Question 1

If the Himalaya mountain range is presently 8,000 meters in height and is rising at a rate of 0.5 meters per century because of the convergence of two continental plates,how long did it take to create this mountain range?

Accepted Answer

If the mountain range is presently 8,000 meters high and is rising at 0.5 meters per century, it would have taken 8,000/0.5 = 16,000 centuries to create the mountain range. That's equivalent to 1.6 million years. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Question 2

Continental drift occurs at a typical rate of a few:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Continental drift occurs at a typical rate...

Question 3

The dynamo theory says that a planet will have a strong magnetic field if it has:

Accepted Answer

The dynamo theory states that a magnetic field is generated by the motion of an electrically conducting fluid, such as molten metal in a planet's outer core. A fast rotation is necessary to generate the required motion of the fluid, and a liquid core is necessary for the fluid to be electrically conducting. Therefore, only option C, which includes both a fast rotation and a liquid core, satisfies the conditions for a strong magnetic field.

Question 4

Which is NOT a reason for the large size of volcanoes on Mars as compared to Earth's smaller volcanoes?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which is NOT a reason for the...

Question 5

The Moon has a diameter that is approximately one-fourth that of Earth.If these objects' interiors are heated by radioactive decays,and the total amount of energy in decays is proportional to the object's volume,then how does the amount of heat the Moon has compare to that of Earth?

Accepted Answer

The total amount of energy in decays is proportional to the object's volume. The volume of the Moon is (1/4)^3 = 1/64 times that of Earth. Therefore, the total amount of energy available for heating the Moon is 1/64 times that of Earth.

Question 6

What will eventually happen to the Earth when radioactive decays in its interior cease?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What will eventually happen to the Earth...

Question 7

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

There is currently no evidence of liquid water flowing on Mars. While there is evidence of past water flow on the planet's surface, it is believed to have occurred millions of years ago.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a planetary magnetic dynamo?

Accepted Answer

A solid iron core would not allow for the convective motions necessary for a planetary magnetic dynamo. The other options (A, C, D, and E) are all requirements for a planetary magnetic dynamo.

Question 9

Which terrestrial object shows the least evidence of recent volcanic activity?

Accepted Answer

Mercury shows the least evidence of recent volcanic activity. Although some volcanic features have been observed on its surface, they are much older than most volcanic features on other terrestrial objects in our solar system.

Question 10

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on

Accepted Answer

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on Mars. Olympus Mons, located on Mars, is the tallest known volcano in the Solar System, measuring at over 21 kilometers high and 600 kilometers in diameter. Mercury and the Moon have relatively small volcanoes, while Venus has numerous large volcanoes, but none as large as Olympus Mons on Mars.

Question 11

What would you study in order to determine the timescale on which the Earth's magnetic field reverses direction?

Accepted Answer

The study of spreading centers on the sea floor, specifically the magnetic stripes formed by the alignment of magnetic minerals in the oceanic crust, can provide a record of the history of the Earth's magnetic field and its polarity reversals over time.

Question 12

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

The answer of Mars has a diameter that is approximately...

Question 13

Which of the following will NOT be a consequence of Earth's consumption of the bulk of its radioactive "fuel" in the future?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following will NOT be...

Question 14

Which of the following are NOT sites of frequent volcanic and earthquake activity on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Inactive faults are not sites of frequent volcanic and earthquake activity, since they do not have current activity.

Question 15

The North American plate and the Pacific plate are sliding past one another at a rate of approximately 3 cm/year.San Francisco,which is located on the edge of the North American plate,is sliding southward toward Los Angles,which is located on the Pacific Plate.If they are currently separated by a distance of 600 km,how many years will it take for the two cities to meet?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The North American plate and the Pacific...

Question 16

Earth's innermost core is solid,not liquid,because:

Accepted Answer

The pressure at the Earth's inner core is estimated to be about 3.6 million times that at the surface, and this immense pressure prevents the iron from melting, despite the core temperature being around 5,000-6,000°C.

Question 17

What is the main reason that the Earth's interior is liquid today?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the main reason that the...

Question 18

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

The answer of Consider an external solar system in which...

Question 19

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for:

Accepted Answer

Plate tectonics can create mountains, volcanoes, ocean trenches, and cause continental drift. However, canyons are typically formed by erosion caused by water and other natural forces such as wind and glaciers.

Question 20

Based on the assumption that a liquid,conducting core and rapid rotation are both required for a magnetic dynamo to operate,which terrestrial planets would you expect to have magnetic fields?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on the assumption that a liquid,conducting...

Quiz 8: The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon