Question 1

All the following evidence for H2O has been found on Mars EXCEPT one. Which has NOT been found?

Accepted Answer

A) water in the polar caps 
B) water ice exposed by fresh impacts 
C) signs of fresh water flowing on crater walls 
D) liquid water in shadowed craters near the poles 
A) water in the polar caps 
B) water ice exposed by fresh impacts 
C) signs of fresh water flowing on crater walls 
D) liquid water in shadowed craters near the poles D

Question 2

The Venera series of spacecraft landed on which planet or moon?

Accepted Answer

A) Mercury 
B) Venus 
C) Mars 
D) Earth's Moon 
A) Mercury 
B) Venus 
C) Mars 
D) Earth's Moon B

Question 3

In 2012, snow was observed falling above the south pole of Mars. This snow was composed of:

Accepted Answer

A) water. 
B) carbon dioxide. 
C) methane. 
D) ammonia. 
A) water. 
B) carbon dioxide. 
C) methane. 
D) ammonia. B

Question 4

If you are on Mercury and the time is noon (Sun directly overhead), how many times will Mercury rotate on its axis before the Sun is again directly overhead? (See Figure 11-3.)
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Accepted Answer

A) one 
B) two 
C) three 
D) 58 2/3 
A) one 
B) two 
C) three 
D) 58 2/3

Question 5

The moons of Mars are:

Accepted Answer

A) spherical and quite large, compared to the planet; about 1000 km in diameter, similar to the largest asteroid. 
B) irregular but quite large, compared to the planet, between 500 and 1500 km across. 
C) irregular in shape and very small, only several tens of kilometers across. 
D) almost spherical but very small, between 10 and 30 km in diameter. 
A) spherical and quite large, compared to the planet; about 1000 km in diameter, similar to the largest asteroid. 
B) irregular but quite large, compared to the planet, between 500 and 1500 km across. 
C) irregular in shape and very small, only several tens of kilometers across. 
D) almost spherical but very small, between 10 and 30 km in diameter.

Question 6

What phenomenon causes the V-shaped patterns that are a prominent feature on Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) circulation patterns of winds in clouds around the north pole of the planet, which points toward Earth once every synodic period of Venus 
B) clouds blown by strong winds, dividing into north and south components around Maxwell Montes, the high mountain on the Ishtar Terra range 
C) patterns in the sulfur dust storms on the surface of Venus 
D) strong winds blowing from east to west, combining with north-south convection currents at cloud altitudes 
A) circulation patterns of winds in clouds around the north pole of the planet, which points toward Earth once every synodic period of Venus 
B) clouds blown by strong winds, dividing into north and south components around Maxwell Montes, the high mountain on the Ishtar Terra range 
C) patterns in the sulfur dust storms on the surface of Venus 
D) strong winds blowing from east to west, combining with north-south convection currents at cloud altitudes

Question 7

Which of the following has apparently had the least influence on the evolution of the surface and geology of Mars?

Accepted Answer

A) water flow 
B) an internal magnetic field 
C) erosion by winds 
D) impacts by meteoroids 
A) water flow 
B) an internal magnetic field 
C) erosion by winds 
D) impacts by meteoroids

Question 8

For hundreds of millions of years the surface of Venus, it is believed, was hot and humid, with the pressure of its thick water vapor-dominated atmosphere large enough to prevent liquid water from boiling away. What happened to disturb this equilibrium, raise the temperature, and boil away the liquid water?

Accepted Answer

A) Radioactivity in minerals in the mantle raised the surface temperature. 
B) Bombardment by heavy impactors raised the surface temperature. 
C) The Sun got hotter. 
D) Friction with the dense atmosphere slowed the rotation of Venus so that the Sun was able to raise the temperature of the daytime hemisphere well above the boiling point. 
A) Radioactivity in minerals in the mantle raised the surface temperature. 
B) Bombardment by heavy impactors raised the surface temperature. 
C) The Sun got hotter. 
D) Friction with the dense atmosphere slowed the rotation of Venus so that the Sun was able to raise the temperature of the daytime hemisphere well above the boiling point.

Question 9

Of the facts listed below, three contribute to the unusual 3-to-2 spin-orbit coupling of Mercury's motion. Which one does NOT contribute?

Accepted Answer

A) The gravitational attraction between two masses decreases as the distance between the two masses increases. 
B) Mercury's orbit is inclined at an unusually large angle to the ecliptic. 
C) Mercury's orbit has an unusually large eccentricity. 
D) Mercury is slightly oblong rather than perfectly round. 
A) The gravitational attraction between two masses decreases as the distance between the two masses increases. 
B) Mercury's orbit is inclined at an unusually large angle to the ecliptic. 
C) Mercury's orbit has an unusually large eccentricity. 
D) Mercury is slightly oblong rather than perfectly round.

