Question 1

The oldest rocks on the Earth are approximately 4 billion years old.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

Figure 1
-Which picture in Figure 1 illustrates an example of plate tectonics occurring on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D B

Question 3

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

The maria, the dark regions of the Moon's surface, are approximately 1 billion years younger than the rest of its surface.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

What are the four main processes that shape the surfaces of the terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

The four main proces

Question 6

List the main process that shaped the planetary surface features illustrated in each of the four pictures shown below.

Accepted Answer

The important process for each

Question 7

Which object would have the LARGEST impact if it were to strike the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  a 1-m diameter asteroid moving at 100 m/s 
B)  a 1-m diameter comet moving at 100 m/s 
C)  a 10-m diameter comet moving at 10 m/s 
D)  a 10-m diameter asteroid moving at 10 m/s 
E)  a 1-m diameter comet moving at 50 m/s 
A)  a 1-m diameter asteroid moving at 100 m/s 
B)  a 1-m diameter comet moving at 100 m/s 
C)  a 10-m diameter comet moving at 10 m/s 
D)  a 10-m diameter asteroid moving at 10 m/s 
E)  a 1-m diameter comet moving at 50 m/s

Question 8

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years, what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Accepted Answer

A)  1/2 
B)  1/4 
C)  1/8 
D)  1/16 
E)  1/32 
A)  1/2 
B)  1/4 
C)  1/8 
D)  1/16 
E)  1/32

Question 9

Based on the age of the light- and dark-colored regions of the Moon and the number of craters observed in these regions, we know that impacts in the inner Solar System:

Accepted Answer

A)  rapidly decreased approximately 1 billion years ago 
B)  rapidly decreased approximately 3 billion years ago 
C)  were very rare in the last 4.6 billion years 
D)  occurred at approximately a constant rate throughout most of the age of the Solar System 
E)  never occur anymore 
A)  rapidly decreased approximately 1 billion years ago 
B)  rapidly decreased approximately 3 billion years ago 
C)  were very rare in the last 4.6 billion years 
D)  occurred at approximately a constant rate throughout most of the age of the Solar System 
E)  never occur anymore

Question 10

There are two main forces that shape a planet's surface: impacts and plate tectonics.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Compared to the dark-colored regions of the surface of the Moon, the light-colored regions are approximately:

Accepted Answer

A)  1 billion years older 
B)  1 billion years younger 
C)  1 million years older 
D)  1 million years younger 
E)  a few thousand years younger 
A)  1 billion years older 
B)  1 billion years younger 
C)  1 million years older 
D)  1 million years younger 
E)  a few thousand years younger

Question 12

Three different things can happen when two continental plates meet. What is the name given to each, and briefly explain what happens in each.

Accepted Answer

(1) Subduction can happen when one plate

Question 13

Mars has a diameter that is approximately half that of Earth's. If the interiors of these planets are heated by radioactive decays, how does the heating rate of Mars' interior compare to that of Earth's?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars's heating rate is 0.125 times that of Earth's. 
B)  Mars's heating rate is 8 times that of the Earth's. 
C)  Mars's heating rate is 0.5 times that of Earth's. 
D)  Mars's heating rate is 4 times that of the Earth's. 
E)  The heating rates are about the same. 
A)  Mars's heating rate is 0.125 times that of Earth's. 
B)  Mars's heating rate is 8 times that of the Earth's. 
C)  Mars's heating rate is 0.5 times that of Earth's. 
D)  Mars's heating rate is 4 times that of the Earth's. 
E)  The heating rates are about the same.

Question 14

The interior of the Earth is differentiated because it cooled very quickly.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Studies of the amount of cratering at different locations on the Moon indicate that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the rate of cratering in the Solar System has changed dramatically over time 
B)  the younger lunar surfaces are hundreds of billions of years younger than the oldest surfaces 
C)  the Moon has never been geologically active at any point in its history 
D)  most of the heavy cratering in the Solar System occurred before Earth formed 
E)  that cratering is no longer occurring in the Solar System 
A)  the rate of cratering in the Solar System has changed dramatically over time 
B)  the younger lunar surfaces are hundreds of billions of years younger than the oldest surfaces 
C)  the Moon has never been geologically active at any point in its history 
D)  most of the heavy cratering in the Solar System occurred before Earth formed 
E)  that cratering is no longer occurring in the Solar System

