Question 1

Seasons on Mars
A) are similar to those on the Earth but twice as long
B) are exactly the same at the Earth
C) are more intense than on the Earth but the same length
D) are similar to those on the Earth but half as long

Accepted Answer

Season on Mars are similar to those on earth but the duration is twice as long. This is because Mars takes about 1.88 Earth years (or 687 Earth days) to orbit around the sun and complete one calendar year. As a result, each season on Mars lasts about twice as long as seasons on Earth.

Question 2

The first scientist to measure the rotation period of Mars was
A) Angelo Secchi
B) Percival Lowell
C) Giovanni Schiaparelli
D) William Herschel

Accepted Answer

William Herschel was the first to measure the rotation period of Mars in the late 18th century.

Question 3

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is farther from the Sun on average during summer in the Northern Hemisphere. This means Northern Summer on Mars will be
A) long and mild
B) short and hot
C) long and hot
D) short and mild

Accepted Answer

Mars' elliptical orbit means that during its northern summer, it is farther from the sun, leading to a longer and milder summer due to the reduced solar heating.

Question 4

The English author H. G. Wells is famous for writing which book about Mars in 1898?
A) The Martian Chronicles
B) Mars as the Abode of Life
C) The War of the Worlds
D) The Sands of Mars

Accepted Answer

The book is titled "The War of the Worlds" and was published in 1898 by H. G. Wells.

Question 5

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This means Northern Winter on Mars will be
A) short and hot
B) long and mild
C) long and cold
D) short and mild

Accepted Answer

The answer of Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is...

Question 6

The seasonal variations experienced on the Earth are due
A) only to its changing distance from the Sun
B) mostly to its axis tilt
C) to small changes in the amount of energy emitted by the Sun
D) to both its axis tilt and its changing distance from the Sun

Accepted Answer

The seasonal variations on Earth are primarily due to its axis tilt. As the Earth orbits the Sun, different parts of the planet receive more or less direct sunlight, leading to changes in temperature and weather patterns. The tilt of Earth's axis (roughly 23.5 degrees) is what causes the seasons, as it determines the angle at which the Sun's light hits different parts of the globe throughout the year. Distance from the Sun does play a role, but it is a much smaller factor in seasonal variations compared to axis tilt.

Question 7

Other astronomers were skeptical about Percival Lowell's claims of Martian canals because
A) it did not seem possible for his telescope to see the surface through its thick atmosphere
B) they discovered that Lowell suffered from poor vision
C) they were able to prove that Lowell's telescope was faulty
D) when they pointed their own telescopes toward Mars they couldn't see them

Accepted Answer

When other astronomers pointed their own telescopes toward Mars, they couldn't see the canals that Lowell claimed to see. This led them to doubt the validity of his claims.

Question 8

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Summer on Mars will be
A) short and hot
B) long and hot
C) long and mild
D) short and mild

Accepted Answer

Mars' elliptical orbit means that when it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, Mars is closer to the Sun, leading to a shorter and hotter summer due to the increased solar heating.

Question 9

The Lowell Observatory, built by Percival Lowell to study Mars and still in operation today, is located in
A) Sunspot, New Mexico
B) Flagstaff, Arizona
C) Mount Wilson, California
D) Amherst, Massachusetts

Accepted Answer

The Lowell Observatory is located in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Question 10

What did the Martian surface look like from the Viking lander sites?
A) a dry, dusty, boulder-strewn desert
B) a huge canyon stretching out to the horizon
C) flat, dark volcanic rocks out to the horizon
D) very mountainous with huge volcanoes in the distance

Accepted Answer

The Viking lander sites were located in the Chryse Planitia on Mars which is a flat, dry, and dusty region filled with boulders and rocks. The surface in this region appears to be a desert-like area.

Question 11

Seasonal variations on Mars are due
A) only to its changing distance from the Sun
B) only to its axis tilt
C) to small changes in the amount of energy emitted by the Sun
D) to both its axis tilt and its changing distance from the Sun

Accepted Answer

Seasonal variations on Mars are due to both its axis tilt and its changing distance from the Sun. Mars has a similar axial tilt as Earth, which causes it to experience different seasons as it orbits around the Sun. Additionally, Mars' elliptical orbit causes it to be closer or further away from the Sun at different points in its orbit, further contributing to seasonal variations.

Question 12

As far as we know, the first scientist to seriously suggest the possibility of life on Mars was
A) Angelo Secchi
B) Percival Lowell
C) Giovanni Schiaparelli
D) William Herschel

Accepted Answer

William Herschel was the first to suggest the possibility of life on Mars in the late 18th century, based on his observations of the planet's polar ice caps and seasonal changes.