Question 10

The dark markings near the equator of Mars show seasonal variations because of:

Accepted Answer

A) changes in coverage of rocks by CO2 ice as the temperature varies from above to below the freezing point of CO2. 
B) changes in the growth of vegetation. 
C) changes in the flow of water released from permafrost by sunlight. 
D) variations in the dust coverage of the surface. 
A) changes in coverage of rocks by CO2 ice as the temperature varies from above to below the freezing point of CO2. 
B) changes in the growth of vegetation. 
C) changes in the flow of water released from permafrost by sunlight. 
D) variations in the dust coverage of the surface.

Question 11

Each of the following components of the atmosphere and the environment on Mars renders it sterile and antiseptic, and it would destroy life on the planet EXCEPT one. Which one of the following is not a factor in rendering the surface of Mars sterile?

Accepted Answer

A) solar UV radiation, not absorbed by the thin atmosphere 
B) ozone in the atmosphere, produced by solar UV light 
C) hydrogen peroxide in the soil 
D) sulfuric acid in a mist in the atmosphere 
A) solar UV radiation, not absorbed by the thin atmosphere 
B) ozone in the atmosphere, produced by solar UV light 
C) hydrogen peroxide in the soil 
D) sulfuric acid in a mist in the atmosphere

Question 12

An explanation for the retrograde rotation (in a direction opposite to that of most other planets) of Venus that has received serious consideration is the:

Accepted Answer

A) frictional drag of its very dense atmosphere on the rotating planet throughout its history. 
B) uneven pull of the Sun's gravitation due to the oblate shape of the Sun. 
C) frictional slowing down and eventual reversal of Venus's rotation by tidal forces at a time when the planet had deep oceans over its surface. 
D) combined gravitational effects of its neighboring planets, Mercury and Earth. 
A) frictional drag of its very dense atmosphere on the rotating planet throughout its history. 
B) uneven pull of the Sun's gravitation due to the oblate shape of the Sun. 
C) frictional slowing down and eventual reversal of Venus's rotation by tidal forces at a time when the planet had deep oceans over its surface. 
D) combined gravitational effects of its neighboring planets, Mercury and Earth.

Question 13

Tectonic activity on Venus is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

A) large-scale convection currents in the mantle, which push several hard, lithospheric plates around on the surface. 
B) constant resurfacing of the crust by lava floods, without separately identifiable upward and downward-flowing magma currents in the mantle. 
C) a cool, solid mantle that has not driven any crustal deformation for the last 3.2 billion years. 
D) hot-spot volcanism and localized regions of downwelling magma. 
A) large-scale convection currents in the mantle, which push several hard, lithospheric plates around on the surface. 
B) constant resurfacing of the crust by lava floods, without separately identifiable upward and downward-flowing magma currents in the mantle. 
C) a cool, solid mantle that has not driven any crustal deformation for the last 3.2 billion years. 
D) hot-spot volcanism and localized regions of downwelling magma.

Question 14

The atmosphere of Venus immediately above the surface of the planet, as discovered by the Venera spacecraft, can BEST be described as:

Accepted Answer

A) very dense, corrosive, and opaque clouds. 
B) quite dusty. 
C) very clear. 
D) foggy. 
A) very dense, corrosive, and opaque clouds. 
B) quite dusty. 
C) very clear. 
D) foggy.

Question 15

The relative rotation patterns of the Venusian atmosphere and Venus itself are:

Accepted Answer

A) fast (4 days) retrograde rotation of planet and slow (243 days) retrograde rotation of the upper cloud bank. 
B) slow (243 days) prograde or direct planetary rotation and fast (4 days) retrograde rotation of the cloud tops. 
C) slow (243 days) retrograde rotation of planet and rapid (4 days) retrograde rotation of upper atmospheric clouds. 
D) no rotation of Venus itself, but atmospheric cloud tops rotate slowly (243 days) in a retrograde direction. 
A) fast (4 days) retrograde rotation of planet and slow (243 days) retrograde rotation of the upper cloud bank. 
B) slow (243 days) prograde or direct planetary rotation and fast (4 days) retrograde rotation of the cloud tops. 
C) slow (243 days) retrograde rotation of planet and rapid (4 days) retrograde rotation of upper atmospheric clouds. 
D) no rotation of Venus itself, but atmospheric cloud tops rotate slowly (243 days) in a retrograde direction.

Question 16

The dark, seasonal markings on Mars that grow in the spring and fade in the autumn are believed to result from:

Accepted Answer

A) microbial activity in the soil (or regolith). 
B) lighting effects that vary as the angle of the Sun changes with the seasons. 
C) dust being blown by winds, alternately covering and uncovering dark rocks. 
D) plant life. 
A) microbial activity in the soil (or regolith). 
B) lighting effects that vary as the angle of the Sun changes with the seasons. 
C) dust being blown by winds, alternately covering and uncovering dark rocks. 
D) plant life.

Question 17

If one were on the planet Venus viewing the Sun through the clouds, where would the Sun appear to rise as Venus rotated?

Accepted Answer

A) The Sun would rise in the east. 
B) The Sun would rise in the north, because the spin axis of Venus is parallel to the plane of its orbit. 
C) The Sun would not rise or set because Venus rotates synchronously, keeping one side always toward the Sun. 
D) The Sun would rise in the west. 
A) The Sun would rise in the east. 
B) The Sun would rise in the north, because the spin axis of Venus is parallel to the plane of its orbit. 
C) The Sun would not rise or set because Venus rotates synchronously, keeping one side always toward the Sun. 
D) The Sun would rise in the west.

