Deck 10: Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Question 1

What are greenhouse gases?

A)gases that absorb visible light
B)gases that absorb ultraviolet light
C)gases that absorb infrared light
D)gases that transmit visible light
E)gases that transmit infrared light

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following planets has a stratosphere?

A)Mercury
B)Venus
C)Earth
D)Mars
E)all of the above

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Why does Venus have such a great difference in temperature between its "no atmosphere" temperature and its actual temperature?

A)It has a slow rotation.
B)It is so close to the Sun.
C)It has a large amount of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere.
D)It has a high level of volcanic activity.
E)It has no cooling effects from oceans.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Suppose Earth's atmosphere had no greenhouse gases.Then Earth's average surface temperature would be

A)250 K,which is well below freezing.
B)273 K,or about the freezing point for water.
C)283 K,or about 5 K cooler than it is now.
D)288 K,or about the same as it is now.
E)293 K,or about 5 K warmer than it is now.

Question 5

What is the thermosphere?

A)the lowest layer in the atmosphere
B)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs optical light
C)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet
D)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs X-rays
E)the highest layer in the atmosphere

Question 6

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

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

Question 7

X-rays from the Sun's corona

A)are absorbed in Earth's troposphere.
B)are absorbed in Earth's thermosphere.
C)cause meteor showers.
D)break apart ozone in the stratosphere.
E)generally reach Earth's surface and fry us.

Question 8

How does the greenhouse effect work?

A)Greenhouse gases transmit visible light,allowing it to heat the surface,but then absorb infrared light from Earth,trapping the heat near the surface.
B)The higher pressure of the thick atmosphere at lower altitudes traps heat in more effectively.
C)Ozone transmits visible light,allowing it to heat the surface,but then absorbs most of the infrared heat,trapping the heat near the surface.
D)Greenhouse gases absorb X-rays and ultraviolet light from the Sun,which then heat the atmosphere and the surface.
E)Greenhouse gases absorb infrared light from the Sun,which then heats the atmosphere and the surface.

Question 9

Earth's stratosphere is heated primarily by which process?

A)Convection from the Earth's surface.
B)Absorption of infrared radiation by greenhouse gases.
C)Absorption of visible light by ozone.
D)Absorption of ultraviolet radiation by ozone.
E)Atoms and molecules absorb infrared sunlight.

Question 10

Which of the following worlds has the greatest difference in temperature between its "no atmosphere" temperature and its actual temperature?

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

Question 11

Which planet experiences the greatest change between its actual day temperature and actual night temperature?

A)Mercury
B)Venus
C)Earth
D)Mars

Question 12

Which of the following planets has the least substantial atmosphere?

A)Venus
B)Earth
C)Mars
D)Neptune
E)Mercury

Question 13

The proper order of the layers of a generic atmosphere from lowest altitude to highest is

A)troposphere,stratosphere,exosphere,thermosphere.
B)troposphere,stratosphere,thermosphere,exosphere.
C)stratosphere,troposphere,exosphere,thermosphere.
D)stratosphere,troposphere,thermosphere,exosphere.
E)none of the above

Question 14

What is the exosphere?

A)the lowest layer in the atmosphere
B)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs optical light
C)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet
D)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs X-rays
E)the highest layer in the atmosphere

Question 15

The thermosphere is warm because it

A)absorbs X-rays.
B)absorbs infrared light.
C)absorbs visible light.
D)contains greenhouse gases.
E)absorbs ultraviolet light.

Question 16

Which of the following correctly describes the meaning of albedo?

A)The lower the albedo,the more light the surface reflects,and the less it absorbs.
B)The higher the albedo,the more light the surface reflects,and the less it absorbs.
C)The higher the albedo,the more light the surface absorbs.
D)The higher the albedo,the more light the surface emits.
E)The higher the albedo,the more light the atmosphere absorbs.

Question 17

Which of the following planets has an exosphere?

A)Mercury
B)Venus
C)Earth
D)Mars
E)all of the above

Question 18

What is the troposphere?

A)the lowest layer in the atmosphere
B)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs optical light
C)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet
D)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs X-rays
E)the highest layer in the atmosphere

Question 19

Which of the following gases absorbs ultraviolet light best?

A)carbon dioxide
B)nitrogen
C)oxygen
D)hydrogen
E)ozone

Question 20

What is the stratosphere?

A)the lowest layer in the atmosphere
B)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs optical light
C)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet
D)the part of the atmosphere that absorbs X-rays
E)the highest layer in the atmosphere

Question 21

Why does Mars have more extreme seasons than Earth?

