Question 1

For solid rocky worlds, a general rule is

Accepted Answer

A)  the larger the world, the closer it is to the Sun 
B)  the smaller the world, the more likely it is to have an atmosphere 
C)  the larger the world, the slower it cools off and the more it will keep its internal heat 
D)  the smaller the world, the more likely it is to have a moon or moons 
E)  the shorter a world's year (time to orbit the Sun), the more likely it is to harbor life 
A)  the larger the world, the closer it is to the Sun 
B)  the smaller the world, the more likely it is to have an atmosphere 
C)  the larger the world, the slower it cools off and the more it will keep its internal heat 
D)  the smaller the world, the more likely it is to have a moon or moons 
E)  the shorter a world's year (time to orbit the Sun), the more likely it is to harbor life C

Question 2

Among solid worlds, which type of world is most likely to have significant geological activity?

Accepted Answer

A)  those that are the smallest (and thus easiest to heat) 
B)  those that have strong magnetic fields 
C)  those that have a moon (satellite) 
D)  those that are the largest (and retain heat the best) 
E)  those that are farthest from the Sun 
A)  those that are the smallest (and thus easiest to heat) 
B)  those that have strong magnetic fields 
C)  those that have a moon (satellite) 
D)  those that are the largest (and retain heat the best) 
E)  those that are farthest from the Sun D

Question 3

Astronomers estimate that about 25 million meteors strike the Earth's atmosphere each day. How come we haven't run out of meteors in the long history of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  meteors come from dust from the Earth's surface that winds have blown high into the atmosphere; the Earth is so big it has lots of dust 
B)  meteors are pieces of dirt left over from the formation of our solar system and from old comets; there is a huge supply of small dirt particles from both sources 
C)  meteors are caused by electrical sparking in the Earth's atmosphere and there is a lot of static electricity up there 
D)  meteors have only been hitting the Earth's atmosphere recently; they are the result of human pollution of space 
E)  this is an unsolved problem in astronomy that has a lot of astronomers mystified 
A)  meteors come from dust from the Earth's surface that winds have blown high into the atmosphere; the Earth is so big it has lots of dust 
B)  meteors are pieces of dirt left over from the formation of our solar system and from old comets; there is a huge supply of small dirt particles from both sources 
C)  meteors are caused by electrical sparking in the Earth's atmosphere and there is a lot of static electricity up there 
D)  meteors have only been hitting the Earth's atmosphere recently; they are the result of human pollution of space 
E)  this is an unsolved problem in astronomy that has a lot of astronomers mystified B

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a way that Jovian planets can be distinguished from terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  their average density is lower 
B)  they are farther away from the Sun 
C)  they include much more gas and liquid 
D)  they are larger 
E)  they have many more craters from collisions that happened early in solar system history 
A)  their average density is lower 
B)  they are farther away from the Sun 
C)  they include much more gas and liquid 
D)  they are larger 
E)  they have many more craters from collisions that happened early in solar system history

Question 5

Which planet in the solar system rotates the most slowly (has the longest "day")?

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus 
B)  Uranus 
C)  Earth 
D)  Jupiter 
E)  Pluto 
A)  Venus 
B)  Uranus 
C)  Earth 
D)  Jupiter 
E)  Pluto

Question 6

One region on Earth that has become a rich source of new meteorites in recent decades (including the meteorite from Mars that got famous because some scientists claimed they had found evidence for the building blocks of life on Mars) is:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico 
B)  Bayonne, New Jersey 
C)  the Great Salt Lake 
D)  Australia 
E)  the Antarctic 
A)  the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico 
B)  Bayonne, New Jersey 
C)  the Great Salt Lake 
D)  Australia 
E)  the Antarctic

Question 7

Which of the following worlds does NOT have a ring (as far as we know)?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter 
B)  Saturn 
C)  Venus 
D)  Uranus 
E)  Neptune 
A)  Jupiter 
B)  Saturn 
C)  Venus 
D)  Uranus 
E)  Neptune

Question 8

The telescope in space that allowed astronomers to find thousands of exoplanets and exoplanet candidates by making very careful measurements during a planet transit was called:

Accepted Answer

A)  Kepler 
B)  Voyager 
C)  Transitor 
D)  New Horizons 
E)  InSight 
A)  Kepler 
B)  Voyager 
C)  Transitor 
D)  New Horizons 
E)  InSight

Question 9

One of the most perplexing issues raised by the discovery of thousands of exoplanets is the existence of "hot Jupiters" - planets with the masses and compositions of Jupiter, but orbiting closer to their stars than Mercury does in our solar system. What is our best idea currently about how such "hot Jupiters" came to be?

