Download A ______ is a solar system object that enters Earth`s atmosphere

PH109 Exploring the Universe, Test #2, Spring 2001
Please indicate the best answer to the following questions on the answer sheet provided.
Please fill in your name on the answer sheet. Each question is worth 2 points.
1. A __________ is a solar system object that enters Earth's atmosphere and becomes very hot due to
friction between the object and Earth's atmosphere.
a) asteroid, b) meteor, c) comet, d) meteoroid, e) planetesimal
2. Which one of the following objects is most like the planetesimals that formed in the solar nebular?
a) asteroids, b) Earth, c) Saturn, d) Venus, e) the sun
3. One of the following factors, along with temperature, determines whether a body will retain an
atmosphere of a given composition.
a) size, b) distance from the sun, c) escape speed, d) rate of rotation, e) magnetic field
4. The greenhouse effect occurs because
a) carbon dioxide is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared radiation.
b) carbon dioxide is transparent to infrared radiation and opaque to ultraviolet radiation.
c) ozone is transparent to infrared radiation and opaque to ultraviolet radiation.
d) ozone is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared radiation.
e) the sun emits more infrared radiation than ultraviolet radiation.
5. This planet's density is so small it could float in a bathtub if you had one big enough.
a) Venus, b) Earth, c) Jupiter, d) Saturn
6. 99.9% of the Solar system is made of
a) material created by the Big Bang, b) Hydrogen and Helium
c) Oxygen and CO2, d) rocks and nickel/iron cores
7. The gas that is most responsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth is
a) oxygen (O2), b) nitrogen (N2), c) carbon dioxide (CO2),
d) ozone (O3), e) ammonia (NH3)
8. Cassini's division is
a) a new form of math
b) imaginary line which divides a planet into Eastern and Western hemispheres
c) a gap in Saturn's rings
d) the space between Mars and Jupiter where there is no planet
9. The energy that moves the plates of Earth's crust comes from
a) the solar wind, b) convection from the hot interior, c) tides in the oceans.
d) friction between wind and the land surface, e) Earth's magnetic field
10. What produces aurorae?
a) chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere, b) meteors
c) collisions of high energy particles with atmospheric gas, d) reflection of Sunlight by high clouds
11. Which of the following is a consequence of the fact that the rotation and revolution periods of the
moon are the same?
a) the moon keeps the same face turned toward the Earth,
b) the moon can never be seen from one hemisphere of the Earth
c) all lunar phases can be seen from the Earth
d) there are about 12 months per year
12. The surface temperature of Mercury is high primarily because of
a) solar heating, b) a large greenhouse effect, c) volcanic activity, d) frequent meteoroid impacts
13. The heat that keeps the interior of Io molten is due to
a) tides, b) radioactive materials, c) frequent meteoroid impacts, d) a large greenhouse effect
14. The rate of cratering on the lunar highlands helps to show that:
a) They are younger than the maria., b) They are older than the maria.
c) They are about 1 billion years old., d) They are about 2 billion years old
15. How do the escape velocities of the jovian planets compare to the terrestrial planets?
a) The jovian planets have much higher escape velocities.
b) There is little variation among the planets.
c) The escape velocities vary greatly from planet to planet,
d) There are no differences between jovian and terrestrial planets.
e) The terrestrial planets have higher escape velocities
16. Jupiter does not have
a) a hot interior, b) convection occurring in its atmosphere, c) crustal plates on its surface
d) a dynamo effect, e) any rings
17. A meteor shower is produced when
a) a large number of sporadic meteors are observed.
b) Earth passes through the asteroid belt.
c) massive particles are carried outward from the sun by the solar wind and enter Earth's atmosphere.
d) Earth passes through the orbital path of a comet.
e) meteors cause condensation in the upper atmosphere that leads to early morning rains.
18. The gas tail of a comet always
a) trails behind the head along the orbital path.
b) extends ahead of the head along the orbital path.
c) points toward the sun.
d) points away from the sun.
e) points perpendicular to the orbital path.
19. This planet has multi-colored cloud bands and a storm which has raged for over 300 years.
a) Venus, b) Jupiter, c) Saturn, d) Neptune
20. We would have formed a planet, but Jupiter's gravity kept disrupting us.
a) asteroids, b) comets, c) Kuiper belt objects, d) Oort cloud objects
21. The light given off by a comet:
a) is reflected sunlight,
b) is caused by chemical reactions set in place by the intense sunlight
c) due to nuclear energy from the comet's nucleus
d) due to frictional forces in the Earth's atmosphere
22. The lava flooded plains of the Moon are called
a) maria, b) terrae, c) basins, d) umbra
23. What statement best describes Mercury
a) Moon like, b) Earth like, c) Mars like, d) Jupiter like
24. The clouds of Venus are made mostly of
a) water, b) dust, c) CO2, d) Sulfuric acid
25. Which planet shows positive proof of running water on its surface
a) Venus, b) Mars, c) Mercury, d) Jupiter
26. Which of the Jupiter’s satellites has volcanoes of sulfur
a) Io, b) Europa, c) Ganymede, d) Callisto
27. Meteors are
a) falling stars, b) cosmic rays,
c) type of atmospheric lightening, d) small rocks and dust entering our atmosphere
