and chemistry of the Venusian atmosphere and clouds,and is suspected of coming from volcanic eruptions,is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which major constituent of the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is present in only very small amounts in Earth's atmosphere?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If we characterize the age of a planetary surface by the age of the oldest feature that has been dated there,then the ages of the surfaces,from youngest to oldest,are:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Earth has an average density of 5500 kg/m³,although the density of rock on its surface is about 3000 kg/m³.What conclusion can be reached about Earth's core from this observation?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What significant evidence is there for the idea that large quantities of water once flowed on the planet Mars?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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