Question 1

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

Accepted Answer

A)   accretion
B)   differentiation
C)   radioactivity
D)   both A and B
E)   all of the above

Question 2

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

Accepted Answer

A)   The presence of many long, tall cliffs
B)   The presence of many impact craters
C)   The characteristics of the Caloris Basin
D)   Mercury's unusually high density

Question 3

The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria

Accepted Answer

A)   were formed by impacts that occurred before those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands.
B)   were formed by impacts that occurred after those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands.
C)   Were created by the same large impactor that led to the formation of the maria.
D)   are volcanic in origin, rather than from impacts.
E)   are sinkholes that formed when sections of the maria collapsed.

Question 4

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest:

Accepted Answer

A)   Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars.
B)   Mercury, Moon, Venus, Earth, Mars.
C)   Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.
D)   Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth.
E)   Mercury, Moon, Mars, Earth, Venus.

Question 5

From center to surface, which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Accepted Answer

A)   Core, mantle, crust
B)   Mantle, core, crust
C)   Mantle, crust, core
D)   Core, crust, lithosphere

Question 6

Why is Mars red?

Accepted Answer

A)   Chemical reactions between surface rock and atmospheric oxygen literally rusted the surface.
B)   Martian volcanoes released a much redder lava than volcanoes on Earth.
C)   The red color of Mars is a result of the scattering of light in the Martian sky.
D)   The red color is caused by water ice chemically bound in surface rock.

Question 7

What is the main visual difference between the lunar maria and the rest of the lunar surface? What are the implications of this observation?

Accepted Answer

The lunar maria are generally smooth com...

Question 8

In general, which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

A)   Charged particles or magnetized materials (such as iron) 
B)   Rocks of all types
C)   Iron-bearing minerals only
D)   Gases and liquids

Question 9

The sky is blue because molecules in the atmosphere scatter blue light more effectively than red light.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

All of the following statements are true. Which one provides strong observational support for the claim that greenhouse gases make a planet warmer than it would be otherwise?

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth is the only planet with an ozone layer in its atmosphere.
B)   Earth has a higher average temperature than Mars.
C)   Mercury is much hotter than the Moon.
D)   Venus has a higher average temperature than Mercury.

Question 11

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mercury
B)   Venus
C)   the Moon
D)   Mars
E)   Earth

Question 12

Many scientists suspect that Venus has a stronger and thicker lithosphere than Earth. If this is true, which of the following could explain it?

Accepted Answer

A)   The high surface temperature that has "baked out" all the liquid water from Venus's crust and mantle
B)   The smaller size of Venus, which has allowed it to lose much more internal heat than Earth
C)   The slow rotation of Venus
D)   The apparent lack of plate tectonics on Venus

Question 13

Which of the following describes tectonics?

Accepted Answer

A)   the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface
B)   the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface
C)   the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses
D)   the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 14

Why does the Moon have a layer of "powdery soil" on its surface?

Accepted Answer

A)   It is the result of countless tiny impacts by small particles striking the Moon.
B)   Recent, large impacts shattered lunar rock to make this soil.
C)   It is made by the same processes that make powdery sand on Earth.
D)   It exists because the Moon accreted from powdery material after a giant impact blasted the Earth.

Question 15

What is a magnetosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   A region of space around a planet in which the planet's magnetic field can trap charged particles
B)   The layer of a planet in which its magnetic field is generated
C)   The uppermost layer of any planetary atmosphere
D)   The region in a planet's atmosphere in which auroras occur

Question 16

There are no auroras on Venus because it

Accepted Answer

A)   lacks atmospheric oxygen.
B)   is too hot.
C)   lacks a strong magnetic field.
D)   lacks strong winds.

Question 17

In what ways is Earth different from the other terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

A)   Its lithosphere is broken into plates that move around.
B)   It has oxygen in its atmosphere.
C)   Most of its surface is covered with liquid water.
D)   Life can be found almost everywhere.
E)   All of the above are true.

Question 18

What is the importance of the carbon dioxide (CO₂)  cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)   It regulates the carbon dioxide concentration of our atmosphere, keeping temperatures moderate.
B)   It makes the growth of continents possible.
C)   It allows for an ultraviolet-absorbing stratosphere.
D)   It will prevent us from suffering any consequences from global warming.

Question 19

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Accepted Answer

A)   the entire planets are made mostly of metal.
B)   metals condensed first in the solar nebula and the rocks then accreted around them.
C)   metals sank to the center during a time when the interiors were molten throughout.
D)   radioactivity created metals in the core from the decay of uranium.
E)   convection carried the metals to the core.

Question 20

Suppose Mars had turned out to be significantly smaller than its current size, say about the size of our Moon. How would this have affected the number of geological features due to each of the four major geological processes?

Accepted Answer

If Mars were smaller, it would have unde...

Exam 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Why does the Moon have a layer of "powdery soil" on its surface?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following describes tectonics?

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Many scientists suspect that Venus has a stronger and thicker lithosphere than Earth. If this is true, which of the following could explain it?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is Mars red?

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In what ways is Earth different from the other terrestrial planets?

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Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

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The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the importance of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) cycle?

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The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the main visual difference between the lunar maria and the rest of the lunar surface? What are the implications of this observation?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe lunar maria are generally smooth com...View AnswerShow Answer

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In general, which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a magnetosphere?

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There are no auroras on Venus because it

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Suppose Mars had turned out to be significantly smaller than its current size, say about the size of our Moon. How would this have affected the number of geological features due to each of the four major geological processes?

Correct AnswerverifiedIf Mars were smaller, it would have unde...View AnswerShow Answer

All of the following statements are true. Which one provides strong observational support for the claim that greenhouse gases make a planet warmer than it would be otherwise?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The sky is blue because molecules in the atmosphere scatter blue light more effectively than red light.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

From center to surface, which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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The lunar maria are generally smooth com...
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If Mars were smaller, it would have unde...
View Answer

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