GEOL 109 Exam 2
Although both Mercury and Mars have similar gravity fields, Mars has an atmosphere whereas Mercury does not. What is a possible explanation? a. Mars is more volatile rich. b. Mercury's volatiles are frozen at its poles to form ice caps. c. Mercury had no volcanic activity but Mars had many volcanoes that belched gases to the surface. d. Life on Mars released gas to form the atmosphere, but life didn't evolve on Mercury.
a
If Venus is so close to Earth, why has it taken so long to understand what the solid surface of Venus is like? a. Its surface is buried beneath a very cloudy atmosphere. b. The temperature is so high the normal imagining is not possible. c. It is covered by a thick layer of water (an ocean). d. The radiation environment is so harsh that the cameras do not function..
a
In what way is the history of Earth similar to the history of the Moon? a. Both planetary bodies once had heavily cratered surfaces. b. Both eventually developed plate tectonics. c. Both once had thick atmospheres of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. d. Both have magnetic fields to this day, shaped by convection of molten iron cores.
a
It is very possible that Venus once had more water and has lost it to space over the millenia. a. True b. False
a
Mercury's smooth plains ____________________. a. may be similar in origin to the lunar maria b. are cut by large grabens or linear rilles c. are older than Caloris basin d. are probably thick deposits of dust
a
One of these impact craters is on the Moon and the other is on Mercury. Click on the one on Mercury.
a
The Earth's oceanic crust is composed mostly of ____________________. a. igneous rocks of basaltic composition b. shales and lamiestones c. accumulations of salt deposited from sea water d. granite plutons formed at the mid-ocean ridge
a
The largest dune fields on Mars are ____________________. a. in the polar regions b. in the equatorial canyons c. at the base of Olympus Mons d. in Hellas Basin
a
These images show impact craters on the Moon, Mars, Venus, and Earth. Each has distinctive features because of the geologic processes that affect the surface. Click on the image of the crater on Earth.
a
What would have happened on Venus if it had been cool enough for liquid water to form? a. Carbonate minerals may have formed in the water and removed the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. b. The high sulfur content of the atmosphere may have made the water acidic promoting extensive weathering. c. The greenhouse effect may have been even more intense. d. A magnetic field may have developed because the liquid water would have made the crustal rocks weak enough to convect.
a
Which event drastically modified Earth's geologic history about 3.5 billion years ago? a. The advent of life. b. Beginning of a period of intense impact cratering. c. Outgassing of the atmosphere. d. The onset of mantle convection to form plumes and associated volcanoes.
a
Which of the following is a major difference between Venus and Earth? a. atmospheric composition b. mass c. volume d. density e. gravity
a
Why did continents develop on Earth and not on the Moon, Mercury, or Mars? a. Only Earth has subduction zones. b. Only Earth has mid-ocean ridges. c. Only Earth has mantle plumes. d. Only Earth has a lithosphere thick enough to support them.
a
Why is the history of Venus so different from that of Mars? a. Venus is significantly larger than Mars and cooled slowly. b. Venus is smaller than Mars and cooled more quickly. c. Venus lacks multiple impact craters because it is so far from the asteroid belt. d. Venus lost its atmosphere early, so wind erosion isn't effective like it is on Mars.
a
Would you be surprised if tomorrow's newspaper reported that a volcano was discovered erupting on Mercury? a. Yes, that is not expected to happen on Mercury today. b. No, Mercury is so hot because it is near the Sun that this would be expected. c. No, Mercury has such a large iron core that it has cooled very slowly and could still have volcanoes erupt on its surface. d. No, the tidal heating from the nearby Sun keeps it volcanically active.
a
On Earth and Mars, how is loess deposited? (Mark all that apply.) a. As a blanket which mantles the landscape. b. By the wind. c. As dust-sized particles. d. By running water. e. On the floors of their oceans.
