Astronomy Final Exam

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A gas particle will escape a planet's atmosphere if it moves faster than the... A) "escape speed" B) "capture speed" C)"retention speed" D) "speed of light"

"escape speed"

On Mercury and the Moon, we notice that larger craters ____ smaller craters. A) are on top of B) are rounder than C) came after D) came before

came before

You are most likely to find a landslide on Mars near which of the following? A) volcano B) canyon wall C) eroded crater D) dark region of the surface

canyon wall

The atmosphere of Venus is composed almost entirely of... A) oxygen B) sulfur C) carbon dioxide D) nitrogen

carbon dioxide

If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 830 nm, but astronomers on earth observer that is has been shifted by 3.2 nm. Then how fast is the star moving relative to the earth?

1156627

If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 1375 nm, then what peak wavelength is observed when the star is traveling 975,000 m/s away from the Earth.

1379.469

How many asteroids (that we know of) are on a potential collision course with Earth? A) 10,000+ B) 25-50 C) 0-5 D) 300-500

300-500

Based on the simulation, approximately how much longer will Earth be in the CHZ? A) 5.4 billion years B) 820 million years C) 12 billion years D) 250 million years

5.4 billion years

What molecule dominated the Earth's primordial atmosphere? A) oxygen and carbon dioxide B) oxygen and nitrogen C) nitrogen and carbon dioxide D) carbon dioxide ad water vapor

carbon dioxide ad water vapor

Which of the following planets in our solar system have rings? (Select all that apply) A) Jupiter B) Uranus C) Neptune D) Saturn

all answers are correct

Which of the following would be considered life? (Select all that apply). A) grass B) cats C) mushrooms D) bacteria

all choices are correct

Which of the following provides observational evidence that Mars has weather and an atmosphere? A) eroded craters B) wind streaks C) dust devils D) all of the above

all of the above

Orange soil on the Moon is believed to be caused by A) ancient volcanic activity B) organic molecules C) meteor impacts D) radiation from the Sun

ancient volcanic activity

If we could capture the spectrum of an exoplanet, we may find evidence for life on that planet in the form of... A) earthshine B) ozone C) water vapor D) biosignatures

biosignatures

If a star is traveling toward you, its observed spectrum will be... A) brighter B) fainter C) blue-shifted D) red-shifted

blue-shifted

Which of the following are you most likely to find near a volcano? A) eroded crater B) collapsed lava tube C) streamlined island D) landslide

collapsed lava tube

A respected scientist and mathematician, Carl Gauss, recommended that we build a large right triangle on the surface of the Earth in order to... A) test theories about the formation of Martian canals B) obtain more accurate measurements of the movement of Mars C) verify the Pythagorean Theorem D) communicate with Martians

communicate with Martians

The best time to observe the moon to see its crater is during a... A) harvest moon B) crescent moon C) full moon D) super moon

crescent moon

The Jovian planets are composed mostly of ______ and __________. A) hydrogen / helium B) water / ice C) methane / ammonia D) oxygen / nitrogen

hydrogen / helium

A scientist hoping to find active life on Mars can only reasonably hope to find it... A) floating in the atmosphere of Mars B) in water that exists under the Martian surface C) on the polar ice caps D) inside of hydrothermal vents

in water that exists under the Martian surface

A scientist hoping to find active life on Mars can only reasonably hope to find it... A) inside of hydrothermal vents B) in water that exists under the Martian surface C) on the polar ice caps D) floating in the atmosphere of Mars

in water that exists under the Martian surface

The surface of the moon contains geologic evidence for ______ on the moon in the past. A) liquid water B) life C) volcanoes D) weather

volcanoes

T or F: In the early 1900's, it was considered common knowledge that there was intelligent life on Mars.

True

T or F: The epsilon field includes an asteroid that is headed toward the very center of the field.

True

The presence of _______ on the surface of Mars provides additional evidence for a wet Martian past. A) blueberries B) life C) craters D) lava flows

blueberries

As the solar nebula cooled, which compounds were the first to condense from a gas to a solid? A) ices B) rocks C) metals D) water

metals

A lunar rille is most likely formed from A) two craters overlapping B) two tectonic plates merging together C) the collapse of a lava tube D) a sudden flow of liquid water on the surface

the collapse of a lava tube

The largest mountain in the solar system is... A) Olympus Mons B) Mauna Kea C) Mount Everest D) The Caloris Basin

Olympus Mons

A bright line emanating outward from craters

Ray

The first US missions to land on Mars were the _________ missions. A) Pathfinder B) Viking C) Voyager D) Mariner

Viking

These missions were the first to successfully land on Mars

Viking

What features must an object in the pictures have in order to confidently say it is an asteroid? (Select all that apply) A) you can see it in every picture B) moves in a straight line C) looks like a star D) looks a little blury

you can see it in every picture moves in a straight line looks like a star

According to National Geographic, the process of terraforming Mars would take ______ years. A) 10,000 B) 100,000 C) 100 D) 1,000