28. Sea-floor spreading and continental drift are believed to be caused by which of the following?
a) tides, b) convection currents in the mantle,
c) changes in the Earth's magnetic field, d) shrinkage of the crust as the Earth cools
29. The surface of the moon
a) at one time had running water,
b) has changed little in the past 2-3 billion years
c) has an atmosphere similar to the Jovian planets,
d) acquired its present appearance about 100 million years ago
30. What accounts for the seasonal changes in the coloration of certain regions on Mars?
a) the covering and uncovering of the regions by dust, b) melting and refreezing of permafrost
c) changes in cloud cover, d) migration of large herds of quadrupeds
31. In which part of Saturn's rings do the ring particles move the fastest?
a) the innermost part of the rings, b) the outermost part of the rings
c) in Casssini's division, d) they all move at the same speed
32. Why are no impact craters seen on the moon Io?
a) it does not have a solid surface, b) it has extensive volcanic activity
c) it was very recently captured by the solar system, d) its icy surface heals very rapidly
33. Suppose a planet is orbited by a number of satellites. Which of the satellites will feel the strongest
tidal forces due to the planet?
a) a large satellite in a close orbit, b) a large satellite in a distant orbit
c) a small satellite in a close orbit, d) a small satellite in a distant orbit
34. The presence of a magnetic field is a good indication that:
a) A large amount of magnetic material is buried somewhere near the North Pole.
b) A quantity of liquid metal is swirling around in the Earth's core.
c) The Earth is composed mostly of iron.
d) The Earth is completely solid
35. The Oort Cloud is thought to be:
a) The cloud of gas and dust from which our solar system formed.
b) A cloud of debris that occasionally encounters the Earth, causing a meteor shower.
c) A cloud of comets surrounding the solar system.
d) A cloud of asteroids moving between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
36. Which of the following has an icy composition?
a) asteroids, b) meteors, c) comets, d) meteoroids, e) moons of the terrestrial planets
37. Why does Mars have seasons?
a) Its orbit is circular.
b) It rotates only a few times during each orbit around the Sun.
c) Mars' orbit that brings it very close to the Sun during summer and far from the Sun during winter.
d) Its axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane.
38. The structure of Saturn and its atmosphere is most similar to:
a) Jupiter., b) Uranus., c) Neptune., d) Triton.
39. Which of the following is not produced by plate tectonics?
a) midocean rifts, b) rift valleys, c) the ring of fire, d) Earth's magnetic field
40. Slow surface evolution on the moon is limited to
a) low density masses of rock rising from the interior
b) low level meteorite impacts
c) moonquakes disturbing the surface features
d) motion along a network of small faults
41. The narrowness of the rings of Uranus and Neptune is believed to be caused by
a) gravitational interactions between ring particles
b) a spiral density wave which confines them.
c) the magnetic field which holds them in place.
d) the smaller mass of Uranus and Neptune as compared to that of Saturn.
e) small shepherd moons that orbit near the rings
42. The orbits of the major planets are all
a) randomly oriented in space
b) circular
c) larger than the orbit of the Earth
d) prograde (counterclockwise motion as viewed from the north)
43. Which of the following is not a terrestrial planet?
a) Neptune, b) Mercury, c) Mars, d) Venus
44. The atmosphere on Mercury
a) is mostly carbon monoxide
b) is a thin layer of argon
c) is absent - there is no atmosphere
d) contains trace amounts of oxygen
45. Images of the surface of Venus show a surface which is
a) littered with angular boulders
b) sand covered
c) covered with small pebbles
d) covered with a tar-like substance
46. What method has been used to map the surface of Venus?
a) images from many landers
b) orbiting radar
c) careful telescopic measurements from the Earth
d) infrared sensors on flyby missions
47. What evidence do we have that liquid water once existed on the surface of Mars?
a) dry river beds
b) sedimentary rocks
c) ancient beaches
d) high atmospheric humidity at the present time
48. What are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere of Saturn?
a) methane and water vapor
b) methane and ammonia
c) nitrogen and oxygen
d) helium and hydrogen
49. The distance from a planet within which tides would tear a satellite apart is called the
a) Chandrasekhar limit
b) Schwarzschild radius
c) Roche limit
d) Coriolis distance
50. The heat that keeps the interior of Io molten is due to
a) tides
b) radioactive materials
c) frequent meteoroid impacts
d) a large greenhouse effect