Question 1

If you obtained a sample of Martian rock, determined the abundances of 230U and 207Pb in it, and found that for every one uranium atom there were seven lead atoms, what would be the age of this rock? Note that 230U decays to 207Pb with a half-life of 700 million years.Assume that there was no 207Pb in the rock when it originally formed.

Accepted Answer

The ratio of the original amount of uran...

Question 2

Which of the following is a reason that we suspect that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by an explosive impact by a large object?

Accepted Answer

A)   Many dinosaur fossils are found below the K-Pg boundary, but none above it.
B)   The impact created the Moon.
C)   The radioactivity of Earth's crust increases significantly above the K-Pg boundary.
D)   There are several medium-sized meteor craters created by secondary impacts.
E)   The remaining meteorite has been identified on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 3

Which of the following will remove ("smooth out")  features on a planet's surface?

Accepted Answer

A)   plate tectonic activity
B)   meteor impacts
C)   decay of radioisotopes within the planet
D)   a thick, active atmosphere
E)   none of these

Question 4

How do astronomers determine the average density of a planet using an orbiting object? How do they estimate the material composition of the planet without surface measurements?

Accepted Answer

Astronomers can use Newton's version of ...

Question 5

A wave whose amplitude is perpendicular to its direction of motion is

Accepted Answer

A)   longitudinal.
B)   transverse.
C)   sound.
D)   primary.
E)   seismic.

Question 6

The small peak found in some meteor craters is

Accepted Answer

A)   the leftover piece of the meteor.
B)   a small volcano formed by the molten meteor.
C)   rebounding material from the larger object.
D)   the remains of a mountain that was hit by the meteor.
E)   formed by later wind erosion.

Question 7

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for

Accepted Answer

A)   mountain ranges.
B)   canyons.
C)   volcanoes.
D)   ocean trenches.
E)   continental drift.

Question 8

Which of these three lunar surfaces shown in the figure below is the oldest?

Accepted Answer

A)   A
B)   B
C)   C
D)   A and C are probably about the same age and are older than B.
E)   It is impossible to tell without radioactive dating.

Question 9

The Moon has a diameter that is approximately one-fourth that of Earth.If these objects' interiors are heated by radioactive decays and the total amount of energy in decays is proportional to the object's volume, how does the amount of internal heat the Moon has compare to that of Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Moon's heating rate is 1/64 times that of Earth's.
B)   The Moon's heating rate is 32 times that of Earth's.
C)   The Moon's heating rate is 1/16 times that of Earth's.
D)   The heating rates are about the same.
E)   The Moon's heating rate is 8 times that of Earth's.

Question 10

Which of the follow is evidence for Mars once having had liquid water on its surface?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mapping satellites have detected dry riverbeds.
B)   Rovers have detected minerals that must have formed in the presence of liquid water.
C)   Mapping satellites have detected outflow channels coming from impact craters.
D)   large canyons
E)   all of these

Question 11

We have direct evidence for the recent existence of water on the surface of which terrestrial object?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mercury
B)   Venus
C)   Mars
D)   Ganymede
E)   Callisto

Question 12

Which of the following processes can reduce the temperature of a planet?

Accepted Answer

A)   decays of radioisotopes within the planet
B)   thermal radiation into space
C)   incident energy from the central star
D)   tidal forces
E)   asteroid impacts

Question 13

Of the terrestrial planets, which have active plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Earth is the only te...

Question 14

What is the main reason that part of Earth's interior is liquid today?

Accepted Answer

A)   tidal force of the Moon on Earth
B)   seismic waves that travel through Earth's interior
C)   decay of radioactive elements
D)   convective motions in the mantle
E)   pressure on the core from Earth's outer layers.

Question 15

Give a specific example of a historical impact of an asteroid or comet that hit Earth.Why are impact craters rare on the surface of Earth but plentiful on the Moon?

Accepted Answer

Examples of impacts on Earth include the...

Question 16

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years, what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Accepted Answer

A)   1/2
B)   1/4
C)   1/8
D)   1/16
E)   1/32

Question 17

Which of the following is a reason for the large size of volcanoes on Mars as compared to Earth's smaller volcanoes?

Accepted Answer

A)   extreme tectonic activity
B)   a thick atmosphere, therefore no asteroid impacts
C)   less gravity than other terrestrial planets
D)   fewer eruptions
E)   strong tidal forces

Question 18

What is the age of our Solar System?