Question 13

Liquid water cannot exist for very long on the surface of Mars today because
A) it gets rapidly destroyed by intense solar radiation
B) its surface temperature is too high
C) it rapidly reacts with the Martian surface to form peroxides
D) its atmosphere is too thin

Accepted Answer

The atmosphere of Mars is very thin, with a surface pressure averaging about 1% of Earth's atmosphere. This thin atmosphere creates a surface pressure of about 6 millibars (0.087 psi) compared to Earth's sea level pressure of 1013 millibars (14.7 psi). As a result, liquid water on the surface of Mars would rapidly boil away due to the low atmospheric pressure. Therefore, liquid water cannot exist for very long on the surface of Mars today.

Question 14

If a glass of liquid water were suddenly exposed to the Martian atmosphere today, the water would
A) either freeze or evaporate away
B) burst into flames
C) remain liquid
D) decompose into hydrogen and oxygen gases

Accepted Answer

The current atmospheric conditions on Mars are not conducive to liquid water. The temperature is well below freezing, and the atmospheric pressure is too low for water to remain in a liquid state without either evaporating or freezing.

Question 15

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is farther from the Sun on average during winter in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Winter on Mars will be
A) long and mild
B) short and hot
C) long and cold
D) short and mild

Accepted Answer

Since winter in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars occurs when it is farthest from the Sun, it will be longer and colder than the winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, the best choice is C) long and cold.

Question 16

The first astronomer to claim to see linear features on the surface of Mars was
A) Angelo Secchi
B) Percival Lowell
C) Giovanni Schiaparelli
D) William Herschel

Accepted Answer

Giovanni Schiaparelli was the first astronomer to claim to see linear features on the surface of Mars. He used the term "canali" in 1877 to describe what he saw, which was later mistranslated into English as "canals" instead of "channels," leading to the idea that they were artificial constructions made by intelligent beings.

Question 17

When Percival Lowell insisted on the existence of Martian canals, even though his observations were discredited by other scientists, he exhibited
A) objectivity
B) stupidity
C) madness
D) personal bias

Accepted Answer

Percival Lowell exhibited personal bias, as he refused to abandon his belief in Martian canals despite evidence to the contrary. This demonstrates a lack of objectivity and rationality, but it does not necessarily imply stupidity or madness.

Question 18

The seasonal polar caps on Mars are made of
A) methane ice
B) carbon dioxide ice
C) water ice
D) a uniform mixture of water and carbon dioxide ices

Accepted Answer

The seasonal polar caps on Mars are primarily composed of carbon dioxide ice. This ice sublimates, or turns directly into gas, in the Martian summer, causing the seasonal changes on the planet. While water ice may also be present, it is not the primary component of the polar caps. Methane ice is not typically found on Mars.

Question 19

How easy would it be for future astronauts to psychologically adapt to living on Mars?
A) fairly easy because the Martian day is only about 40 minutes longer than the terrestrial day
B) extremely easy because the Martian day is exactly the same length as the terrestrial day
C) very difficult because the Martian day is much longer than the terrestrial day
D) very difficult because the Martian day is much shorter than the terrestrial day

Accepted Answer

The Martian day, or sol, is approximately 24 hours and 40 minutes long, which is very close to the length of a day on Earth. This similarity could help astronauts adjust more easily to the Martian day-night cycle compared to a planet with a significantly different day length.

Question 20

The residual polar caps on Mars are made of
A) carbon dioxide ice
B) methane ice
C) water ice
D) a uniform mixture of water and carbon dioxide ices

Accepted Answer

The residual polar caps on Mars are made of water ice, which is confirmed by remote sensing data and lander observations. Carbon dioxide ice is present in the seasonal caps that form in the winter, but it sublimates during the spring and summer. Methane ice is not present on Mars in significant amounts. A uniform mixture of water and carbon dioxide ices is not observed in the residual polar caps.

Quiz 8: Mars

Seasons on Mars

The first scientist to measure the rotation period of Mars was

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is farther from the Sun on average during summer in the Northern Hemisphere. This means Northern Summer on Mars will be

The English author H. G. Wells is famous for writing which book about Mars in 1898?

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This means Northern Winter on Mars will be

The seasonal variations experienced on the Earth are due

Other astronomers were skeptical about Percival Lowell's claims of Martian canals because

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is closer to the Sun on average during summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Summer on Mars will be

The Lowell Observatory, built by Percival Lowell to study Mars and still in operation today, is located in

What did the Martian surface look like from the Viking lander sites?

Seasonal variations on Mars are due

As far as we know, the first scientist to seriously suggest the possibility of life on Mars was

Liquid water cannot exist for very long on the surface of Mars today because

If a glass of liquid water were suddenly exposed to the Martian atmosphere today, the water would

Due to its elliptical orbit, Mars is farther from the Sun on average during winter in the Southern Hemisphere. This means Southern Winter on Mars will be

The first astronomer to claim to see linear features on the surface of Mars was

When Percival Lowell insisted on the existence of Martian canals, even though his observations were discredited by other scientists, he exhibited

The seasonal polar caps on Mars are made of

How easy would it be for future astronauts to psychologically adapt to living on Mars?

The residual polar caps on Mars are made of