Deck 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Question 1

The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria

A) were formed by impacts that occurred before those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands.
B) were formed by impacts that occurred after those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands.
C) Were created by the same large impactor that led to the formation of the maria.
D) are volcanic in origin, rather than from impacts.
E) are sinkholes that formed when sections of the maria collapsed.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following does not have a major effect in shaping planetary surfaces?

A) impact cratering
B) volcanism
C) tectonics
D) erosion
E) magnetism

Answer 2

E

Question 3

What are the circumstances under which convection can occur in a substance?

A) when the substance is subjected to a strong magnetic field
B) when dense material is being added to the substance
C) when the substance is strongly shaken or disturbed by a strong wind
D) when the substance is strongly cooled from underneath
E) when the substance is strongly heated from underneath

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Under what circumstances can differentiation occur in a planet?

A) The planet must have a rocky surface.
B) The planet must be made of both metal and rock.
C) The planet must have an atmosphere.
D) The planet must be geologically active, that is, have volcanoes, planetquakes, and erosion from weather.
E) The planet must have a molten interior.

Question 5

Which of the following has virtually no effect on the internal structure of a planet?

A) its composition
B) its size
C) its magnetic field
D) its mass

Question 6

What is the most important factor that determines the thickness, and therefore strength, of the lithosphere?

A) pressure
B) composition
C) internal temperature
D) distance of planet from Sun

Question 7

How large is an impact crater compared to the size of the impactor?

A) the same size
B) 10-20 percent larger
C) 10 times larger
D) 100 times larger
E) 1,000 times larger

Question 8

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

A) the entire planets are made mostly of metal.
B) metals condensed first in the solar nebula and the rocks then accreted around them.
C) metals sank to the center during a time when the interiors were molten throughout.
D) radioactivity created metals in the core from the decay of uranium.
E) convection carried the metals to the core.

Question 9

The lithosphere of a planet is the layer that consists of

A) material above the crust.
B) material between the crust and the mantle.
C) the rigid rocky material of the crust and uppermost portion of the mantle.
D) the softer rocky material of the mantle.
E) the lava that comes out of volcanoes.

Question 10

What are the conditions necessary for a terrestrial planet to have a strong magnetic field?

A) a molten metallic core only
B) fast rotation only
C) a rocky mantle only
D) both a molten metallic core and reasonably fast rotation
E) both a metal core and a rocky mantle

Question 11

The three principal sources of the internal heat of terrestrial planets are

A) conduction, differentiation, and accretion.
B) accretion, differentiation, and radioactivity.
C) accretion, differentiation, and eruption.
D) convection, differentiation, and eruption.
E) conduction, convection, and eruption.

Question 12

Which of the terrestrial worlds has the strongest magnetic field?

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

Question 13

The core, mantle, and crust of a planet are defined by differences in their

A) geological activity.
B) temperature.
C) strength.
D) density.

Question 14

How deep is an impact crater compared to its width?

A) 1-10%
B) 10-20%
C) 30-40%
D) 50-100%
E) 100-200%

Question 15

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest:

A) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars.
B) Mercury, Moon, Venus, Earth, Mars.
C) Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.
D) Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth.
E) Mercury, Moon, Mars, Earth, Venus.

Question 16

Which of the following worlds have the thinnest lithospheres?

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

Question 17

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

A) accretion
B) differentiation
C) radioactivity
D) both A and B
E) all of the above

Question 18

Which of the following most likely explains why Venus does not have a strong magnetic field?

A) It does not have a metallic core.
B) Its rotation is too slow.
C) It is too close to the Sun.
D) It is too large.
E) It has too thick an atmosphere.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes convection?

A) It is the process by which rocks sink in water.
B) It is the process in which warm material expands and rises while cool material contracts and falls.
C) It is the process in which warm material gets even warmer and cool material gets even cooler.
D) It is the process in which a liquid separates according to density, such as oil and water separating in a jar.
E) It is the process in which bubbles of gas move upward through a liquid.

Question 20

Why does Earth have the strongest magnetic field among the terrestrial worlds?

A) It is the only one that has a metallic core.
B) It rotates much faster than any other terrestrial world.
C) It is the only one that has both a partially molten metallic core and reasonably rapid rotation.
D) It is by far the largest terrestrial world.
E) It is the most volcanically active world.

Question 21

What type of stresses broke Earth's lithosphere into plates?