1,000

A very large impact crater on Mercury

Caloris Basin

This was the largest rover ever sent to Mars

Curiosity

Astronomers exploring Kepler Space Telescope data encountered a very unusual lightcurve, which some speculated may be caused by a partially-completed ________ created by an advanced civilization. A) Teleportation Device B) Dyson Sphere C) Space Weapon D) Interstellar Spacecraft

Dyson Sphere

Astronomers exploring Kepler Space Telescope data encountered a very unusual lightcurve, which some speculated may be caused by a partially-completed ____________ created by an advanced civilization. A) Teleportation Device B) Dyson Sphere C) Interstellar Spacecraft D) Space Weapon

Dyson Sphere

T or F: Galileo was able to observe polar caps on Mars with his first telescope observations.

False

T or F: If the terraforming of Mars was successful, its new thicker atmosphere would remain permanently allowing generations of new societies to survive on the red planet.

False

T or F: Using the Drake Equation is complete guesswork. There is no scientific basis for estimating any of the variables in the equation.

False

According to the Kardashev Scale, what "type" of civilization does humanity represent? A) Between Type 2 and Type 3 B) Greater than Type 3 C) Between Type 1 and Type 2 D) Less than Type 1

Less than Type 1

Which of the following has the hottest surface temperatures? A) Earth B) the Moon C) Venus D) Mercury

Venus

Smooth dark regions on the Moon where lave once flowed

Maria

The ________ missions were the first to fly-by Mars. A) Voyager B) Pathfinder C) Mariner D) Venera

Mariner

These were the first fly-by missions to Mars

Mariner

The largest mountain on Earth (as measured from the sea floor)

Mauna Kea

Which cities would be covered with water if the Greenland Ice Sheet melted completely? A) New York and London B) Miami and Amsterdam C) Miami and London D) New Orleans and London

Miami and Amsterdam

This was the first rover to explore the surface of Mars

Pathfinder

This was the first Mars mission to dig beneath the surface

Phoenix

Pulverized rock that covers the Moon as a fine dust

Regolith

A raised ridge on the surface of Mercury

Scarp

Sufficient warming of Mars could be achieved by point a mirror the size of __________ at the Martian south pole. A) Chicago B) North America C) The Earth D) Texas

Texas

What initiated the runaway greenhouse effect on Venus? A) The gradual warming of the Sun B) Venus slowly got closer to the Sun C) The lack of plant life on Venus D) The lack of water vapor on Venus

The gradual warming of the Sun

The _______ for discovering exoplanets looks for tiny dips in light as a planet passes in front of its star. A) Transit Method B) Doppler Effect C) Nebular Theory D) Doppler Method

Transit Method

T or F: The first landers on the surface of Mars found the Martian soil to be sterile.

True

T or F: We have not yet seen strong scientific evidence for even the simplest life anywhere in the universe except the Earth.

True

Orson Well's famous radio broadcast of ____________ caused a minor panic among listeners that a real alien invasion was underway. A) Mars Attacks B) The First Men in the Moon C) War of the Worlds D) From the Earth to the Moon

War of the Worlds

One of the most promising pieces of evidence supporting ancient life on Mars came from... A) the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter B) a Martian meteorite found on Earth C) the Mars Science Laboratory rover D) the Viking landers

a Martian meteorite found on Earth

Prior to plant life, a biosphere consisting of _________ would need to be established on the red planet to raise atmospheric pressure. A) cyanobacteria B) insects C) pre-cambrian animals D) briny plankton

cyanobacteria

The most clear evidence for the presence of water on ancient Mars is... A) the oxygen-rich soil B) the red appearance of the dirt C) dry riverbeds D) white clouds in the atmosphere

dry riverbeds

The bright circles around impact craters are called... A) maria B) rays C) ejecta D) scarps

ejecta

The white material around an impact crater is called A) ejecta B) maria C) anorthosite D) rille

ejecta

Which of the following geological features suggest that Mars has an atmosphere. (Select all that apply) A) eroded craters B) preserved craters C)collapsed lava tube D) wind streaks

eroded craters and wind streaks

Living creatures that thrive in environments thought to be deadly to any lifeform are known as... A) microbes B) extremophiles C) immortal D) planeria

extremophiles

Living creatures that thrive in environments thought to be deadly to any lifeform are known as... A) planeria B) extremophiles C) immortal D) microbes

extremophiles

Almost the entirety of Jupiter's size is made up of... A) gas B) water C) solid D) liquid

gas

What two factors influence whether gas particles stay or leave a planet's atmosphere? A) temperature and rotational speed B) gravity and particle size C) heat and temperature D) gravity and heat

gravity and heat

What factor most helps the Earth maintain a relatively constant temperature? A) a large moon B) greenhouse gases C) liquid oceans D) plate tectonics

