Question 1

What is thought to be the reason that there are no small impact craters on Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  Like Venus, Mars' atmosphere is too thick and these meteorites do not survive to make impacts on the surface. 
B)  The surface of Mars is too young to have impact craters. 
C)  Due to the gravitational pull of Mars' moons, most small meteoroids are deflected and never make it to the surface. 
D)  The wind blows small dust particles, eroding the surface of Mars, erasing small impact craters faster than they can form. 
E)  None of the above. Mars has lots of small impact craters. 
A)  Like Venus, Mars' atmosphere is too thick and these meteorites do not survive to make impacts on the surface. 
B)  The surface of Mars is too young to have impact craters. 
C)  Due to the gravitational pull of Mars' moons, most small meteoroids are deflected and never make it to the surface. 
D)  The wind blows small dust particles, eroding the surface of Mars, erasing small impact craters faster than they can form. 
E)  None of the above. Mars has lots of small impact craters. D

Question 2

What piece of evidence suggests that the Martian moons did NOT form with Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  Their composition is significantly different from Mars and the terrestrial planets. 
B)  They have ages that are much younger than Mars. 
C)  They have circular orbits above the Martian equator. 
D)  They rotate synchronously, with one side tidally fixed toward Mars. 
E)  They are both irregularly shaped and are heavily cratered. 
A)  Their composition is significantly different from Mars and the terrestrial planets. 
B)  They have ages that are much younger than Mars. 
C)  They have circular orbits above the Martian equator. 
D)  They rotate synchronously, with one side tidally fixed toward Mars. 
E)  They are both irregularly shaped and are heavily cratered. A

Question 3

How is the Mars Rover mission different from Global Surveyor mapping mission?

Accepted Answer

The Mars Rover mission landed two probes,Spirit and Opportunity,on the surface.They have travel over the surface collecting and analyzing samples.

Question 4

The Tharsis Bulge on Mars is roughly the size of:

Accepted Answer

A)  Mexico. 
B)  Asia. 
C)  Texas. 
D)  North America. 
E)  New York City. 
A)  Mexico. 
B)  Asia. 
C)  Texas. 
D)  North America. 
E)  New York City.

Question 5

The ________ hemisphere of Mars appears older and more heavily cratered.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ________ hemisphere of Mars appears older...

Question 6

Why was the summer of 2003 a fine time for Mars observers?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Mars Rovers returned live images from the surface. 
B)  The skies were unusually clear and calm. 
C)  Mars' north pole was tilted to face the Earth head-on. 
D)  Mars was closer to us than it has been in over 50,000 years. 
E)  Mars was even brighter than Venus for several weeks. 
A)  The Mars Rovers returned live images from the surface. 
B)  The skies were unusually clear and calm. 
C)  Mars' north pole was tilted to face the Earth head-on. 
D)  Mars was closer to us than it has been in over 50,000 years. 
E)  Mars was even brighter than Venus for several weeks.

Question 7

Which statement about Mars' two moons is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both are in retrograde orbits. 
B)  Both rotate synchronously, keeping one face turned towards Mars. 
C)  Phobos is larger than Deimos. 
D)  Phobos revolves around Mars in less than a Martian day. 
E)  Both are very dark, heavily cratered bodies. 
A)  Both are in retrograde orbits. 
B)  Both rotate synchronously, keeping one face turned towards Mars. 
C)  Phobos is larger than Deimos. 
D)  Phobos revolves around Mars in less than a Martian day. 
E)  Both are very dark, heavily cratered bodies.

Question 8

The NASA mission(s)that landed on Mars in 1976 was (were)the:

Accepted Answer

A)  Voyagers. 
B)  Magellan lander. 
C)  Vikings I and II. 
D)  Venera 14. 
E)  Galileo probe. 
A)  Voyagers. 
B)  Magellan lander. 
C)  Vikings I and II. 
D)  Venera 14. 
E)  Galileo probe.

Question 9

Running water played a major role in shaping Mars in ancient times.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Most of the dark regions on Mars visible from Earth are:

Accepted Answer

A)  features like the Valles Marineris. 
B)  lava flows from active volcanoes. 
C)  mountainous regions. 
D)  the seasonal growth of vegetation on the planet. 
E)  volcanic planes like the lunar maria. 
A)  features like the Valles Marineris. 
B)  lava flows from active volcanoes. 
C)  mountainous regions. 
D)  the seasonal growth of vegetation on the planet. 
E)  volcanic planes like the lunar maria.

Question 11

Compare the atmospheres of Mars and Venus.

