Question 1

In what way did optical illusion mislead earlier visual observers of Mars?

Accepted Answer

Earlier visual observers of Mars were misled by chance alignments of faint dark features that looked like manufactured canals, and variable dark areas near the equator were interpreted as vegetation. This misinterpretation led to the belief in the existence of intelligent life on Mars.

Question 2

Mars has one hemisphere that is at a higher elevation than the other.In this way,it is similar to:

Accepted Answer

The Moon also has one hemisphere that is at a higher elevation than the other, known as the lunar farside. Earth, Mercury, and Venus do not have such a noticeable difference in elevation between hemispheres.

Question 3

Mars has a period and direction of rotation that are:

Accepted Answer

Mars has a day slightly longer than Earth's, approximately 24 hours and 37 minutes, and it rotates in the same direction as Earth, which is counterclockwise when viewed from above the North Pole.

Question 4

What is the PRINCIPAL reason we have no volcanoes on Earth anywhere near the size of Olympus Mons?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the PRINCIPAL reason we have...

Question 5

Where are MOST of the extinct volcanoes located on Mars?

Accepted Answer

Most of the extinct volcanoes on Mars are located in the northern hemisphere, particularly in the Tharsis volcanic plateau. This region contains some of the largest volcanoes in the solar system, including Olympus Mons, which is the largest volcano in the solar system.

Question 6

What evidence is there that plate tectonics may have occurred in very early times on Mars?

Accepted Answer

The magnetic fields on Mars show patterns similar to those found in regions of plate separation on Earth, suggesting past tectonic activity.

Question 7

The Martian valley Valles Marineris is shown in Figure 6-58 of Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.How long is this valley in terms of Earth distances?

Accepted Answer

Valles Marineris is the largest canyon system in the solar system, and it stretches for about 4,000 km (2,500 miles) across the Martian equator. This is similar to the width of the North American continent at mid-latitudes, which is a few thousand kilometers wide. Therefore, choice D is the correct answer.

Question 8

Tectonic plate activity is believed to have been present on Mars billions of years ago.Such plate activity would have been consistent with each of the following conditions EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Accepted Answer

More giant volcanoes like Olympus Mons are typically formed by stationary hotspots rather than tectonic plate activity, which is associated with long chains of volcanoes.

Question 9

At opposition,when Mars comes relatively close to Earth,where would it be seen in the sky by an observer in Earth's northern hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

At opposition, Mars would be on the opposite side of the sky from the sun and would be visible throughout the night, reaching its highest point in the sky (called culmination) around midnight. For an observer in the northern hemisphere, Mars would be high in the southern sky at midnight.

Question 10

Why do we believe Mars is so small?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do we believe Mars is so...

Question 11

In 1976,the Viking 1 orbiter imaged what appeared to be a humanlike face on Mars.Mars Global Surveyor did not image the same features in 1998.Which do we believe did NOT contributed to this difference?

Accepted Answer

The washing away of some of the original feature by running water could not have contributed to the difference as there is no evidence of running water on Mars. Therefore, the correct answer is B. A different camera angle and improved camera technology could have contributed to the difference in the images, while the eroding away of some of the original feature by winds is a natural process that occurs on Mars.

Question 12

The overall geography of Mars can BEST be summarized as:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The overall geography of Mars can BEST...

Question 13

Both impact craters and dormant volcanoes have been found on Mars.Where are they?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that the northern hemisphere of Mars has a higher elevation and is more geologically active compared to the southern hemisphere, leading to the formation of most of the volcanoes in the north. On the other hand, the southern hemisphere has a lower elevation and is characterized by more impact craters due to its older geological age. Therefore, the northern hemisphere contains most of the volcanoes, while most of the craters are found in the southern hemisphere.

Question 14

Observers in the nineteenth century reported seeing many straight-line features criss-crossing the surface of Mars and interpreted them to be canals constructed by intelligent beings.What is the MOST likely present-day explanation for these observations?

Accepted Answer

The lines were most likely optical illusions caused by vague shadings on the planet's surface, which were misinterpreted as artificial structures due to the limited resolution of telescopes at the time.

Question 15

In 2013,the Curiosity rover analyzed Martian soil samples and determined that they contained:

Accepted Answer

The Curiosity rover found that Martian soil contains about 2% water by weight, indicating the presence of water in the soil.

Question 16

Olympus Mons is a:

Accepted Answer

Olympus Mons is a volcano on Mars, and is actually the largest volcano in the solar system.

Question 17

Where in the planetary system is the massive extinct supervolcano Olympus Mons?

Accepted Answer

Olympus Mons is a massive extinct supervolcano located on the planet Mars.

Question 18

What did the 1998 spacecraft Mars Orbiter find when it looked at the "face" on Mars?

Accepted Answer

The 1998 spacecraft Mars Orbiter showed the face to be a natural rock formation.

Question 19

What is the "face" on Mars?

Accepted Answer

The "face" on Mars is a natural rock formation that looks like a face in the right light. It was first imaged by the Viking 1 spacecraft in 1976 and later by other spacecraft, which revealed that it was just a mesa, or flat-topped hill, with shadows that gave it the appearance of a face. There is no evidence of artificial construction or sculpture.

Question 20

Which planet is the ONLY one whose surface features can easily be seen through a telescope from Earth?

Accepted Answer

Mars is the only planet in the solar system whose surface features, including its polar ice caps and various geographic landmarks, can be easily observed with a telescope from Earth. While other planets like Jupiter and Venus can also be observed with a telescope, their features are not as easily discernible as those on Mars. Mercury, on the other hand, is usually too close to the sun and is difficult to observe due to its proximity and brightness.

Quiz 6: The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons