Ph109 Exploring the Universe, Test #2, Fall 2003
Ph109 Exploring the Universe, Test #2, Fall 2003
Please indicate the best answer to the following questions on the answer sheet provided.
1. The greenhouse effect occurs because
a) carbon dioxide is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared radiation.
b) carbon dioxide is transparent to infrared radiation and opaque to ultraviolet radiation.
c) ozone is transparent to infrared radiation and opaque to ultraviolet radiation.
d) ozone is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared radiation.
2. The gas that is most responsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth is
a) oxygen (O2), b) nitrogen (N2), c) carbon dioxide (CO2), d) ozone (O3), e) ammonia (NH3)
3. What produces aurora?
a) chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere, b) meteors
c) collisions of high energy particles with atmospheric gas, d) reflection of Sunlight by high clouds
4. The clouds of Venus are made mostly of
a) water, b) dust, c) CO2, d) Sulfuric acid
5. Mercury's surface resembles that of what other world?
a) Earth., b) The Moon., c) Mars., d) Venus.,
6. What is the main constituent of the atmosphere of Venus?
a) Oxygen., b) Nitrogen., c) Hydrogen., d) Carbon dioxide.
7. How often does a location on the Earth experience a "High" tide
a) once per day, b) twice per day, c) once per month, d) twice per month
8. The Roche limit is
a) distance from the Sun where life cannot exist
b) distance from a planet where moons cannot exist
c) the boundary layer between the solar system and the rest of the galaxy
d) the maximum distance a spacecraft can be sent from Earth
9. Which of the following is a consequence of the fact that the rotation and revolution periods of the moon are the same?
a) the moon keeps the same face turned toward the Earth
b) the moon can never be seen from one hemisphere of the Earth
c) all lunar phases can be seen from the Earth
d) there are about 12 months per year
10. This planet's density is so small it could float in a bathtub if you had one big enough.
a) Venus, b) Earth, c) Jupiter, d) Saturn
11. We would have formed a planet, but Jupiter's gravity kept disrupting us.
a) asteroids, b) comets, c) Kuiper belt objects, d) Oort cloud objects
12. Suppose a planet is orbited by a number of satellites. Which of the satellites will feel the strongest tidal forces due to the planet?
a) a large satellite in a close orbit, b) a large satellite in a distant orbit
c) a small satellite in a close orbit, d) a small satellite in a distant orbit
13. Which of the Jupiter’s satellites has volcanoes of sulfur
a) Io, b) Europa, c) Ganymede, d) Callisto
14. We thought this was our sister planet with clouds and such, but we didn't realize it rains sulfuric acid there.
a) Venus, b) Mars, c) Jupiter, d) Neptune
15. Which causes the greatest tidal forces on the Earth
a) alignment of the Planets, b) the Moon, c) the Sun, d) tidal waves in the ocean
16. The many ringlets which compose planetary ring systems are caused by
a) gravitational resonances, b) differences in chemical composition
c) differences in mass density, d) different rotation rates
17. The Cobb family wants to go to the beach during the highest of tides. When should they go?
a) during the first of the month, b) during new Moon phase,
c) during quarter Moon phase, d) anytime is the same
18. If we detect a large asteroid on a collision course with Earth, which is likely to be the final outcome?
a) nuclear bombs will blow it to bits, b) large rocket motors will push it out of the way,
c) we are doomed, d) it will burn up in the atmosphere
19. Which planet can be seen in the southeastern sky at sunset during this semester.
a) Venus, b) Mars, c) Jupiter, d) none
20. One of the following factors, along with temperature, determines whether a body will retain an atmosphere of a given composition.
a) size, b) distance from the sun, c) escape speed, d) rate of rotation
21. What theory of the Moon's origin is favored by most astronomers today?
a) The Moon formed as a separate object near Earth and at about the same time.
b) The Moon formed far from Earth and was captured by its gravity.
c) The Moon originated as material torn from the young molten Earth by centrifugal or tidal forces.
d) The Moon originated as material torn from Earth by the collision of a large Mars-sized body.
