PHYS 1404 Chapter 10

The polar caps on Mars are composed of... a mix of carbon dioxide ice and water ice pure carbon dioxide ice. pure water ice. meringue.

a mix of carbon dioxide ice and water ice

Which is closest to the Sun? And which has the greater surface temperature? Mercury Venus Earth Mars

Closest to the sun - Mercury Greater surface temp - Venus

Which of the terrestrial worlds has the strongest magnetic field? Venus Mars The Moon Earth Mercury

Earth

How does the greenhouse effect work? Greenhouse gases transmit visible light, allowing it to heat the surface, but then absorb infrared light from the planet surface, trapping the heat near the surface. The higher pressure of the thick atmosphere at lower altitudes traps heat in more effectively. Greenhouse gases absorb X rays and ultraviolet light from the Sun, which then heat the atmosphere and the surface. Ozone transmits visible light, allowing it to heat the surface, but then absorbs most of the infrared heat, trapping the heat near the surface. Greenhouse gases absorb infrared light from the Sun, which then heats the atmosphere and the surface.

Greenhouse gases transmit visible light, allowing it to heat the surface, but then absorb infrared light from the planet surface, trapping the heat near the surface.

How is it possible that rocks from Mars are currently on Earth? Impactors on Mars caused rocks to escape and eventually land on Earth as meteorites. Volcanoes on Mars blew rocks into space that eventually landed on Earth as meteors. Mars rocks were made on Earth by similar processes. Aliens brought rocks from Mars when they moved to Earth.

Impactors on Mars caused rocks to escape and eventually land on Earth as meteorites.

Why doesn't Venus have seasons like Mars and Earth do? It is too close to the Sun. It does not have an ozone layer. It does not rotate fast enough. Its rotation axis is not tilted.

Its rotation axis is not tilted.

Both Mars and Earth probably had similar atmospheres early in the history of the solar system. Which of the following correctly explains the runaway refrigerator effect and its role in the evolution of Mars' atmosphere? Soon after the Earth formed a giant impactor struck the Earth and ultimately formed the Earth-Moon system. This impact would have effected the Earth's atmosphere much more differently than Mars, which did not suffer such an impact. The fact that Mars is much colder is due to the runaway refrigerator effect. If Earth had not suffered a giant impact, then its surface temperature would have been much colder like that of Mars. Most refrigerators today run off of electricity. In most cases the motor that drives the refrigerator is the device that utilized the electricity. As a result, the motor will usually experience a slight vibration with a frequency around 60 Hertz. This vibration creates a low but distinct audible hum that we are able to hear when listening carefully. The low-level hum is an indication that the refrigerator is running. This effect is the runaway refrigerator effect. When applied to Mars, the low-level hum caused the atmosphere of Mars to become much thinner and ultimately to be composed mostly of carbon dioxide. This made the surface temperature of Mars much lower than that of Earth. Mars is much smaller than Earth, so its gravity was not sufficient to hold a gaseous atmosphere over a long period of time. Mars' atmosphere would have gotten thinner as gases escaped to space. This would lead to lower surface temperatures, and some gases would have frozen and fallen out of the atmosphere, lowering temperatures still further. The thinner atmosphere and colder temperatures would lead to the loss of most water from the planet, except for water in the form of ice, which may still exist in permafrost ground deposits near the poles or buried deeply under the surface, or possibly underground saltwater in liquid form. Because Mars is much smaller than Earth, the atmosphere would not have been as thick as Earth's. This means that it would have been composed mostly of carbon dioxide from the beginning. Since carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, the heat of Mars would have escaped to space after a few million years. This would have left very little surface heat which is called the refrigerator effect.

Mars is much smaller than Earth, so its gravity was not sufficient to hold a gaseous atmosphere over a long period of time. Mars' atmosphere would have gotten thinner as gases escaped to space. This would lead to lower surface temperatures, and some gases would have frozen and fallen out of the atmosphere, lowering temperatures still further. The thinner atmosphere and colder temperatures would lead to the loss of most water from the planet, except for water in the form of ice, which may still exist in permafrost ground deposits near the poles or buried deeply under the surface, or possibly underground saltwater in liquid form.

Why use radar instead of visible light instruments to study the surface of Venus? The fact that Venus is so close to the Sun means that the visible light is washed out by the brightness of the Sun. Visible light doesn't work on the surface of Venus because carbon dioxide blocks visible light. Radar can penetrate the thick atmosphere of Venus whereas visible light is blocked. Venus is too hot for visible light to be emitted.

Radar can penetrate the thick atmosphere of Venus whereas visible light is blocked.

Which has smallest diameter? Mercury The Moon Earth Venus Mars

The Moon

How might Venus' atmosphere have evolved to its present state through a runaway greenhouse effect? There is a carbon cycle on Venus. The carbon emitted by volcanoes is first in the atmosphere, but it quickly becomes locked up in rock. These rocks are melted by the mantle of Venus and are ultimately converted back into volcanic emissions. This repeating pattern is what makes up the carbon cycle of Venus. The runaway greenhouse effect occurs because of the current amount of volcanic carbon present in the atmosphere of Venus. The atmospheres of Venus and Earth were probably similar early in solar system history. However heat from the Sun would have evaporated any water from the surface of Venus. This would release any carbon dioxide absorbed by the bodies of water. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere acted as a greenhouse gas, preventing infrared radiation from escaping the planet. This would cause a rise in temperature, even more evaporation, and further release of carbon dioxide. Then with water vapor in the atmosphere, ultraviolet sunlight would break up the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would escape the planet because the gravity of Venus was insufficient to hold onto it. The oxygen would combine with carbon and eventually become locked up in the rocks. With no large bodies of water, carbon dioxide is not absorbed, making it the major component of the atmosphere of Venus. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Venus is what causes the runaway greenhouse effect in the planet's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. In order to get carbon dioxide you need carbon and oxygen. If the atmospheres of Earth and Venus were similar early in the history of the solar system, then the carbon and oxygen on Venus combined to make carbon dioxide, but that was not the case on Earth. The carbon dioxide on Venus was sufficient to cause the runaway greenhouse effect. Large bodies of water on Venus did not capture the carbon dioxide like on Earth. Since the planet Venus formed without water on its surface, then there was no place for the carbon dioxide to go except into the atmosphere. Since the atmosphere is so rich with carbon dioxide then there is a runaway greenhouse effect. If water exits underground on Venus then releasing the water will make the surface wet.

The atmospheres of Venus and Earth were probably similar early in solar system history. However heat from the Sun would have evaporated any water from the surface of Venus. This would release any carbon dioxide absorbed by the bodies of water. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere acted as a greenhouse gas, preventing infrared radiation from escaping the planet. This would cause a rise in temperature, even more evaporation, and further release of carbon dioxide. Then with water vapor in the atmosphere, ultraviolet sunlight would break up the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would escape the planet because the gravity of Venus was insufficient to hold onto it. The oxygen would combine with carbon and eventually become locked up in the rocks. With no large bodies of water, carbon dioxide is not absorbed, making it the major component of the atmosphere of Venus.

Which of the following has the longest day? Mars Venus Earth The Moon

Venus

Which of the following are properties of Mars? More than one. active volcanoes atmosphere mostly carbon dioxide higher surface pressure than Earth likely once had liquid water surface rich in iron oxide coronae day approximately 24 hours. continental drift Olympus Mons ice at poles

atmosphere mostly carbon dioxide likely once had liquid water surface rich in iron oxide day approximately 24 hours. Olympus Mons ice at poles

Which of the following are properties of Venus? More than one. carbon dioxide rich atmosphere high surface pressure likely once had liquid water surface rich in iron oxide coronae day approximately 24 hours. possible active tectonics Olympus Mons ice at poles

coronae possible active tectonics high surface pressure carbon dioxide rich atmosphere

Which two properties are most important in determining the surface temperature of a planet? internal temperature and atmosphere size and atmosphere distance from the Sun and atmosphere size and distance from the Sun

distance from the Sun and atmosphere

Valles Marineris is a... large canyon on Mars. large valley on the dark side of Venus. vast rolling plain on the equator of Mars. large canyon on Venus.

large canyon on Mars.

Which of the following are considered evidence of the past presence of water on Mars? More than one. rocks in craters showing evidence of evaporation outflow channels kilometers wide carved by floods fossilized indentations in sedimentary rock showing evidence of ancient rain Valles Marineris carved by possible water features seasonal gullies, also called recurring slope lineae runoff channels tens of meters wide carved by surface rain

rocks in craters showing evidence of evaporation outflow channels kilometers wide carved by floods seasonal gullies, also called recurring slope lineae runoff channels tens of meters wide carved by surface rain