A) impacts of asteroids and planetesimals
B) internal temperature changes that caused the crust to expand and stretch
C) the circulation of convection cells in the mantle, which dragged against the lithosphere
D) cooling and contracting of the planet's interior, which caused the mantle and lithosphere to be compressed
E) volcanism, which produced heavy volcanoes that bent and cracked the lithosphere

Question 22

Volcanism is more likely on a planet that

A) is closer to the Sun.
B) is struck often by meteors and solar system debris.
C) has high internal temperatures.
D) doesn't have an atmosphere or oceans.

Question 23

How have we been able to construct detailed maps of surface features on Venus?

A) by studying Venus from Earth with powerful telescopes
B) by studying Venus with powerful telescopes on spacecraft that were sent to orbit Venus
C) By making computer models of geological processes on Venus
D) by using radar from spacecraft that were sent to orbit Venus
E) by landing spacecraft on the surface for close-up study

Question 24

Which of the following describes impact cratering?

A) the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface
B) the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface
C) The disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses
D) the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 25

Valles Marineris is a(n)

A) large valley on the Moon.
B) extensive plain on Mars.
C) huge series of cliffs on Mercury.
D) large canyon on Mars.
E) large canyon on Venus.

Question 26

When we see a region of a planet that is not as heavily cratered as other regions, we conclude that

A) there is little volcanic activity to create craters.
B) the planet is rotating very slowly and only one side was hit by impactors.
C) the planet formed after the age of bombardment and missed out on getting hit by leftover planetesimals.
D) the surface in the region is older than the surface in more heavily cratered regions.
E) the surface in the region is younger than the surface in more heavily cratered regions.

Question 27

What kind of surface features may result from tectonics?

A) mountains
B) valleys
C) volcanos
D) cliffs
E) all of the above

Question 28

Why do we think Mercury has so many tremendous cliffs?

A) They were probably carved in Mercury's early history by running water.
B) They were probably formed by tectonic stresses when the entire planet shrank as its core cooled.
C) They probably formed when a series of large impacts hit Mercury one after the other.
D) They are almost certainly volcanic in origin, carved by flowing lava.
E) They represent one of the greatest mysteries in the solar system, as no one has suggested a reasonable hypothesis for their formation.

Question 29

Which of the following describes erosion?

A) the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface
B) the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface
C) the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses
D) the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 30

How did the lunar maria form?

A) Large impacts fractured the Moon's lithosphere, allowing lava to fill the impact basins.
B) The early bombardment created heat that melted the lunar surface in the regions of the maria.
C) Volatiles escaping from the Moon's interior heated and eroded the surface in the regions of the maria.
D) The giant impact that created the Moon left smooth areas that we call the maria.
E) The maria are the result of gradual erosion by micrometeorites striking the Moon.

Question 31

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

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

Question 32

Which two geological processes appear to have been most important in shaping the present surface of Venus?

A) impacts and volcanoes
B) impacts and tectonics
C) tectonics and erosion
D) volcanoes and tectonics
E) volcanoes and erosion

Question 33

Spacecraft have landed on all the terrestrial worlds except:

A) Mercury.
B) Venus.
C) Moon.
D) Mars.

Question 34

Which of the following describes tectonics?

A) the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface
B) the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface
C) the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses
D) the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 35

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 36

Which of the following describes volcanism?

A) the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface
B) the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface
C) the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses
D) the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 37

Which of the following show evidence of ancient river beds?

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

Question 38

A planet is most likely to have tectonic activity if it has

A) low surface gravity.
B) high surface gravity.
C) low internal temperature.
D) high internal temperature.
E) a dense atmosphere.

Question 39

The Caloris Basin on Mercury covers a large region of the planet, but few smaller craters have formed on top of it. From this we conclude that

A) erosion destroyed the smaller craters that formed on the basin.
B) Mercury's atmosphere prevented smaller objects from hitting the surface.
C) only very large impactors hit Mercury's surface in the past.
D) the Caloris Basin formed toward the end of the solar system's period of heavy bombardment.
E) the Caloris Basin was formed by a volcano.

Question 40

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 41

What process has shaped Earth's surface more than any other?

A) impact cratering
B) volcanism
C) plate tectonics
D) wind erosion
E) acid rain

Question 42

There are no auroras on Venus because it

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

Question 43

Why is continental crust lower in density than seafloor crust?