a, b, c
Does Venus have a plate tectonic system like the Earth? (Mark all that apply.) a. No, the high surface temperature may prevent the lithosphere from becoming dense enough to subduct back into the mantle. b. No, Venus may lack a shallow asthenosphere. c. No, Venus is water-poor which makes the melting point of the mantle higher than on Earth. d. No, Venus is dominated by mantle plume convection instead. e. Yes, Venus and the Earth both have a system of plate tectonics.
a, b, c, d
What are some of the ways that the advent of life modified Earth's atmosphere/hydrosphere and the geologic processes which act on its surface? (Select all that apply.) a. Using energy from the Sun, organisms consumed carbon dioxide and released oxygen into the atmosphere. b. The oxygen produced by living things oxidized (weathered) the minerals and rocks at the surface. c. The evolution of creatures that make shells of calcium carbonate helped remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. d. Large quantities of dissolved iron were removed from the ocean to form delicately banded iron-rich sediments.
a, b, c, d
What are some of the ways that the advent of life modified Earth's atmosphere/hydrosphere and the geologic processes which act on its surface? (Select all that apply.) a. Using energy from the Sun, organisms consumed carbon dioxide and released oxygen into the atmosphere. b. The oxygen produced by living things oxidized (weathered) the minerals and rocks at the surface. c. The evolution of creatures that make shells of calcium carbonate helped remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. d. Large quantities of dissolved iron were removed from the ocean to form delicately banded iron-rich sediments.
a, b, c, d
What was the sequence of events that shaped this part of Mars? Put the following descriptions into the proper order with the oldest on bottom and youngest at the top. Not all descriptions apply and should be left out. a. Formation of rampart crater b. Extensional tectonics c. Eruption of lava plains d. Development of shield volcano
a, b, c, d
Which of the following are important differences between the nature of the martian hemispheres (north and south)? (Mark all that apply) a. ages b. number of young volcanoes and volcanic plains c. elevations d. the number of impact craters
a, b, c, d
Which of these factors control the Earth's hydrologic system? (Mark all that apply.) a. gravity b. solar energy c. topography d. temperature
a, b, c, d
What is the evidence for ground ice (or ground water) on Mars? Choose all correct answers. a. fluidized crater-ejecta patterns b. faulted plains c. chaotic (collapse) terrains d. the great Valles Marineris
a, c
What is the probable origin of the smooth plains in the Northern Hemisphere of Mars? Choose all that apply. a. The depression probably started to form as a giant impact crater that covered half of the planet. b. The elevated highland started to form above a rising mantle plume and volcanic eruptions buried it. c. Sediment from a series of temporary seas smoothed it out. d. The crust in this region became so thick that it started to subside into the mantle. e. Eolian erosion carved the basin.
a, c
Which of the following statements about Venus is (are) true? Choose all that apply. a. The diameter of Venus is almost the same as that of Earth. b. It is the only planet without a natural satellite. c. The atmospheric gases create a large Greenhouse effect. d. Venus is heavily cratered like the moon.
a, c
Which of the following features are found on the Moon and Mercury? (Check all that apply) a. flood lavas b. dunes c. multiring basins d. impact craters e. faults related to contraction
a, c, d, e
A weak layer within Earth which behaves like a viscous fluid is _________________. (Mark all that apply.) a. the outer core b. the crust c. the lithosphere d. the asthenosphere e. the inner core
a, d
What explains for Mercury's iron large core? Choose the two most likely. a. Mercury formed near the Sun in a zone that was oxygen-poor and b. Mercury's magnetic field collected large masses of iron during accretion. c. During its early accretion, a large iron asteroid collided with Mercury and the iron sank to its core. d. A large impact stripped away the silicate shell from an already differentiated Mercury.
a, d
Which of the following tectonic processes are thought to have occurred on Mercury? (Check all that apply) a. thrust faulting due to contraction of the planet b. thrust faulting due to expansion of the planet as it heated c. graben formation due to contraction d. graben formation due to extension
a, d
Why is the Earth a dynamic planet, whereas the Moon and Mercury have undergone very little change during the last 3.5 billion years? (Select all that apply.) a. A major difference is that Earth is much larger than the other two. b. Because Earth is closer to the Sun than the Moon and Mercury, its hydrologic system has been more actively eroding the surface. c. Because Earth has a moon and the others do not, it has been tidally heated and kept warm and active for a long time. d. The Moon and Mercury lack atmospheres, but Earth has retained one, which has greatly modified the surface.
a, d
Conditions on Venus are such that which of the following are true? Choose all that apply. a. Pure lead would be a liquid on its surface. b. Most of the CO2 is trapped in carbonate rocks (limestone). c. Precipitation of water as rain occasionally occurs. d. Sulfuric acid drips from the sky to cause intense weathering of rocks on the surface. e. The pressure is about 90 times that on Earth.
a, e
Why is the Earth a dynamic planet, whereas the Moon and Mercury have undergone very little change during the last 3.5 billion years? (Select all that apply.) a. A major difference is that Earth is much larger than the other two. b. Because Earth is closer to the Sun than the Moon and Mercury, its hydrologic system has been more actively eroding the surface. c. Because Earth has a moon and the others do not, it has been tidally heated and kept warm and active for a long time. d. The Moon and Mercury lack atmospheres, but Earth has retained one, which has greatly modified the surface.
a, e
About how old is the surface of Venus as judged from the abundance of meteorite impact craters? a. Thousands of years old. b. Millions of years old. c. Billions of years old. d. So varied in age that a single age cannot be given.
b
Click on the letter on this shaded relief map that shows a transform plate boundary.
b
Does Mars have a plate tectonic system like Earth? Yes, it has mobile plates of lithosphere. , Not Selected No, it lacks a system of moving plates.
b
How many meteorite impact craters have been identified on Earth? a. About 10 b. About 100 c. About 1,000 d. About 10,000 d. About 100,000
b
How thick is Earth's lithosphere? a. Less than about 10 km thick. b. Between about 10 and 200 km thick. c. Between about 200 and 1000 km thick. d. Thicker than the Moon's lithosphere.
b
On Earth, lithospheric plates converge at which plate boundary? a. oceanic ridges b. subduction zones c. transform faults
b
The oldest types of terrains on both the Moon and Mercury are ________________________. a. smooth, flood lava plains b. heavily cratered terrain c. folded mountain belts d. characterized by sinuous rilles and linear rilles
b
The outflow channels on Mars are different from river systems on Earth in what way? a. they lack extensive transport sytems b. they appear to come from below the surface and lack extensive collection systems c. they are proportionally smaller d. they are more sinuous e. they show numerous flow features
b
These images show impact craters on the Moon, Mars, Venus, and Earth. Each has distinctive features because of the geologic processes that affect the surface. Click on the image of the crater on the Moon.
b
What causes the differences between impact craters on the Moon and those on Mercury (the extent of the ejecta blanket and secondary cratering)? a. differences in the cratering rate b. different gravitational attractions on each planet c. crustal deformation d. the size of the meteorites impacting Mercury
b
What is one of the major causes of the high temperatures on the surface of Venus? a. high volcanic activity b. the greenhouse effect c. high radioactive element concentrations d. tidal heating
b
What is the most important factor in the volcanic and tectonic evolution of Venus as compared to Mars? a. The distance Venus is from the Sun which elevates its surface temperature and makes its lithosphere thin. b. The size of Venus which makes it cool slower than Mars. c. The composition of Venus with higher concentrations of radioactive elements like potassium, uranium, and thorium.
b
What is the most likely cause of the sinuous feature that extends across this radar image of Venus? The area is a few hundred kilometers across. a. Erosion by running water. b. Erosion by hot flowing magma. c. Erosion by hot, near-surface winds. d. Thrust faulting. e. Extensional faulting.
b
Which image shows a feature that formed by contraction of Mercury's surface?
b
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and low elevations in blue. Click anywhere in the youngest plains.
blue
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and low elevations in blue. Click on the Valles Marineris.
