1. Jupiter emits about twice as much energy per second as it receives from the Sun, probably because of ________. Saturn emits about three times as much energy per second as it receives from the Sun, probably because of ________.
a) escape of residual heat; ongoing differentiation *
b) ongoing differentiation; escape of residual heat
c) nuclear reactions; ongoing differentiation
d) escape of residual heat; nuclear reactions
e) tidal forces; rapid rotation
2. The most common gas in the atmospheres of Mars and Venus is ________. The most common gas in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn is ________.
a) CO2; N2
b) N2; O2
c) CO2; H2 *
d) H2O; CO2
3. The channels and outflow features discovered on Mars by Mariner 9 and the Mars Global Surveyor show that
a) there was a huge flood of lava from the southern highlands into the northern lowlands.
b) there was a huge flood of lava from the northern highlands into the southern lowlands.
c) there was a huge flood of water from the southern highlands into the northern lowlands. *
d) there was a huge flood of water from the northern highlands into the southern lowlands.
4. Jupiter's moon Ganymede is unique because it's the only moon _______. Saturn's moon Titan is unique because it's the only moon _______.
a) with an atmosphere; with a magnetic field
b) with a magnetic field; with an atmosphere *
c) with liquid water; with an atmosphere
d) with an atmosphere; with liquid water
e) with craters; with a magnetic field
5. Impact craters on Mercury are generally smaller than impact craters on the Moon because
a) the Moon is closer to the Earth.
b) the Moon has more active volcanoes.
c) the surface gravity of Mercury is higher. *
d) the surface gravity of Mercury is lower.
e) Mercury is closer to the Sun.
6. The magnetic fields of Earth, Jupiter, and Neptune are thought to be generated in regions containing ________, respectively.
a) metallic hydrogen; ionic slush; molten iron
b) molten iron; metallic hydrogen; ionic slush *
c) ionic slush; molten iron; metallic hydrogen
d) molten iron; metallic hydrogen; metallic hydrogen
e) molten iron; metallic hydrogen; molten iron
7. The retrograde spin of Venus and the 98 degree tilt of the spin axis of Uranus are thought to be due to
a) recent volcanic activity.
b) violent collisions in the distant past. *
c) ancient volcanic activity.
d) huge floods.
e) heating from the Sun.
8. The clouds of Venus are composed of droplets of ________. The water that was once on Venus has been ________.
a) nitrogen; destroyed due to heat and solar radiation
b) carbon dioxide; destroyed due to heat and solar radiation
c) sulfuric acid; destroyed due to heat and solar radiation *
d) sulfuric acid; absorbed by surface rocks
e) sulfuric acid; frozen out at the poles
9. The huge ``Valles Marineris'' (Mariner Valley) on Mars was formed by ________. The Grand Canyon on Earth was formed by ________.
a) water erosion; volcanic flows
b) wind erosion; water erosion
c) volcanic flows; water erosion
d) water erosion; tectonic fracturing
e) tectonic fracturing; water erosion *
10. The reverse runaway greenhouse effect probably occurred on Mars because
a) the planet was too warm for enough CO2 and H2O gas to be retained in the atmosphere to form a thermal blanket.
b) the planet was too cold for enough CO2 and H2O gas to be retained in the atmosphere to form a thermal blanket. *
c) too many asteroids were hitting the planet.
d) the layer of glass surrounding the planet shattered.
11. Currently, Venus is very hot and Mars is very cold. It may be possible for Mars to become Earth-like in the future, but this is not the case for Venus because the water molecules
a) have been absorbed by the rocks under the surface.
b) have been removed by volcanoes.
c) have been split up by solar radiation, with the hydrogen escaping into space. *
d) have been split up by solar radiation, with the oxygen escaping into space.
e) have been frozen solid during a solar eclipse.
12. The planets Uranus and Neptune are more blue in appearance than Jupiter and Saturn because
a) Uranus and Neptune have less methane gas in their atmospheres.
b) Uranus and Neptune have more methane gas in their atmospheres. *
c) Uranus and Neptune have more ammonia gas in their atmospheres.
d) Uranus and Neptune have less ammonia gas in their atmospheres.
e) the rate at which infrared radiation is emitted by Uranus and Neptune into space equals the rate of solar heating.
13. The theory for the Moon's formation thought to be most likely is
a) the capture theory.
b) the daughter or fission theory.
c) the sister or coformation theory.
d) the collision or impact theory. *
14. The sidereal rotation period of Jupiter's magnetic field is approximately
a) 1 hour
b) 10 hours *
c) 24 hours
d) 59 hours
e) 100 hours
15. The clouds observed on Jupiter and Saturn have rotation periods that vary with latitude. This is called ________ rotation. The motion of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter is driven by ________.
a) prograde; the shear motion of the surrounding belts
b) differential; the shear motion of the surrounding belts *
c) differential; the orbital motion of the jovian moons
d) transverse; the shear motion of the surrounding belts
e) prograde; the orbital motion of the jovian moons
16. The internal heating that powers the volcanoes on Io is caused by
a) radiation from the Sun.
b) decay of radioactive elements.
c) tidal forces from Jupiter. *
d) slow gravitational collapse of Io.
e) impacts with other moons of Jupiter.
