Question 1

The atmosphere on Mercury

Accepted Answer

A) Is mostly carbon monoxide 
B) Is very thin compared to Earth's 
C) Contains trace amounts of oxygen 
D) Is so opaque that we cannot see the surface 
A) Is mostly carbon monoxide 
B) Is very thin compared to Earth's 
C) Contains trace amounts of oxygen 
D) Is so opaque that we cannot see the surface B

Question 2

The surface temperature of Mercury is high primarily because of

Accepted Answer

A) Solar heating 
B) A large greenhouse effect 
C) Volcanic activity 
D) Frequent meteoroid impacts 
A) Solar heating 
B) A large greenhouse effect 
C) Volcanic activity 
D) Frequent meteoroid impacts A

Question 3

What evidence supports Venus having lost large quantities of water in the past?

Accepted Answer

A) Large erosion features on the surface. 
B) Signs of water below the surface. 
C) High atmospheric concentrations of deuterium relative to ordinary hydrogen in the atmosphere. 
D) Observation of dry lake basins. 
A) Large erosion features on the surface. 
B) Signs of water below the surface. 
C) High atmospheric concentrations of deuterium relative to ordinary hydrogen in the atmosphere. 
D) Observation of dry lake basins. C

Question 4

Which of the following objects has a surface that least resembles that of Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A) Venus 
B) The Moon 
C) Mars 
D) Callisto 
A) Venus 
B) The Moon 
C) Mars 
D) Callisto

Question 5

Which of the following explanations best accounts for the high density of the planet Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A) Its material is compressed by high internal pressures 
B) It contains a large fraction of iron and other metal 
C) It has a large range of surface temperatures 
D) It has a large gravity that compresses its surface layers 
A) Its material is compressed by high internal pressures 
B) It contains a large fraction of iron and other metal 
C) It has a large range of surface temperatures 
D) It has a large gravity that compresses its surface layers

Question 6

What property of Venus may have contributed to its rapid loss of water?

Accepted Answer

A) Its slow rotation rate. 
B) Its weak magnetic field 
C) Its thick atmosphere 
D) Its strong surface gravity 
A) Its slow rotation rate. 
B) Its weak magnetic field 
C) Its thick atmosphere 
D) Its strong surface gravity

Question 7

On which planet(s)would an explorer see the Sun rise in the west?

Accepted Answer

A) Venus 
B) Mercury 
C) Mars 
D) Mercury and Venus 
E) Venus and Mars 
A) Venus 
B) Mercury 
C) Mars 
D) Mercury and Venus 
E) Venus and Mars

Question 8

Why is Mercury difficult to observe?

Accepted Answer

A) It is very dim 
B) It is always near the Sun in the sky 
C) It is usually on the other side of the Sun from the Earth 
D) It never rises until after midnight 
A) It is very dim 
B) It is always near the Sun in the sky 
C) It is usually on the other side of the Sun from the Earth 
D) It never rises until after midnight

Question 9

Why did ejecta from impact craters travel farther from craters on the Moon than from craters on Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A) There is more air resistance on Mercury than on the Moon 
B) The objects that struck Mercury were larger. 
C) Mercury has a larger gravity than does the Moon 
D) The curvature of the Moon is greater than that of Mercury 
A) There is more air resistance on Mercury than on the Moon 
B) The objects that struck Mercury were larger. 
C) Mercury has a larger gravity than does the Moon 
D) The curvature of the Moon is greater than that of Mercury

Question 10

Images of the surface of Venus show a surface that is

Accepted Answer

A) Littered with angular boulders 
B) Sand-covered 
C) Covered with small pebbles 
D) Covered with a tar-like substance 
A) Littered with angular boulders 
B) Sand-covered 
C) Covered with small pebbles 
D) Covered with a tar-like substance

Question 11

Why are there few spiral patterns seen in ultraviolet images of the clouds of Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) The rotation rate of Venus is very small 
B) The clouds are constantly rising and falling 
C) The clouds are not made of water droplets 
D) Venus has no Moon to produce tides that make spiral patterns. 
A) The rotation rate of Venus is very small 
B) The clouds are constantly rising and falling 
C) The clouds are not made of water droplets 
D) Venus has no Moon to produce tides that make spiral patterns.

Question 12

The temperature on the surface of Venus is closest to

Accepted Answer

A) 100 K 
B) 400 K 
C) 700 K 
D) 10,000 K 
A) 100 K 
B) 400 K 
C) 700 K 
D) 10,000 K

Question 13

Why does the thick atmosphere of Venus lead to a high temperature at its surface?