blue line through red
Click on the letter on this shaded relief map that shows a divergent plate boundary.
c
Considering the ways it forms, deforms, and crystallizes, glacial ice can be considered to be which of the following? a. regolith b. an igneous rock c. a metamorphic rock d. a sedimentary rock
c
Folded mountain belts are important tectonic landforms. Which of the following statements is the most accurate description of folded mountain belts? a. They are found on all of the terrestrial planets. b. They are dominated by normal faults and grabens. c. They are found around the margins of highlands on Earth and Venus. d. They are produced by impact compression of thin lithospheres.
c
How did the Chicxulub impact affect Earth? a. The impact did little to affect the Earth since about half of the crater was in the ocean. b. The impact appears to have triggered large outpourings of basaltic lava that filled the basin. c. The impact triggered a series of climate changes that led to the extinction of many species, including dinosaurs. d. The Gulf of Mexico was created by this huge impact.
c
How did these vast valleys on Mars form? a. The wide valleys formed as flood lavas crossed the surface. b. The valleys were carved by winds blowing off the Tharsis rise. c. The outflow valleys were eroded by liquid water. d. The valleys formed as glaciers eroded the landscape but then melted away.
c
Impact craters on Venus that are larger than about 30 km in diameter are __________. a. rare because of the planet's dense atmosphere b. abundant on the cratered highland of Ishtar Terra c. not common because of the planet's dynamic interior and young surface d. not visible because of the low resolution of current images
c
Large amounts of water (as gas or liquid) on Venus _________. a. lie in shallow oceans near its cool polar regions. b. probably never existed c. have probably been lost to space and by combination with surface materials. d. exist beneath the surface in shallow aquifers.
c
The two large volcanoes of Venus, Theia Mons and Rhea Mons, lie on the flanks of a structure similar to which of the following? a. A subduction zone like the one that formed Andes Mountains of South America. b. A volcanic chain over a "hot spot" like Hawaii. c. The East African Rift valley. d. An island arch such as Japan.
c
These images show impact craters on the Moon, Mars, Venus, and Earth. Each has distinctive features because of the geologic processes that affect the surface. Click on the image of the crater on Mars.
c
What do thermal models of Mercury's evolution suggest about its history? a. That it has developed a core in the last billion years or so. b. That it experienced global expansion to produce domical bulges. c. That it developed a metallic core early in its history. d. That its history is more like the Earth's than the Moon's.
c
What is the approximate age of the surface of Venus? a. Most of the surface of Venus is about the same age as the heavily cratered lunar highlands. b. The smooth volcanic plains of Venus are about the same age as the lunar maria. c. The average age of the surface is much younger than any of the Moon's major terranes.
c
What is the most likely cause of the radical tectonic features on this part of Venus? The image is a few hundred kilometers across. a. NW-SE extension b. E-W compression c. Vertical doming d. Vertical down-warping
c
Which of the following are major extensional features on Venus? a. The wide belts of ridges on the lowlands. b. The continental highland known as Ishtar Terra. c. Rift valleys and grabens associated with lithospheric domes.
c
Which of the following statements is an accurate description of the atmosphere of Venus? a. It is uniformly cold and dry. b. It is the densest of all the planets. c. The venusian atmosphere is rich in carbon dioxide. d. It is an inherited remnant of the gaseous solar nebula. e. It has abundant water vapor.
c
Why does Mars lack a well-integrated hydrologic system? a. It is poor in water. b. It is too hot. c. It is too cold. d. It never differentiated.
c
Which of the following are true about mid-ocean ridges? (Select all that apply.) a. a site of deep earthquakes b. the equivalent of a subduction zone c. the site of the production of oceanic crust d. becomes progressively younger toward Iceland e. has abundant extensional normal faults
c, e
Which of these geologic features are not found on all of the following planets—Mercury, Mars, and Earth? (Choose all that apply) a. impact craters b. tectonic landforms c. sand dunes d. volcanoes e. river valleys
c, e
These images show 5 stages in Earth's 4.6 billion year evolution. Sort youngest to oldest.
