Question 1

Which of the following has virtually no effect on the internal structure of a planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  its size
B)  its mass
C)  its magnetic field
D)  its composition

Question 2

How large is an impact crater compared to the size of the impactor?

Accepted Answer

A)  1,000 times larger
B)  10- 20 percent larger
C)  the same size
D)  100 times larger
E)  10 times larger

Question 3

The process in which one plate slides under another is called subduction and occurs where seafloor crust descends into the mantle below continental crust.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Why does Earth have so little carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, when Earth should have outgassed about as much of it as Venus?

Accepted Answer

The answer to this question is that Eart...

Question 5

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

Question 6

Winter and summer differ in length on Mars because of its elliptical orbit.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

What drives the motion of the continental plates on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  lava flows in trenches along the sea floor
B)  convection cells in the mantle
C)  rotation of the liquid core
D)  tidal forces
E)  Earth's magnetic field

Question 8

All of the statements below are true. Which one gives the primary reason why the surface of Venus today is some 450°C hotter than the surface of Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus is only about 73% as far from the Sun as Earth.
B)  Venus has a much higher reflectivity than Earth.
C)  Venus has a higher atmospheric pressure than Earth.
D)  Venus has a much stronger greenhouse effect than Earth.

Question 9

Briefly describe how the solar wind affects magnetospheres and how auroras are produced.

Accepted Answer

Some particles from the solar wind get c...

Question 10

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

Which of the following is the underlying reason why Venus has so little wind erosion?

Accepted Answer

A)  its thick atmosphere
B)  its slow rotation
C)  its relatively close distance to the Sun
D)  its small size

Question 12

All the following statements about Venus are true. Which one offers evidence of a global repaving about a billion years ago?

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus's largest features are three elevated regions that look somewhat like continents.
B)  Venus has many circular features, called coronae, which appear to be tectonic in origin.
C)  Venus appears to lack any water that could lubricate the flow of rock in its crust and mantle.
D)  Venus has relatively few impact craters and these craters are distributed fairly evenly over the entire planet.

Question 13

Why does increasing the amount a greenhouse gas increase the temperature of a planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  Greenhouse gases emit visible light.
B)  Greenhouse gases absorb infrared light.
C)  Greenhouse gases emit infrared light.
D)  Greenhouse gases absorb visible light.

Question 14

Erosion is the most important geological process on Venus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

There are no auroras on Venus because it

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

In the context of planetary geology, what do we mean by outgassing?

Accepted Answer

A)  the release by volcanism of gases that had been trapped in a planetary interior
B)  the loss of atmospheric gas to outer space
C)  the evaporation of water that adds water vapor (a gas) to an atmosphere
D)  another name for a volcanic eruption

Question 17

Briefly describe how the greenhouse effect makes a planetary surface warmer than it would be otherwise.

Accepted Answer

Sunlight that is not absorbed by the atm...

Question 18

Which in its gaseous form is not a greenhouse gas?

Accepted Answer

A)  methane
B)  molecular nitrogen
C)  water
D)  carbon dioxide

Question 19

Today, Mars has virtually no magnetic field.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Olympus Mons is _ .

Accepted Answer

A)  a huge volcano on Venus
B)  a huge volcano on Mars
C)  a great canyon on Mars
D)  a large lava plain on the Moon

Exam 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Today, Mars has virtually no magnetic field.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is the underlying reason why Venus has so little wind erosion?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Erosion is the most important geological process on Venus.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why does increasing the amount a greenhouse gas increase the temperature of a planet?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How large is an impact crater compared to the size of the impactor?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Winter and summer differ in length on Mars because of its elliptical orbit.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

All of the statements below are true. Which one gives the primary reason why the surface of Venus today is some 450°C hotter than the surface of Earth?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Olympus Mons is _ .

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are no auroras on Venus because it

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following has virtually no effect on the internal structure of a planet?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Briefly describe how the solar wind affects magnetospheres and how auroras are produced.

Correct AnswerverifiedSome particles from the solar wind get c...View AnswerShow Answer

Which in its gaseous form is not a greenhouse gas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Briefly describe how the greenhouse effect makes a planetary surface warmer than it would be otherwise.

Correct AnswerverifiedSunlight that is not absorbed by the atm...View AnswerShow Answer

In the context of planetary geology, what do we mean by outgassing?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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 does Earth have so little carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, when Earth should have outgassed about as much of it as Venus?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe answer to this question is that Eart...View AnswerShow Answer

What drives the motion of the continental plates on Earth?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

All the following statements about Venus are true. Which one offers evidence of a global repaving about a billion years ago?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The process in which one plate slides under another is called subduction and occurs where seafloor crust descends into the mantle below continental crust.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Some particles from the solar wind get c...
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Sunlight that is not absorbed by the atm...
View Answer

Correct Answer
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The answer to this question is that Eart...
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