Accepted Answer

A)  each hot Jupiter came directly out of the star it now orbits and must be made of the exact same material at only slightly lower temperatures 
B)  hot Jupiters formed by the collision and merger of many terrestrial planets - these collisions heated them up 
C)  hot Jupiters formed in an asteroid belt and are made of countless asteroids that are hot 
D)  hot Jupiters formed further out in their star system, and then migrated inward somehow 
E)  hot Jupiters are artificial; they were made by super-advanced alien beings to make the universe more interesting
Section 14.5: Planetary Evolution 
A)  each hot Jupiter came directly out of the star it now orbits and must be made of the exact same material at only slightly lower temperatures 
B)  hot Jupiters formed by the collision and merger of many terrestrial planets - these collisions heated them up 
C)  hot Jupiters formed in an asteroid belt and are made of countless asteroids that are hot 
D)  hot Jupiters formed further out in their star system, and then migrated inward somehow 
E)  hot Jupiters are artificial; they were made by super-advanced alien beings to make the universe more interesting
Section 14.5: Planetary Evolution

Question 10

A type of planet that our surveys of exoplanets are revealing around other stars, but we don't have any examples of around the Sun are:

Accepted Answer

A)  terrestrial planets 
B)  jovian (giant) planets 
C)  Super-Earth's 
D)  dwarf planets 
E)  you can't fool me, we have examples in the solar system of all the types of planets our exoplanet surveys are revealing 
A)  terrestrial planets 
B)  jovian (giant) planets 
C)  Super-Earth's 
D)  dwarf planets 
E)  you can't fool me, we have examples in the solar system of all the types of planets our exoplanet surveys are revealing

Question 11

Which planet or dwarf planet in our solar system has the biggest moon relative to its own size? Not the biggest moon in terms of miles, but biggest compared to the size of the planet it orbits.

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter 
B)  Neptune 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Saturn 
E)  Pluto 
A)  Jupiter 
B)  Neptune 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Saturn 
E)  Pluto

Question 12

The typical meteor is

Accepted Answer

A)  about the size of a small one-family house 
B)  made of evaporated ices 
C)  a small solid particle, no bigger than a pea 
D)  visible only from above the Earth's atmosphere 
E)  the result of magnetic activity in the upper atmosphere of the Earth 
A)  about the size of a small one-family house 
B)  made of evaporated ices 
C)  a small solid particle, no bigger than a pea 
D)  visible only from above the Earth's atmosphere 
E)  the result of magnetic activity in the upper atmosphere of the Earth

Question 13

The reason that Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain on Mars, is taller than Mount Everest (the tallest mountain on Earth) is that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the gravity on Mars is less, so a larger mass can support itself against its own weight 
B)  Mars has a much larger molten core than the Earth 
C)  there are no continental plates that move sideways on Mars, while there are such sliding motions on Earth 
D)  the Earth's Moon has a much stronger pull than the moons of Mars 
E)  more than one of the above 
A)  the gravity on Mars is less, so a larger mass can support itself against its own weight 
B)  Mars has a much larger molten core than the Earth 
C)  there are no continental plates that move sideways on Mars, while there are such sliding motions on Earth 
D)  the Earth's Moon has a much stronger pull than the moons of Mars 
E)  more than one of the above

Question 14

Which of the following planets does NOT have an atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth 
B)  Venus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Neptune 
E)  you can't fool me: all of the above have an atmosphere 
A)  Earth 
B)  Venus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Neptune 
E)  you can't fool me: all of the above have an atmosphere

Question 15

Astronomers now believe that the differences in composition among the planets reflect what characteristic in the early solar system

Accepted Answer

A)  orbital speed 
B)  temperature 
C)  whether or not a planet had rings 
D)  the age of the material 
E)  none of the above 
A)  orbital speed 
B)  temperature 
C)  whether or not a planet had rings 
D)  the age of the material 
E)  none of the above

Question 16

Many worlds in the solar system show extensive impact cratering, dating back billions of years. Which of the following worlds does NOT show such cratering?

Accepted Answer

A)  Our Moon 
B)  Callisto 
C)  Mercury 
D)  Saturn 
E)  Mars 
A)  Our Moon 
B)  Callisto 
C)  Mercury 
D)  Saturn 
E)  Mars

Question 17

When a chunk of cosmic material the size of a golf ball or a baseball hits the Earth's atmosphere it makes a

Accepted Answer

A)  meteor shower 
B)  radiant 
C)  fireball 
D)  meteorite which breaks into pieces when hitting the ground 
E)  trail so faint, there is no chance of our seeing it on the ground 
A)  meteor shower 
B)  radiant 
C)  fireball 
D)  meteorite which breaks into pieces when hitting the ground 
E)  trail so faint, there is no chance of our seeing it on the ground

Question 18

When a periodic comet leaves its dusty debris behind in its orbit, the Earth can intercept this debris and

Accepted Answer

A)  show new impact craters 
B)  have a meteor shower as the dust burns up 
C)  lose ozone from its atmosphere 
D)  speed up the orbit of the Moon 
E)  have an increase in garbage bills from Alaska to New Zealand 
A)  show new impact craters 
B)  have a meteor shower as the dust burns up 
C)  lose ozone from its atmosphere 
D)  speed up the orbit of the Moon 
E)  have an increase in garbage bills from Alaska to New Zealand

Question 19

How can astronomers measure the age of a meteorite that fell from the skies?