A)because it is farther from the Sun
B)because it has a larger axis tilt
C)because it has a much more eccentric orbit
D)because it has more carbon dioxide in its atmosphere
E)all of the above

Question 22

Ultraviolet light is absorbed in the

A)exosphere.
B)thermosphere.
C)stratosphere.
D)troposphere.
E)none of the above

Question 23

What is the difference in meaning between the terms weather and climate?

A)Weather refers to local conditions,and climate refers to global conditions.
B)Weather refers to short-term variations in conditions,and climate refers to long-term variations in conditions.
C)Weather refers to small storms,and climate refers to large storms.
D)Weather refers to wind and rain,and climate refers to processes like convection.
E)There is no difference between weather and climate.

Question 24

Why doesn't Venus have seasons like Mars and Earth do?

A)It does not have an ozone layer.
B)It is too close to the Sun.
C)Its rotation axis is not tilted.
D)It does not rotate fast enough.
E)all of the above

Question 25

The atmosphere on Mercury is due to

A)volcanic outgassing.
B)evaporation.
C)sublimation.
D)bombardment.
E)There is no detectable atmosphere on Mercury.

Question 26

Which of the following best describes rain on Venus?

A)It does not have rain.
B)It has sulfuric acid rain that causes erosion on the surface.
C)It has sulfuric acid rain in its atmosphere,but the drops evaporate before hitting the surface.
D)It has liquid water rain that causes erosion on the surface.
E)It has liquid water rain in its atmosphere,but the drops evaporate before hitting the surface.

Question 27

Radio communication between distant places on Earth is possible because the

A)ionosphere reflects radio signals.
B)ionosphere transmits radio signals.
C)stratosphere reflects radio signals.
D)exosphere reflects radio signals.

Question 28

The strength of the Coriolis effect depends on

A)a planet's distance from the Sun.
B)the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
C)a planet's size and rotation rate.
D)a planet's temperature.
E)the tilt of a planet's axis.

Question 29

Venus has a high albedo because its surface is covered by

A)light-colored rocks.
B)snow.
C)clouds.
D)dust storms.
E)volcanic ash.

Question 30

How might Mars's weakened magnetic field have allowed for major changes in its climate?

A)Atmospheric gases were left vulnerable to being stripped into space by solar wind particles.
B)The heat combined with the magnetic field,and disappeared with it.
C)Mars has actually heated up since the magnetic field weakened,since the solar rays no longer have such a dense layer to get through.
D)They are completely unrelated;there is no possible influence.

Question 31

The sky is blue because

A)molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light.
B)molecules scatter red light more effectively than blue light.
C)the Sun mainly emits blue light.
D)the atmosphere transmits mostly blue light.
E)the atmosphere absorbs mostly blue light.

Question 32

Which of the following factors could explain a gradual warming trend in a planet's climate?

A)a decreasing albedo
B)a decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases
C)a decrease in the brightness of the Sun
D)a major volcanic eruption that increases the albedo of the planet by making clouds
E)none of the above

Question 33

Sunsets are red because

A)the Sun emits more red light when it's setting.
B)sunlight must pass through more atmosphere then,and the atmosphere scatters even more light at bluer wavelengths,transmitting mostly red light.
C)sunlight must pass through more atmosphere then,and the atmosphere scatters more light at red wavelengths than bluer wavelengths.
D)the cooler atmosphere in the evening absorbs more blue light.
E)none of the above

Question 34

Where is most of the water on Mars?

A)in its clouds
B)in its polar caps and subsurface ground ice
C)frozen on the peaks of its tall volcanoes
D)in deep underground deposits
E)distributed evenly throughout its atmosphere

Question 35

Convection occurs in the troposphere but not in the stratosphere because

A)the troposphere is warmer than the stratosphere.
B)the troposphere is cooler than the stratosphere.
C)lower altitudes of the troposphere are warmer than higher altitudes,unlike in the stratosphere.
D)higher altitudes of the troposphere are warmer than lower altitudes,unlike in the stratosphere.
E)the troposphere contains fewer greenhouse gases than the stratosphere.

Question 36

The ionosphere is a layer of ionized gas that is

A)above the exosphere.
B)between the thermosphere and the exosphere.
C)within the thermosphere.
D)within the stratosphere.
E)within the troposphere.

Question 37

How is the atmosphere of a planet affected by the rotation rate?

A)The rotation rate determines how much atmosphere a planet has.
B)The rotation rate determines how long the planet is able to retain its atmosphere.
C)Faster rotation rates raise surface temperatures and thus determine how much material is gaseous versus icy or liquid.
D)Faster rotation rates raise the atmospheric temperature.
E)Faster rotation rates produce stronger winds.