Question 18

Suppose you observe Mercury at each of the following phases and you extrapolate the full angular diameter from the part that you can see. At which phase will the angular diameter appear greatest?

Accepted Answer

A) full 
B) first quarter 
C) third quarter 
D) crescent 
A) full 
B) first quarter 
C) third quarter 
D) crescent

Question 19

What do we understand about the presence of H2O on Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) There has probably never been a significant amount of water on Venus. 
B) In the past, the atmosphere of Venus held significant amounts of water vapor, but it has always been too hot for liquid water to exist on the surface. 
C) Oceans of liquid water once existed on the surface, but these evaporated and the water vapor was dissociated by ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. 
D) Oceans of liquid water once existed, but this water is now locked up in various rocks on the surface. 
A) There has probably never been a significant amount of water on Venus. 
B) In the past, the atmosphere of Venus held significant amounts of water vapor, but it has always been too hot for liquid water to exist on the surface. 
C) Oceans of liquid water once existed on the surface, but these evaporated and the water vapor was dissociated by ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. 
D) Oceans of liquid water once existed, but this water is now locked up in various rocks on the surface.

Question 20

If you are on Mercury and the time is noon (Sun directly overhead), what time of day will it be 1 Mercurian year later (after Mercury has orbited the Sun once)? (See Figure 11-3.)
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Accepted Answer

A) It is noon. 
B) It could be any time, because Mercury rotates independently of its revolution. 
C) It is midnight. 
D) It is just after sunset. 
A) It is noon. 
B) It could be any time, because Mercury rotates independently of its revolution. 
C) It is midnight. 
D) It is just after sunset.

Exam 11: Mercury, Venus, and Mars: Terrestrial, yet Unique

All the following evidence for H2O has been found on Mars EXCEPT one. Which has NOT been found?

The Venera series of spacecraft landed on which planet or moon?

In 2012, snow was observed falling above the south pole of Mars. This snow was composed of:

If you are on Mercury and the time is noon (Sun directly overhead), how many times will Mercury rotate on its axis before the Sun is again directly overhead? (See Figure 11-3.) ​ ​

The moons of Mars are:

What phenomenon causes the V-shaped patterns that are a prominent feature on Venus?

Which of the following has apparently had the least influence on the evolution of the surface and geology of Mars?

Of the facts listed below, three contribute to the unusual 3-to-2 spin-orbit coupling of Mercury's motion. Which one does NOT contribute?

The dark markings near the equator of Mars show seasonal variations because of:

Each of the following components of the atmosphere and the environment on Mars renders it sterile and antiseptic, and it would destroy life on the planet EXCEPT one. Which one of the following is not a factor in rendering the surface of Mars sterile?

An explanation for the retrograde rotation (in a direction opposite to that of most other planets) of Venus that has received serious consideration is the:

Tectonic activity on Venus is characterized by:

The atmosphere of Venus immediately above the surface of the planet, as discovered by the Venera spacecraft, can BEST be described as:

The relative rotation patterns of the Venusian atmosphere and Venus itself are:

The dark, seasonal markings on Mars that grow in the spring and fade in the autumn are believed to result from:

If one were on the planet Venus viewing the Sun through the clouds, where would the Sun appear to rise as Venus rotated?

Suppose you observe Mercury at each of the following phases and you extrapolate the full angular diameter from the part that you can see. At which phase will the angular diameter appear greatest?

What do we understand about the presence of H2O on Venus?

If you are on Mercury and the time is noon (Sun directly overhead), what time of day will it be 1 Mercurian year later (after Mercury has orbited the Sun once)? (See Figure 11-3.) ​ ​

Astronomy and the Universe

Knowing the Heavens

Eclipses and the Motion of the Moon

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

The Nature of Light

Optics and Telescopes

Comparative Planetology I: Our Solar System

Comparative Planetology II: the Origin of Our Solar System

The Living Earth

Our Barren Moon

Jupiter and Saturn: Lords of the Planets

Jupiter and Saturns Satellites of Fire and Ice

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Kuiper Belt: Remote Worlds

Asteroids, Comets, and Impacts

Our Star, the Sun

The Nature of the Stars

The Birth of Stars

Stellar Evolution: on and After the Main Sequence

Stellar Evolution: The Death of Stars

Stellar Remnants: Neutron Stars and Black Holes

Our Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Active Galaxies

Cosmology: The Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Exploring the Early Universe

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Filters

All the following evidence for H₂O has been found on Mars EXCEPT one. Which has NOT been found?

If you are on Mercury and the time is noon (Sun directly overhead), how many times will Mercury rotate on its axis before the Sun is again directly overhead? (See Figure 11-3.)

What do we understand about the presence of H₂O on Venus?

If you are on Mercury and the time is noon (Sun directly overhead), what time of day will it be 1 Mercurian year later (after Mercury has orbited the Sun once)? (See Figure 11-3.)