22. What causes a meteor shower?
a) Earth crosses the orbit of a comet
b) Earth intercepts a stray swarm of asteroids.
c) Earth encounters the asteroid belt.
d) A small constellation of dying stars disintegrates.
23. In light of modern solar system theory, why do the orbits of the planets all lie in nearly the same plane?
a) The Sun's gravity forced them into these orbits.
b) The angular momentum of the solar system was kept to a minimum this way.
c) The early solar nebula flattened into a disk.
d) This happened purely by chance.
24. What factor caused different planets to form out of different types of material?
a) The angular momentum of the forming planet.
b) The quantity of dust particles in the solar nebula.
c) The variation in temperature throughout the solar nebula.
d) The age of the Sun when the planets formed
25. Why is Mars red?
a) Dust storms on the planet have blasted the planet so fiercely that the rocks have reddened.
b) The planet's surface undergoes a process by which rust forms.
c) Sulfuric acid rain etched a reddish color into surface rocks.
d) The ancient volcanoes poured out vast plains of molten red lava which has now solidified.
26. Cassini's division is
a) a new form of math
b) imaginary line which divides a planet into Eastern and Western hemispheres
c) a gap in Saturn's rings
d) the space between Mars and Jupiter where there is no planet
27. In which part of Saturn's rings do the ring particles move the fastest?
a) the innermost part of the rings, b) the outermost part of the rings
c) in Casssini's division, d) they all move at the same speed
28. Why are no impact craters seen on Io?
a) it does not have a solid surface, b) it has extensive volcanic activity
c) it was very recently captured by the solar system, d) its icy surface heals very rapidly
29. The heat that keeps the interior of Io molten is due to
a) tides, b) radioactive materials, c) frequent meteoroid impacts, d) a large greenhouse effect
30. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the terrestrial planets?
a. low average density, b. orbits inside the asteroids
c. craters in old surfaces, d. small diameters, e. very few satellites
31. The geology of Venus appears to be dominated by
a. volcanism. b. plate tectonics. c. erosion by flowing water. d. impact cratering.
32. The flow patterns found on the surface of Mars suggest
a. that Mars is a water-rich world.
b. that the climate on Mars was different in the past.
c. that volcanism is occurring on Mars.
d. that the polar caps are made of water.
33. Which of the solar system objects listed below is most similar to Earth in terms of mass and density?
a. Mercury, b. Moon, c. Venus, d. Mars, e. Deimos
34. Europa has few craters because
a. it is protected from impacts by Jupiter's gravity.
b. it does not have a solid surface.
c. it has erased craters nearly as fast as they have formed.
d. its surface is not strong enough to support craters.
35. Which of the Galilean satellites are geologically active?
a. Io and Callisto
b. Ganymede and Titan
c. Titan and Callisto
d. Europa and Io
e. Ganymede and Callisto
36. The rings of Uranus were discovered
a. during an occultation of a star.
b. during an eclipse of one of the moons by the rings.
c. during an eclipse of Uranus by the rings.
d. as Uranus and the rings passed behind Jupiter.
37. The gas tail of a comet always
a. trails behind the head along the orbital path.
b. extends ahead of the head along the orbital path.
c. points toward the sun.
d. points away from the sun.
38. Most think this planet is not really a planet after all, but we will keep the designation for historical reasons.
a) Mercury, b) Neptune, c) Uranus, d) Pluto
39. We thought this was our sister planet with clouds and such, but we didn't realize it rains sulfuric acid there.
a) Venus, b) Mars, c) Jupiter, d) Neptune
40. What accounts for the seasonal changes in the coloration of certain regions on Mars?
a) the covering and uncovering of the regions by dust, b) melting and refreezing of permafrost
c) changes in cloud cover, d) migration of large herds of quadrupeds