Accepted Answer

A) The atmosphere reflects most sunlight back into space 
B) High winds in the thick atmosphere generate frictional heating 
C) The atmosphere blocks the escape of infrared radiation from Venus 
D) There are heat-producing chemical reactions in Venus's atmosphere 
A) The atmosphere reflects most sunlight back into space 
B) High winds in the thick atmosphere generate frictional heating 
C) The atmosphere blocks the escape of infrared radiation from Venus 
D) There are heat-producing chemical reactions in Venus's atmosphere

Question 14

Venus's atmosphere contains much more carbon dioxide than does the atmosphere of the Earth.What has happened to the carbon dioxide that formerly was in the atmosphere of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) It is frozen in the polar caps 
B) It has escaped into space 
C) It is incorporated in surface rocks 
D) It has been used in the consumption of fossil fuels 
A) It is frozen in the polar caps 
B) It has escaped into space 
C) It is incorporated in surface rocks 
D) It has been used in the consumption of fossil fuels

Question 15

In which of the following circumstances can Mercury be observed?

Accepted Answer

A) Setting at sunset 
B) Near the horizon at noon 
C) High in the sky at midnight 
D) Setting at sunrise 
A) Setting at sunset 
B) Near the horizon at noon 
C) High in the sky at midnight 
D) Setting at sunrise

Question 16

What method has been used to map the surface of Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) Images from many landers 
B) Orbiting radar 
C) Careful visual measurements from the Earth 
D) Infrared sensors on flyby missions 
A) Images from many landers 
B) Orbiting radar 
C) Careful visual measurements from the Earth 
D) Infrared sensors on flyby missions

Question 17

Why does Venus appear featureless when viewed through a telescope?

Accepted Answer

A) It has a very thick cloud layer 
B) It has permanent dust storms 
C) Its atmosphere is so hot that shimmering distorts its image 
D) Its surface reflects sunlight so well that it seems featureless 
A) It has a very thick cloud layer 
B) It has permanent dust storms 
C) Its atmosphere is so hot that shimmering distorts its image 
D) Its surface reflects sunlight so well that it seems featureless

Question 18

Which of the following is true about Mercury's rotation?

Accepted Answer

A) Rotation period equals revolution period 
B) Planet revolves 3 times for every 2 revolutions because of tidal resonance 
C) Planet rotates retrograde in about 250 days 
D) Orbital period is exactly half the rotational period 
A) Rotation period equals revolution period 
B) Planet revolves 3 times for every 2 revolutions because of tidal resonance 
C) Planet rotates retrograde in about 250 days 
D) Orbital period is exactly half the rotational period

Question 19

Why does Venus absorb less energy from the Sun than Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) Earth's atmosphere is thicker than the atmosphere of Venus. 
B) More solar radiation strikes the Earth,relative to Venus. 
C) The slow rotation rate of Venus prevents absorption of sunlight. 
D) The thick clouds of Venus reflect most of the incoming solar energy. 
A) Earth's atmosphere is thicker than the atmosphere of Venus. 
B) More solar radiation strikes the Earth,relative to Venus. 
C) The slow rotation rate of Venus prevents absorption of sunlight. 
D) The thick clouds of Venus reflect most of the incoming solar energy.

Question 20

The Earth has a surface temperature of 300 K.The wavelength at which the Earth is brightest is 10 microns.The dayside of Mercury is brightest at 4 microns.Which of the following is closest to the temperature on the dayside of Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A) 400 K 
B) 120 K 
C) 750 K 
D) 300 K 
A) 400 K 
B) 120 K 
C) 750 K 
D) 300 K

Exam 10: Mercury and Venus

The atmosphere on Mercury

The surface temperature of Mercury is high primarily because of

What evidence supports Venus having lost large quantities of water in the past?

Which of the following objects has a surface that least resembles that of Mercury?

Which of the following explanations best accounts for the high density of the planet Mercury?

What property of Venus may have contributed to its rapid loss of water?

On which planet(s)would an explorer see the Sun rise in the west?

Why is Mercury difficult to observe?

Why did ejecta from impact craters travel farther from craters on the Moon than from craters on Mercury?

Images of the surface of Venus show a surface that is

Why are there few spiral patterns seen in ultraviolet images of the clouds of Venus?

The temperature on the surface of Venus is closest to

Why does the thick atmosphere of Venus lead to a high temperature at its surface?

Venus's atmosphere contains much more carbon dioxide than does the atmosphere of the Earth.What has happened to the carbon dioxide that formerly was in the atmosphere of the Earth?

In which of the following circumstances can Mercury be observed?

What method has been used to map the surface of Venus?

Why does Venus appear featureless when viewed through a telescope?

Which of the following is true about Mercury's rotation?

Why does Venus absorb less energy from the Sun than Earth?

The Earth has a surface temperature of 300 K.The wavelength at which the Earth is brightest is 10 microns.The dayside of Mercury is brightest at 4 microns.Which of the following is closest to the temperature on the dayside of Mercury?

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