Question 38

There are no aurora on Venus because it

A)lacks atmospheric oxygen.
B)is too hot.
C)lacks a strong magnetic field.
D)lacks an ionosphere.
E)lacks strong winds.

Question 39

What is the main reason mountaintops are so cold?

A)The air is thinner at higher altitudes.
B)Mountaintops are above much of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
C)The winds are stronger at higher altitudes.
D)There is more water vapor at higher altitudes,causing there to be more snow.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 40

Why isn't Earth's atmosphere mostly hydrogen?

A)Earth formed too close to the Sun for any planetesimals to have hydrogen.
B)All the hydrogen was blasted away during the early bombardment stage of the solar system.
C)Light gases such as hydrogen move faster than heavier gases and escape from Earth's gravitational field.
D)The hydrogen is frozen in the polar ice caps.
E)All the hydrogen reacted with oxygen and formed the oceans.

Question 41

Geological evidence points to a history of extended ice ages in Earth's history.How did Earth recover from this snowball phase?

A)The increased ice coverage on Earth's surface absorbed more sunlight than water and rocks,thus gradually heating Earth until the ice melted.
B)Life vanished,leading to an increase in CO₂,and increased global warming,eventually melting the ice.
C)Volcanoes continued to inject CO₂ into Earth's atmosphere,increasing the greenhouse effect to the point where ice melted.
D)Plate tectonics gradually subducted all the ice below Earth's surface.
E)As the Sun aged,it grew brighter and increased Earth's temperature,melting the ice.

Question 42

Venus has a thicker atmosphere than Earth.

Question 43

Venus may have started with an ocean's worth of water.Where is its water now?

A)The original water remains vaporized in the atmosphere due to Venus's intense heat.
B)Most of the water is frozen beneath the surface.
C)Most of the water combined with rocks in chemical reactions.
D)The water was lost when ultraviolet light broke apart water molecules and the hydrogen escaped to space.
E)The water changed to carbon dioxide through chemical reactions.

Question 44

If Earth were to warm up a bit,what would happen?

A)Carbonate materials would form in the oceans more rapidly,the atmospheric CO₂ content would decrease,and the greenhouse effect would weaken slowly over time.
B)Carbonate materials would form in the oceans more slowly,the atmospheric CO₂ content would increase,and the greenhouse effect would strengthen slowly over time.
C)Carbonate materials would form in the oceans more rapidly,the atmospheric CO₂ content would decrease,and the greenhouse effect would strengthen slowly over time.
D)There would be a runaway greenhouse effect,with Earth becoming ever hotter until the oceans evaporated (as may have happened on Venus).
E)The ice caps would melt and cool Earth back to its normal temperature.

Question 45

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

A)water
B)nitrogen
C)oxygen
D)carbon dioxide
E)sulfur dioxide

Question 46

What are fossil fuels?

A)any fuel that releases CO₂ into the atmosphere upon burning
B)any fuel that is extracted from the interior of Earth
C)mineral-rich deposits from ancient seabeds
D)the carbon-rich remains of plants that died millions of years ago
E)carbonate-rich deposits from ancient seabeds

Question 47

Earth's atmosphere contains only small amounts of carbon dioxide because

A)Earth's volcanoes did not outgas as much carbon dioxide as those on Venus and Mars.
B)most of the carbon dioxide was lost during the age of bombardment.
C)chemical reactions with other gases destroyed the carbon dioxide and replaced it with the nitrogen that is in the atmosphere now.
D)carbon dioxide dissolves in water,and most of it is now contained in the oceans and carbonate rocks.
E)Earth doesn't have as strong a greenhouse effect as is present on Venus.

Question 48

Deuterium is more abundant on Venus than elsewhere in the solar system.What do we think this fact tells us about Venus?

A)It was formed in a part of the solar nebula where deuterium condensed easily.
B)It was formed in a part of the solar nebula where deuterium was surprisingly abundant.
C)It once had huge amounts of water in its atmosphere.
D)It once had an atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen.
E)Its volcanoes outgassed primarily carbon dioxide and deuterium,but little water.

Question 49

Which of the following statements about the greenhouse effect is true?

A)Without the naturally occurring greenhouse effect,Earth would be too cold to have liquid oceans.
B)A weak greenhouse effect operates on Mars.
C)The burning of fossil fuels increases the greenhouse effect on Earth because of the release of carbon dioxide.
D)One result of an increased greenhouse effect on Earth may be an increased number of severe storms.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 50

The most recent ice age ended

A)about 1000 years ago.
B)about 10,000 years ago.
C)about 100,000 years ago.
D)about one million years ago.
E)hundreds of millions of years ago.

Question 51

What are oxidation reactions?