Accepted Answer

A)   4.6 billion years
B)   4.6 million years
C)   13.7 trillion years
D)   13.7 billion years
E)   13.7 million years

Question 19

The fact that Earth's interior is differentiated suggests that

Accepted Answer

A)   it formed first from denser material and then afterward accreted lighter material.
B)   it has both a liquid and solid core.
C)   it was entirely liquid at some point in the past.
D)   only the crust is solid; the rest of Earth's interior is liquid.
E)   it formed first from lighter material and then afterward accreted heavier material.

Question 20

According to studies of impact cratering, which of these terrestrial objects has, on average, the oldest surface?

Accepted Answer

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

Exam 8: The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

The fact that Earth's interior is differentiated suggests that

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
The ratio of the original amount of uran...
View Answer

Which of the following is a reason for the large size of volcanoes on Mars as compared to Earth's smaller volcanoes?

Correct Answer
verified

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following will remove ("smooth out") features on a planet's surface?

Correct Answer
verified

Give a specific example of a historical impact of an asteroid or comet that hit Earth.Why are impact craters rare on the surface of Earth but plentiful on the Moon?

Correct Answer
verified
Examples of impacts on Earth include the...
View Answer

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years, what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the follow is evidence for Mars once having had liquid water on its surface?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following processes can reduce the temperature of a planet?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is a reason that we suspect that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by an explosive impact by a large object?

Correct Answer
verified

According to studies of impact cratering, which of these terrestrial objects has, on average, the oldest surface?

Correct Answer
verified

Of the terrestrial planets, which have active plate tectonics?

Correct Answer
verified
Earth is the only te...
View Answer

We have direct evidence for the recent existence of water on the surface of which terrestrial object?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of these three lunar surfaces shown in the figure below is the oldest?

Correct Answer
verified

What is the main reason that part of Earth's interior is liquid today?

Correct Answer
verified

A wave whose amplitude is perpendicular to its direction of motion is

Correct Answer
verified

The small peak found in some meteor craters is

Correct Answer
verified

The Moon has a diameter that is approximately one-fourth that of Earth.If these objects' interiors are heated by radioactive decays and the total amount of energy in decays is proportional to the object's volume, how does the amount of internal heat the Moon has compare to that of Earth?

Correct Answer
verified

What is the age of our Solar System?

Correct Answer
verified

How do astronomers determine the average density of a planet using an orbiting object? How do they estimate the material composition of the planet without surface measurements?

Correct Answer
verified
Astronomers can use Newton's version of ...
View Answer

Exam 8: The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

The fact that Earth's interior is differentiated suggests that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedThe ratio of the original amount of uran...View AnswerShow Answer

Which of the following is a reason for the large size of volcanoes on Mars as compared to Earth's smaller volcanoes?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following will remove ("smooth out") features on a planet's surface?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Give a specific example of a historical impact of an asteroid or comet that hit Earth.Why are impact craters rare on the surface of Earth but plentiful on the Moon?

Correct AnswerverifiedExamples of impacts on Earth include the...View AnswerShow Answer

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years, what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the follow is evidence for Mars once having had liquid water on its surface?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following processes can reduce the temperature of a planet?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a reason that we suspect that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by an explosive impact by a large object?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to studies of impact cratering, which of these terrestrial objects has, on average, the oldest surface?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Of the terrestrial planets, which have active plate tectonics?

Correct AnswerverifiedEarth is the only te...View AnswerShow Answer

We have direct evidence for the recent existence of water on the surface of which terrestrial object?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these three lunar surfaces shown in the figure below is the oldest?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the main reason that part of Earth's interior is liquid today?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A wave whose amplitude is perpendicular to its direction of motion is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The small peak found in some meteor craters is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Moon has a diameter that is approximately one-fourth that of Earth.If these objects' interiors are heated by radioactive decays and the total amount of energy in decays is proportional to the object's volume, how does the amount of internal heat the Moon has compare to that of Earth?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the age of our Solar System?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How do astronomers determine the average density of a planet using an orbiting object? How do they estimate the material composition of the planet without surface measurements?

Correct AnswerverifiedAstronomers can use Newton's version of ...View AnswerShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
The ratio of the original amount of uran...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Examples of impacts on Earth include the...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Earth is the only te...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Astronomers can use Newton's version of ...
View Answer