Question 1

Because it can support huge Olympus Mons,and does not show tectonics on the scale of Earth,we conclude the crust of Mars must be ________ than ours.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Because it can support huge Olympus Mons,and...

Question 2

The seasonal polar caps on Mars,which grow and shrink over the year,are primarily carbon dioxide.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Mars and Mercury are similar in size,and Mercury is even denser.Why then is it that Mars has more atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

Its location is too close to t

Question 4

Rank these magnetic fields,from weakest to strongest.

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus, Mars, Mercury, Earth 
B)  Mars, Mercury, Venus, Earth 
C)  Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury 
D)  The Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus 
E)  Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury 
A)  Venus, Mars, Mercury, Earth 
B)  Mars, Mercury, Venus, Earth 
C)  Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury 
D)  The Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus 
E)  Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury

Question 5

Which is the correct size order,from smallest to largest?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

Why is Mars red?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dust storms on the planet have blasted the planet so fiercely that the rocks have reddened. 
B)  The iron in the surface rocks have been oxidized over time. 
C)  Mercuric oxide is abundant and has a red tint. 
D)  Sulfuric acid rain etched a reddish color into iron-rich surface rocks. 
E)  The ancient volcanoes poured out vast plains of molten sulfur, much as on Io, which has now solidified and preserved the reddish color. 
A)  Dust storms on the planet have blasted the planet so fiercely that the rocks have reddened. 
B)  The iron in the surface rocks have been oxidized over time. 
C)  Mercuric oxide is abundant and has a red tint. 
D)  Sulfuric acid rain etched a reddish color into iron-rich surface rocks. 
E)  The ancient volcanoes poured out vast plains of molten sulfur, much as on Io, which has now solidified and preserved the reddish color.

Question 7

What physical feature of Mars is atypical compared with the other terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  its size 
B)  its atmospheric content 
C)  its surface composition 
D)  its density 
E)  its rotation rate 
A)  its size 
B)  its atmospheric content 
C)  its surface composition 
D)  its density 
E)  its rotation rate

Question 8

How does the axial tilt of Mars compare with our own?

Accepted Answer

A)  Like Jupiter, Mars always keeps its equator pointing at the Sun. 
B)  It is about half our own, 12 degrees. 
C)  It is almost identical to the Earth. 
D)  Like Saturn, it's about 27 degrees. 
E)  Like Uranus, it is 98 degrees and flopped over on its side. 
A)  Like Jupiter, Mars always keeps its equator pointing at the Sun. 
B)  It is about half our own, 12 degrees. 
C)  It is almost identical to the Earth. 
D)  Like Saturn, it's about 27 degrees. 
E)  Like Uranus, it is 98 degrees and flopped over on its side.

Question 9

It used to be thought that both of Mars' moons were captured asteroids.Information from Mars Express and Mars Global Surveyor has led to the conclusion that Phobos may have formed by a different process.Briefly describe that process.

Accepted Answer

Phobos may have form

Question 10

How long is a day on Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  243 Earth days 
B)  about 4.2 Earth days 
C)  24 hours, 36 minutes 
D)  23 hours, 56 minutes 
E)  9 hours, 55 minutes 
A)  243 Earth days 
B)  about 4.2 Earth days 
C)  24 hours, 36 minutes 
D)  23 hours, 56 minutes 
E)  9 hours, 55 minutes

Question 11

How can Mars,a planet with so little atmosphere,have so much wind?

Accepted Answer

The major component of Mars' atmosphere,

Question 12

While Mars is half as big as the Earth in diameter,its surface gravity is only about 40% as strong as the 1 g we experience here on Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The ________ hemisphere of Mars is lower,smoother,and younger than the other one.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ________ hemisphere of Mars is lower,smoother,and...

Question 14

What is the evidence that suggests the past and present existence of surface water on Mars?

Accepted Answer

Runoff channels from old rivers and outf

Question 15

That the Tharsis region on Mars has so few craters:

Accepted Answer

A)  proves tectonic activity is taking place. 
B)  is due to the regions very low elevation. 
C)  suggests it is the youngest region on the planet. 
D)  suggests it is at the center of a particularly strong magnetic field. 
E)  is due to annual flooding and water erosion. 
A)  proves tectonic activity is taking place. 
B)  is due to the regions very low elevation. 
C)  suggests it is the youngest region on the planet. 
D)  suggests it is at the center of a particularly strong magnetic field. 
E)  is due to annual flooding and water erosion.

Question 16

While the red color of the Martian surface testifies to the presence of lots of iron,the weak magnetic field suggests it may not have a molten core anymore.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Olympus Mons and Maxwell Mons are both:

Accepted Answer

A)  large features on the surface of Mars. 
B)  features visible from Earth. 
C)  dormant volcanoes. 
D)  shield volcanoes. 
E)  the two largest known volcanoes in the solar system. 
A)  large features on the surface of Mars. 
B)  features visible from Earth. 
C)  dormant volcanoes. 
D)  shield volcanoes. 
E)  the two largest known volcanoes in the solar system.

Question 18

Describe the primary difference between the northern and southern hemispheres on Mars.

Accepted Answer

The northern hemisphere is pri

Question 19

What is unusual about the motion of Phobos,as seen from the surface of Mars?

Accepted Answer

While its orbit is equatorial and counte

Question 20

The density of Mars is very similar to that of the other terrestrial planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 10: Mars: A Near Miss for Life?

Because it can support huge Olympus Mons,and does not show tectonics on the scale of Earth,we conclude the crust of Mars must be ________ than ours.

The seasonal polar caps on Mars,which grow and shrink over the year,are primarily carbon dioxide.

Mars and Mercury are similar in size,and Mercury is even denser.Why then is it that Mars has more atmosphere?

Rank these magnetic fields,from weakest to strongest.

Which is the correct size order,from smallest to largest?

Why is Mars red?

What physical feature of Mars is atypical compared with the other terrestrial planets?

How does the axial tilt of Mars compare with our own?

It used to be thought that both of Mars' moons were captured asteroids.Information from Mars Express and Mars Global Surveyor has led to the conclusion that Phobos may have formed by a different process.Briefly describe that process.

How long is a day on Mars?

How can Mars,a planet with so little atmosphere,have so much wind?

While Mars is half as big as the Earth in diameter,its surface gravity is only about 40% as strong as the 1 g we experience here on Earth.

The ________ hemisphere of Mars is lower,smoother,and younger than the other one.

What is the evidence that suggests the past and present existence of surface water on Mars?

That the Tharsis region on Mars has so few craters:

While the red color of the Martian surface testifies to the presence of lots of iron,the weak magnetic field suggests it may not have a molten core anymore.

Olympus Mons and Maxwell Mons are both:

Describe the primary difference between the northern and southern hemispheres on Mars.

What is unusual about the motion of Phobos,as seen from the surface of Mars?

The density of Mars is very similar to that of the other terrestrial planets.

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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