Accepted Answer

A)  Both are made of hydrogen and helium, like the jovians. 
B)  Like Earth, nitrogen is the chief atmospheric gas. 
C)  Both are chiefly carbon dioxide, but at Mars it can freeze as dry ice. 
D)  Mars is rich in oxygen, like ours, accounting for its red surface. 
E)  Both are too hot for water to now exist as a liquid at the surface. 
A)  Both are made of hydrogen and helium, like the jovians. 
B)  Like Earth, nitrogen is the chief atmospheric gas. 
C)  Both are chiefly carbon dioxide, but at Mars it can freeze as dry ice. 
D)  Mars is rich in oxygen, like ours, accounting for its red surface. 
E)  Both are too hot for water to now exist as a liquid at the surface.

Question 12

Why are Mars' seasons more extreme than those of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars' seas dried up long ago. 
B)  Mars' axial tilt is slightly more than our 23.5 degrees. 
C)  Mars' orbit is more eccentric than our almost circular one. 
D)  Mars' weather is driven by evaporation from the polar ice in its summer. 
E)  All of these contribute to the huge barometric changes that Mars experiences. 
A)  Mars' seas dried up long ago. 
B)  Mars' axial tilt is slightly more than our 23.5 degrees. 
C)  Mars' orbit is more eccentric than our almost circular one. 
D)  Mars' weather is driven by evaporation from the polar ice in its summer. 
E)  All of these contribute to the huge barometric changes that Mars experiences.

Question 13

Mars' mass is only a tenth of the Earth's,and its density is also less than the Earth's.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Mars appears from Earth to go through all the phases like Venus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Mars appears red due to ________ on its surface.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mars appears red due to ________ on...

Question 16

The largest and deepest impact basin found on Mars is:

Accepted Answer

A)  Olympus. 
B)  Caloris. 
C)  Hellas. 
D)  Tharsis. 
E)  Meridani. 
A)  Olympus. 
B)  Caloris. 
C)  Hellas. 
D)  Tharsis. 
E)  Meridani.

Question 17

Mars undergoes seasons because of its eccentric orbit that carries it to widely different distances from the Sun,and because of its axial tilt which is similar to the Earth's.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

What property of Mars is responsible for producing the great heights of its volcanoes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Its cold temperatures allow the magma to freeze faster. 
B)  Its thick crust can support larger peaks, and lower surface gravity does not pull them down as much as on Earth. 
C)  Mars has more radioactive material than the Earth. 
D)  Its higher surface gravity allows higher peaks to form. 
E)  Its volcanoes are made of sulfur, like Io's. 
A)  Its cold temperatures allow the magma to freeze faster. 
B)  Its thick crust can support larger peaks, and lower surface gravity does not pull them down as much as on Earth. 
C)  Mars has more radioactive material than the Earth. 
D)  Its higher surface gravity allows higher peaks to form. 
E)  Its volcanoes are made of sulfur, like Io's.

Question 19

Mars is often called a "midway world," similar in some respects to Earth,and in others to our Moon.Explain.

Accepted Answer

Like our Moon,much of Mars is ancient cr

Question 20

The magnetic field of Mars was first detected by the Mars Global Surveyor.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 10: Mars: A Near Miss for Life?

What is thought to be the reason that there are no small impact craters on Mars?

What piece of evidence suggests that the Martian moons did NOT form with Mars?

How is the Mars Rover mission different from Global Surveyor mapping mission?

The Tharsis Bulge on Mars is roughly the size of:

The ________ hemisphere of Mars appears older and more heavily cratered.

Why was the summer of 2003 a fine time for Mars observers?

Which statement about Mars' two moons is FALSE?

The NASA mission(s)that landed on Mars in 1976 was (were)the:

Running water played a major role in shaping Mars in ancient times.

Most of the dark regions on Mars visible from Earth are:

Compare the atmospheres of Mars and Venus.

Why are Mars' seasons more extreme than those of the Earth?

Mars' mass is only a tenth of the Earth's,and its density is also less than the Earth's.

Mars appears from Earth to go through all the phases like Venus.

Mars appears red due to ________ on its surface.

The largest and deepest impact basin found on Mars is:

Mars undergoes seasons because of its eccentric orbit that carries it to widely different distances from the Sun,and because of its axial tilt which is similar to the Earth's.

What property of Mars is responsible for producing the great heights of its volcanoes?

Mars is often called a "midway world," similar in some respects to Earth,and in others to our Moon.Explain.

The magnetic field of Mars was first detected by the Mars Global Surveyor.

Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy

The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science

Radiation: Information from the Cosmos

Spectroscopy: The Inner Workings of Atoms

Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy

The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models

Earth: Our Home in Space

The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered Worlds

Venus: Earth's Sister Planet

Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System

Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons

Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System

Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin

Exoplanets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Own

The Sun: Our Parent Star

The Stars: Giants,Dwarfs,and the Main Sequence

The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust among the Stars

Star Formation: A Traumatic Birth

Stellar Evolution: The Life and Death of a Star

Stellar Explosions: Novae,Supernovae,and the Formation of the Elements

Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy: A Spiral in Space

Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe

Galaxies and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos

Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe

The Early Universe: Toward the Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

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