17. We see that the densities of the planets ________ as we move outward through the solar system, due to ________.
a) increase; condensation, which causes the dense material to stay away from the Sun.
b) decrease; condensation, which causes the dense material to stay near the Sun.
c) increase; differentiation, which causes the dense material to stay away from the Sun.
d) decrease; differentiation, which causes the dense material to stay near the Sun. *
18. The metallic hydrogen phase exits inside Jupiter and Saturn, but it does not exist inside Uranus or Neptune because _______.
a) the ammonia slush is too cold
b) the internal pressure is too low *
c) the internal pressure is too high
d) the ammonia slush is too warm
19. Based on telescopic observations, it is easy to see that the maria (dark regions) on the Moon have far fewer craters than the highlands (bright regions). This led scientists to believe that
a) The highlands are 4 billion years old and the maria are 3 billion years old.
b) The highlands are 1 billion years old and the maria are 4 billion years old.
c) The highlands are 4 billion years old and the maria are 100 million years old. *
d) The highlands are 1 billion years old and the maria are 100 million years old.
e) The highlands and the maria are both 2 billion years old.
20. Based on radioactive dating of lunar samples bought back to Earth by the Apollo astronauts, we now know that the highlands are actually ________ years older than the maria. This implies that ________.
a) 1 million years; the cratering rate in the solar system increased sharply about 3.5 billion years ago
b) 0.5 billion years; the cratering rate in the solar system dropped sharply about 3.5 billion years ago *
c) 0.5 billion years; the cratering rate in the solar system increased sharply about 3.5 billion years ago
d) 1 million years; the cratering rate in the solar system dropped sharply about 3.5 billion years ago
21. Helium precipitation occurs on Saturn but not on Jupiter because Jupiter ________. The hypothesis of helium precipitation in Saturn's atmosphere helps to explain its ________ and also the lack of ________ in its clouds.
a) is too cold for helium to condense; high temperature; methane
b) is too cold for helium to condense; low temperature; hydrogen
c) is too warm for helium to condense; high temperature; helium *
d) is too warm for helium to condense; high temperature; methane
e) is too warm for hydrogen to condense; low temperature; helium
22. The various gaps observed in Saturn's rings are caused by ________.
a) orbital resonances with Mars's moons
b) orbital resonances with Saturn's moons *
c) orbital resonances with Neptune's moons
d) orbital resonances with Venus's moons
e) orbital resonances with Mercury's moons
23. Even though it is close to the Sun, Mercury's orbit is not synchronous because
a) circular orbits can't be synchronous.
b) elliptical orbits can't be synchronous. *
c) the cratering rate is too high on Mercury.
d) the solar wind keeps the orbit from being synchronous.
24. The density of Mercury is similar to the density of the Earth. This implies
a) the atmospheres of the two planets are probably similar.
b) the presence of active volcanoes.
c) there is probably a massive iron core inside Mercury. *
d) widespread erosion from the solar wind.
25. Since the average densities of the Moon and Mars are about ________, we conclude that both objects ________.
a) 5-6 gm/cm**3; have a large fraction of iron
b) 5-6 gm/cm**3; do not have a large fraction of iron
c) 3-4 gm/cm**3; have a large fraction of iron
d) 3-4 gm/cm**3; do not have a large fraction of iron *
e) formed due to violent collisions in the past
26. The densities of the Jovian moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto decrease with increasing distance form Jupiter. However, the moons of Saturn do not show this trend. This is because
a) Jupiter is closer to the Sun than Saturn is.
b) Saturn is closer to the Sun than Jupiter is.
c) Jupiter radiated much more heat during the formation of its moons than Saturn did, causing more differentiation of the moon system. *
d) Saturn radiated much more heat during the formation of its moon than Jupiter did, causing more differentiation of the moon system.
27. The 70% albedo of Venus is due to
a) the high surface pressure of the atmosphere.
b) the reflective cloud layer at high altitudes. *
c) the high surface density of the atmosphere.
d) the presence of CO2 gas.
e) the presence of runaway greenhouses on the surface.
28. The spin axis of the planet Uranus is tilted by ________ compared to the orbital axis. This causes ________ seasonal variations.
a) 10 degrees; mild
b) 10 degrees; extreme
c) 98 degrees; mild
d) 98 degrees; extreme *
29. The Cassini division in Saturn's rings is due to
a) a 1:1 orbital resonance with the moon Mimas.
b) a 2:1 orbital resonance with the moon Rhea.
c) a 3:1 orbital resonance with the moon Rhea.
d) a 2:1 orbital resonance with the moon Mimas. *
e) an electromagnetic interaction with the moon Mimas.
30. The planet Mars is easiest to observe during favorable opposition because
a) the planet is closest to the Earth.
b) the planet is closest to the Sun.
c) the planet appears full from Earth.
d) the planet has a low average density.
e) both (a), (b), and (c) *