A) Continental crust is made from remelted seafloor crust and therefore only the lower-density material rises to form it.
B) Continental crust is made from volcanic rock called basalt, which is lower in density than what the seafloor crust is made from.
C) Continental crust is made of rock, while seafloor crust has more metals.
D) Seafloor crust is more compact due to the weight of the oceans, but it is made of the same material as the continental crust.
E) Continental crust is actually denser than seafloor crust.

Question 44

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 more eccentric orbit
D) Because it has more carbon dioxide in its atmosphere
E) all of the above

Question 45

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 46

Which of the following gases absorbs ultraviolet light best?

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

Question 47

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 the 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 48

From where did the oxygen in the earth's atmosphere originate?

A) photosynthesis from plant life and single-celled organisms
B) chemical reactions between gas in the upper atmosphere and the solar wind
C) outgassing from volcanoes
D) atmospheric bombardment
E) oxidation of surface rocks

Question 49

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 50

Which of the following planets has the least substantial atmosphere?

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

Question 51

Ridges in the middle of the ocean are places where

A) one plate slides under another, returning older crust to the mantle.
B) hot mantle material rises upward, creating volcanic islands.
C) hot mantle material rises upward and spreads sideways, pushing the plates apart.
D) plates push together, creating ocean mountain chains.
E) plates slip sideways relative to one another.

Question 52

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

Question 53

How fast do tectonic plates move on Earth?

A) a few centimeters per year
B) a few centimeters per century
C) a few kilometers per century
D) quite fast, but only during earthquakes
E) about 1 mile per hour

Question 54

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

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

Question 55

In what ways is Earth different from the other terrestrial planets?

A) Its lithosphere is broken into plates that move around.
B) It has oxygen in its atmosphere.
C) Most of its surface is covered with liquid water.
D) Life can be found almost everywhere.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 56

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 57

Sunsets are red because

A) the Sun emits more red light when it's setting.
B) sunlight must pass through more atmosphere, and this scatters even more light at bluer wavelengths, transmitting mostly red light.
C) sunlight must pass through more atmosphere, and this 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 58

What drives the motion of the continental plates on Earth?

A) convection cells in the mantle
B) rotation of the liquid core
C) lava flows in trenches along the sea floor
D) Earth's magnetic field
E) tidal forces

Question 59

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

A) -16°C, which is well below freezing.
B) 0°C, or about the freezing point for water.
C) 10°C or about 5°C cooler than it is now.
D) 15°C, or about the same as it is now.
E) 20°C, or about 5°C warmer than it is now.

Question 60

Deep trenches in the ocean mark places where

A) one plate slides under another, returning older crust to the mantle.
B) plates pull apart, leaving great rifts in the crust.
C) hot mantle material rises upward and spreads sideways, pushing the plates apart.
D) plates push together, creating ocean mountain chains.
E) plates slip sideways relative to one another.

Question 61

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

A) the 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 62

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

Question 63

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 64

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 the Earth.
C) Warming would dry out the atmosphere and the crust, leading to devastation of the 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 65

The rise of life on the planet Earth some 4 billion years ago was made possible, in part, by the plentiful oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere.

Question 66

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

Question 67

In the inner solar system, the largest surface features (such as volcanoes or valleys) are found on the largest planets.

Question 68

The presence of oxygen and ozone in Earth's atmosphere can be explained only through biology.

Question 69

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

Question 70

Smaller worlds generally have thinner lithospheres.

Question 71

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

Question 72

Given the current emission rate of carbon dioxide, how much will the average Earth's temperature increase in the next century?

A) 0°C
B) 0-3°C
C) 3-5°C
D) 5-7°C
E) 7-10°C

Question 73

There is no erosion of surface features on the Moon.

Question 74

Higher temperatures make rocks weaker.

Question 75

Erosion is the most important geological process on Venus.

Question 76

Today, Mars has virtually no magnetic field.

Question 77

Venus has a thicker atmosphere than Earth.

Question 78

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

Question 79

Which of the following can act like a long-term "thermostat" for the Earth's average temperature?

A) Radioactive elements trapped in the Earth's mantle.
B) Heat stored in the Earth's magnetosphere.
C) Heat stored in the Earth's liquid core.
D) The carbon dioxide cycle.
E) The Milankovitch cycles.

Question 80

Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to have plate tectonics.