Accepted Answer

A)  Just like for planets, we measure the age by counting the number of craters on the meteorite 
B)  Meteorites all contain metals and the metal conducts electricity better and better as it ages 
C)  They measure the amount still left of radioactive materials in the meteorite, and how much has turned into decay products 
D)  The age of a meteorite can be found from the angle at which it enters the Earth's atmosphere; so scientists can only get the ages of meteorites they observe falling 
E)  There is no way to measure the age of any meteorites 
A)  Just like for planets, we measure the age by counting the number of craters on the meteorite 
B)  Meteorites all contain metals and the metal conducts electricity better and better as it ages 
C)  They measure the amount still left of radioactive materials in the meteorite, and how much has turned into decay products 
D)  The age of a meteorite can be found from the angle at which it enters the Earth's atmosphere; so scientists can only get the ages of meteorites they observe falling 
E)  There is no way to measure the age of any meteorites

Question 20

The atmosphere of Venus is mostly carbon dioxide, and the atmosphere of the Earth has water vapor. Why are these two gases absent in the atmosphere of the satellite around Saturn called Titan?

Accepted Answer

A)  Titan's atmosphere was captured from the ring system of Saturn, and thus consists of small ice crystals 
B)  The energetic particles in the magnetosphere of Saturn have collided with and knocked away all the lighter gases in the atmosphere of Titan 
C)  There are life-forms on the surface of Titan which absorb carbon dioxide and water vapor as part of their life processes 
D)  Titan is so cold that carbon dioxide and water vapor freeze out 
E)  There is a runaway greenhouse effect on Titan
Extra: Some Review Questions Covering the Entire Solar System 
A)  Titan's atmosphere was captured from the ring system of Saturn, and thus consists of small ice crystals 
B)  The energetic particles in the magnetosphere of Saturn have collided with and knocked away all the lighter gases in the atmosphere of Titan 
C)  There are life-forms on the surface of Titan which absorb carbon dioxide and water vapor as part of their life processes 
D)  Titan is so cold that carbon dioxide and water vapor freeze out 
E)  There is a runaway greenhouse effect on Titan
Extra: Some Review Questions Covering the Entire Solar System

Exam 14: Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System

For solid rocky worlds, a general rule is

Among solid worlds, which type of world is most likely to have significant geological activity?

Astronomers estimate that about 25 million meteors strike the Earth's atmosphere each day. How come we haven't run out of meteors in the long history of the Earth?

Which of the following is NOT a way that Jovian planets can be distinguished from terrestrial planets?

Which planet in the solar system rotates the most slowly (has the longest "day")?

One region on Earth that has become a rich source of new meteorites in recent decades (including the meteorite from Mars that got famous because some scientists claimed they had found evidence for the building blocks of life on Mars) is:

Which of the following worlds does NOT have a ring (as far as we know)?

The telescope in space that allowed astronomers to find thousands of exoplanets and exoplanet candidates by making very careful measurements during a planet transit was called:

A type of planet that our surveys of exoplanets are revealing around other stars, but we don't have any examples of around the Sun are:

Which planet or dwarf planet in our solar system has the biggest moon relative to its own size? Not the biggest moon in terms of miles, but biggest compared to the size of the planet it orbits.

The typical meteor is

The reason that Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain on Mars, is taller than Mount Everest (the tallest mountain on Earth) is that:

Which of the following planets does NOT have an atmosphere?

Astronomers now believe that the differences in composition among the planets reflect what characteristic in the early solar system

Many worlds in the solar system show extensive impact cratering, dating back billions of years. Which of the following worlds does NOT show such cratering?

When a chunk of cosmic material the size of a golf ball or a baseball hits the Earth's atmosphere it makes a

When a periodic comet leaves its dusty debris behind in its orbit, the Earth can intercept this debris and

How can astronomers measure the age of a meteorite that fell from the skies?

The atmosphere of Venus is mostly carbon dioxide, and the atmosphere of the Earth has water vapor. Why are these two gases absent in the atmosphere of the satellite around Saturn called Titan?

Science and the Universe: a Brief Tour

Observing the Sky: the Birth of Astronomy

Orbits and Gravity

Earth, Moon, and Sky

Radiation and Spectra

Astronomical Instruments

Other Worlds: an Introduction to the Solar System

Earth As a Planet

Cratered Worlds: the Moon and Mercury

Earthlike Planets: Venus and Mars

The Giant Planets

Rings, Moons, and Pluto

Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System

The Sun: a Garden-Variety Star

The Sun: a Nuclear Powerhouse

Analyzing Starlight

The Stars: a Celestial Census

Celestial Distances

Between the Stars

The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets Outside the Solar System

Stars From Adolescence to Old Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes and Curved Space-Time

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes

The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies

The Big Bang

Life in the Universe

Filters