c, e, a, d, b
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and low elevations in blue. Click anywhere in the cratered highlands.
orange
The structure and appearance of impact craters changes with size. Study these radar images of impact craters on Venus. Arrange them from smallest (at the top) to largest (at the bottom).
pic on phone
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and low elevations in blue. Click on the volcanoes of the Tharsis bulge.
red
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and low elevations in blue. Click on a thick sheet of ice.
red at bottom
Study this colored topographic map of Venus and identify the following provinces using the letters on the map. Blue is low, with green, yellow, red, and white progressively higher.
A highland B An upland C A lowland
Click on the letter on this shaded relief map that shows a convergent plate boundary.
d
Karst topography is produced _______________. a. by glacial melt waters b. because rocks behave differently at high pressure c. because groundwater is abundant in tropical climes d. because limestone is relatively soluble in water e. by collapse of the roofs of lava tubes
d
Martian valley networks are ____________________________________. a. related to the development of highland volcanic centers b. related to huge catastrophic floods c. developed by wind erosion d. restricted in occurrence to the oldest parts of Mars
d
The presence of oxygen (O2) in a planet's atmosphere is strong evidence for ___________________. a. an ancient surface b. a young surface c. loss of CO2 to space d. the presence of living organisms e. the T-Tauri stage in the Sun's evolution
d
These images show impact craters on the Moon, Mars, Venus, and Earth. Each has distinctive features because of the geologic processes that affect the surface. Click on the image of the crater on Venus.
d
What are some of the main reasons Venus and Earth have such different histories? a. Venus is a much smaller planet so it cooled more quickly than Earth and preserves heavily cratered terrain. b. Because Venus is so close to the Sun, the atmosphere of Venus was blown away during the T-Tauri stage of the Sun's evolution, but Earth was able to keep one. c. The giant Chicxulub impact heated Earth dramatically and started plate tectonics, but Venus has not had any large young impacts. d. Venus was hot enough that liquid water never precipitated on its surface to make oceans.
d
What are some of the main reasons Venus and Earth have such different histories? a. Venus is a much smaller planet so it cooled more quickly than Earth and preserves heavily cratered terrain. b. Because Venus is so close to the Sun, the atmosphere of Venus was blown away during the T-Tauri stage of the Sun's evolution, but Earth was able to keep one. c. he giant Chicxulub impact heated Earth dramatically and started plate tectonics, but Venus has not had any large young impacts. d. Venus was hot enough that liquid water never precipitated on its surface to make oceans.
d
Where are the oldest rocks on Earth found? a. At points farthest from an ocean ridge. b. At points farthest from a subduction zone. c. In Hawaii. d. In its continental shields.
d
Which "planet's" interior stayed warm longer? a. Vesta b. the Moon c. Mercury d. Mars
d
Which gas was most efficiently removed from the Earth's atmosphere since the advent of life? a. Oxygen—O2 b. Helium—He c. Nitrogen—N2 d. Carbon Dioxide—CO2 e. Water—H2O
d
Which of the following is not usually associated with a terrestrial subduction zone? a. a trench b. one lithospheric plate moving under another c. andesite -- stratovolcanos d. basaltic shield volcanoes
d
Which planetary body has (basically) no magnetic field today? a. Earth b. Jupiter c. Mercury d. Mars
d
What explains the number of impact craters that have been identified on Earth? (Select all that apply.) a. Earth is so large that it has many meteorite impact craters on the surface. b. Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago and so it has accumulated many impact craters on its surface. c. Earth has only a few impact craters because it is shielded heavily by the Moon. d. Earth has few impact craters because its ancient surface has been extensively modified by erosional processes. e. Earth has few impact craters because many were obliterated by subduction, mountain building, and volcanism.
d, e
Radar images of Venus show all of the following except __________. a. mountain chains b. volcanoes c. rift valleys d. plains e. river valleys
e