greenhouse gases

Compared to the Earth, Mars is about... A) half the size B) the same size C) twice as large D) one quarter the size

half the size

An advocate for terraforming Mars suggests that just __________ would be a powerful symbol of humanity's potential for expansion. A) raising the temperature of Mars by 5 degrees B) having a single seed grow into a plant on Mars C) returning a sample of Martian soil to Earth D) melting a small portion of the Martian polar ice caps

having a single seed grow into a plant on Mars

Mercury gets incredibly hot and incredibly cold because... A) it has permanent shadows at the poles B) it does not have an atmosphere C) its distance from the sun changes so dramatically during its orbit D) it is so close to the sun

it does not have an atmosphere

Which of the following parts of the formal definition of a planet does Pluto fail to meet? A) it is in orbit around the Sun B) it is found in a roughly round shape C) it has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit D) it is a celestial body

it has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit

Observing Mars is difficult because... A) it is too bright for most telescopes B) it moves so quickly across the sky C) it rotates so quickly that it is hard to see detailed features D) it is so small on our night sky

it is so small on our night sky

The moon Titan is special because... A) its surface is wet B) it has extreme volcanoes C) it is the largest moon in the solar system D) the surface is covered in water ice

its surface is wet

Streamlined islands on Mars were most likely formed by the flow of... A) lava B) liquid water C) ice D) wind

liquid water

Which of the following is NOT a variable in the Drake Equation? A) percent of stars with planets B) number of radio antennas per planet C) percent change that life develops intelligence D) number of new stars born each year

number of radio antennas per planet

Anorthosite was believed to be some of the ________ material on the surface of the moon. A) heaviest B) oldest C) lightest D) newest

oldest

Where did the oxygen in our atmosphere come from? A) photosynthesis of living organisms B) volcanic eruptions C) it slowly leaked out of the oceans D) separation of water vapor into hydrogen and oxygen

photosynthesis of living organisms

A crater with a sharp, crisp rim would be considered a(n) A) eroded crater B) secured crater C) shield crater D) preserved crater

preserved crater

If you are attempting to communicate with intelligent civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy, then the __________ part of the EM spectrum is the best to use. A) visible B) infrared C) x-ray D) radio

radio

Where did Earth's oceans come from? A) rain from water vapor in the early atmosphere B) ancient water volcanoes that brought up from deep within the Earth's interior C) ice beneath the surface melting D) a primordial collision with an icy moon

rain from water vapor in the early atmosphere

The surface of the moon is covered with a fine powder of pulverized rock called... A) basalts B) regolith C) feldspar D) maria

regolith

The US Space Program seems to currently prefer pursuing _________ instead of launching expensive and dangerous manned missions to Mars. A) a new space station B) robotic Martian missions C) lunar missions D) new rocket technology

robotic Martian missiosn

Mercury has a network of strange wrinkles across its surface called... A) basins B) scarps C) Caloris D) weird terrain

scarps

Astronomers conjecture that advanced alien civilization could rapidly spread through the galaxy through the use of... A) worm holes B) hyperdrive engines C) mass relays D) self-replicating machines

self-replicating machines

The best source of evidence that our solar system was once full of much larger rocks and meteors is that the moon shows A) most craters to be near the poles B) a large flat region near the equator C) smaller craters on top of larger ones D) larger craters on top of smaller ones

smaller craters on top of larger ones

The planets closest to the Sun are known as the... A) terrestrial planets B) small bodies C) gas giants D) Kuiper belt

terrestrial planets

One example of a "Great Filter" that humanity has (so far) managed to pass through is... A) the development of nuclear weapons B) the creation of the internet C) interplanetary space travel D) the discovery of electricity

the development of nuclear weapons

In many ancient cultures, the "red planet" was named after... A) the god of love B) the god of war C) the native word for "blood" D) the native word for "red)

the god of war

Why does liquid water boil away when exposed to the Martian atmosphere? A) the low air pressure lowers the boiling point B) the surface of Mars is much hotter than the surface of Earth C) it is quickly absorbed into the dry soil D) radiation from the Sun passes through Mars' atmosphere and boils the water

the low air pressure lowers the boiling point

The Drake Equation is a tool for estimating... A) the number of habitable planets in the Milky Way where life has developed B) the number of planets in the Milky Way that contain civilizations intelligent enough to communicate through space C) the number of alien civilizations that have visited the Earth in the past D) the number of intelligent civilizations capable of traveling through interstellar space

the number of planets in the Milky Way that contain civilizations intelligent enough to communicate through space

Why doesn't Mars have active volcanoes today? A) the volcanoes are just dominant and will erupt again B) the planet lost its internal heat to cold space C) the volcanoes are blocked by collapsed lava tubes D) all of the lava already escaped

the planet lost its internal heat to cold space


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