Question 16

Figure 4
-The large feature spanning the planet _________ in Figure 4 is called_________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars; Olympus Mons 
B)  Venus; Valles Marineris 
C)  Venus; Olympus Mons 
D)  Mars; Valles Marineris 
E)  Mercury; Caloris Basin 
A)  Mars; Olympus Mons 
B)  Venus; Valles Marineris 
C)  Venus; Olympus Mons 
D)  Mars; Valles Marineris 
E)  Mercury; Caloris Basin

Question 17

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  Approximately 65 million years ago, a 10-km wide asteroid struck Earth and wiped out more than 50 percent of all living species. 
B)  The Moon probably was formed by a collision between a Mars-sized body and the Earth. 
C)  During summer in the northern hemisphere of Mars, the polar ice cap melts and liquid water flows outward from it in rivers. 
D)  The surface of Venus is relatively young with an estimated age of less than 1 billion years. 
E)  Mercury has many fractures and faults on its surface that probably arose when it cooled very rapidly and shrank. 
A)  Approximately 65 million years ago, a 10-km wide asteroid struck Earth and wiped out more than 50 percent of all living species. 
B)  The Moon probably was formed by a collision between a Mars-sized body and the Earth. 
C)  During summer in the northern hemisphere of Mars, the polar ice cap melts and liquid water flows outward from it in rivers. 
D)  The surface of Venus is relatively young with an estimated age of less than 1 billion years. 
E)  Mercury has many fractures and faults on its surface that probably arose when it cooled very rapidly and shrank.

Question 18

Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surface, place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth, Venus, Mercury 
B)  Venus, Earth, Mercury 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Earth 
D)  Earth, Mercury, Venus 
E)  Venus, Mercury, Earth 
A)  Earth, Venus, Mercury 
B)  Venus, Earth, Mercury 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Earth 
D)  Earth, Mercury, Venus 
E)  Venus, Mercury, Earth

Question 19

Of the following methods, the age of the Solar System can be determined most accurately by:

Accepted Answer

A)  measuring the number of craters per square meter on Mercury 
B)  radioactive dating of rocks retrieved from the Moon 
C)  carbon dating of rocks from mountains on the Earth 
D)  measurement of the magnetic field variations in rocks under the Earth's oceans 
E)  measuring the rate of energy production in the Sun 
A)  measuring the number of craters per square meter on Mercury 
B)  radioactive dating of rocks retrieved from the Moon 
C)  carbon dating of rocks from mountains on the Earth 
D)  measurement of the magnetic field variations in rocks under the Earth's oceans 
E)  measuring the rate of energy production in the Sun

Question 20

Consider an external solar system in which there are three terrestrial planets. All are located far from other objects so tidal forces aren't significant. If planet A has a radius of 1 Earth radius, and planet B has a radius of 2 Earth radii, and planet C has a radius of 3 Earth radii, which planet has the highest chance of having at least a partially liquid core and a detectable magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

A)  Planet A 
B)  Planet B 
C)  Planet C 
D)  They all have the same likelihood of having a liquid core. 
E)  None of these planets should have a liquid core, because they all should have completely solidified. 
A)  Planet A 
B)  Planet B 
C)  Planet C 
D)  They all have the same likelihood of having a liquid core. 
E)  None of these planets should have a liquid core, because they all should have completely solidified.

Exam 8: The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

The oldest rocks on the Earth are approximately 4 billion years old.

Figure 1 -Which picture in Figure 1 illustrates an example of plate tectonics occurring on Earth?

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on

The maria, the dark regions of the Moon's surface, are approximately 1 billion years younger than the rest of its surface.

What are the four main processes that shape the surfaces of the terrestrial planets?

List the main process that shaped the planetary surface features illustrated in each of the four pictures shown below.

Which object would have the LARGEST impact if it were to strike the Earth?

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years, what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Based on the age of the light- and dark-colored regions of the Moon and the number of craters observed in these regions, we know that impacts in the inner Solar System:

There are two main forces that shape a planet's surface: impacts and plate tectonics.

Compared to the dark-colored regions of the surface of the Moon, the light-colored regions are approximately:

Three different things can happen when two continental plates meet. What is the name given to each, and briefly explain what happens in each.

Mars has a diameter that is approximately half that of Earth's. If the interiors of these planets are heated by radioactive decays, how does the heating rate of Mars' interior compare to that of Earth's?

The interior of the Earth is differentiated because it cooled very quickly.

Studies of the amount of cratering at different locations on the Moon indicate that:

Figure 4 -The large feature spanning the planet _________ in Figure 4 is called_________.

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surface, place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface:

Of the following methods, the age of the Solar System can be determined most accurately by:

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquid the Giant Planets

Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

The Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

Figure 4 -The large feature spanning the planet _ in Figure 4 is called_.