A)reactions that produce oxygen atoms
B)reactions that destroy oxygen atoms
C)reactions that remove oxygen from the atmosphere,such as fire and rust
D)reactions that convert CO₂ to O₂
E)all of the above,i.e. ,any reaction involving oxygen

Question 52

Of the four gases CO₂,H₂O,N₂,and O₂,which are greenhouse gases?

A)only CO₂
B)CO₂ and H₂O
C)CO₂ and N₂
D)all except O₂
E)all four

Question 53

Why is Mars red?

A)It is made primarily of red clay.
B)Its surface rocks were rusted by oxygen.
C)Its atmosphere scatters blue light more effectively than red light.
D)Its surface is made of ices that absorb blue light.
E)Its surface is made of ices that absorb red light.

Question 54

A planet with an albedo of 10 percent absorbs 10 percent of the sunlight that strikes it and reflects the other 90 percent.

Question 55

One bar of atmosphere is roughly equal to Earth's atmospheric pressure at sea level.

Question 56

Why does the burning of fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect on Earth?

A)Burning fuel warms the planet.
B)Burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
C)Burning depletes the amount of ozone,thereby warming the planet.
D)Burning produces infrared light,which is then trapped by existing greenhouse gases.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 57

Why would the weather become more severe as the greenhouse effect increased?

A)Warming would increase the evaporation of the oceans,leading to more water in the atmosphere and more frequent and severe storms.
B)Warming of the planet would lead to terrible droughts and reduce the amount of water on Earth.
C)Warming would dry out the atmosphere and the crust,leading to devastation of Earth through more meteor bombardment and volcanism.
D)The depleted ozone layer would let in more particles from the solar wind.
E)all of the above

Question 58

Clouds,snow,and ice have higher albedos than rocks.

Question 59

The "no atmosphere" temperature of a planet is never higher than the planet's actual temperature.

Question 60

From where did the molecular oxygen in Earth's atmosphere originate?

A)photosynthesis from plant life
B)photosynthesis from single-celled organisms
C)outgassing from volcanoes
D)atmospheric bombardment
E)oxidation of surface rocks

Question 61

Briefly describe the three factors that would determine planetary temperatures in the absence of greenhouse gases.

Question 62

The Coriolis effect is very important to the weather of Venus.

Question 63

Briefly describe how the greenhouse effect makes a planetary surface warmer than it would be otherwise.

Question 64

Draw a diagram showing how temperature varies with altitude in a generic planetary atmosphere.Label each of the major layers (i.e. ,thermosphere,stratosphere,troposphere).

Question 65

Earth and Venus both presumably had similar gases outgassed from their volcanoes.Briefly explain how their atmospheres ended up so different.

Question 66

What would happen to a planet's thermosphere and exosphere if the Sun had a higher output of X-rays?

Question 67

How would the atmospheric temperature structure differ from the generic structure if a planet had no greenhouse gases?

Question 68

Earth outgassed as much carbon dioxide as Venus,but it is locked up in the oceans and rocks.

Question 69

Without greenhouse gases,Earth's surface would be frozen over.

Question 70

Sunsets are red because sunlight must pass through more atmosphere then,and the atmosphere scatters even more light at bluer wavelengths,transmitting mostly red light.

Question 71

What is a magnetosphere? What are charged particle belts?

Question 72

Use the following choices to answer the atmosphere composition questions:
A.mostly carbon dioxide
B.individual atoms,such as sodium and potassium
C.mostly molecular nitrogen,with a lesser amount of molecular oxygen
D.mostly molecular oxygen,with a lesser amount of molecular nitrogen
E.mostly methane,with a lesser amount of carbon dioxide
Which best describes the composition of the atmosphere of Earth?

Question 73

The sky is blue because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light.

Question 74

Van Allen belts are regions encircling Earth where charged particles get trapped by the magnetosphere.

Question 75

Winter and summer differ in length on Mars because of its elliptical orbit.

Question 76

How do clouds form?

Question 77

Briefly describe how the solar wind affects magnetospheres and how aurora are produced.

Question 78

How would the atmospheric temperature structure differ from the generic structure if a planet had a reasonably thick atmosphere but no ultraviolet-absorbing gases? Which of the terrestrial planets have this structure?

Question 79

The Moon has no detectable atmosphere.

Question 80

Use the following choices to answer the atmosphere composition questions:
A.mostly carbon dioxide
B.individual atoms,such as sodium and potassium
C.mostly molecular nitrogen,with a lesser amount of molecular oxygen
D.mostly molecular oxygen,with a lesser amount of molecular nitrogen
E.mostly methane,with a lesser amount of carbon dioxide
Which best describes the composition of the atmosphere of Venus?