Russell Astronomy Test #2

What are the Jovian Planets in our Solar System? A. Earth, Mars, Neptune, Saturn B. Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter C. Neptune, Saturn, Earth, Jupiter D. Uranus, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter E. Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars

B. Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter

What are the cliffs on Mercury called? A. Terrain B. Scarps C. Caloris Basin D. Olympus Mons E. The Great Red Spot

B. Scarps

Maxwell Montes, the largest mountain on Venus, is what type of volcano? A. Cinder cone volcano B. Shield volcano C. Composite volcano D. It is not a volcano, it is just a mountain

B. Shield volcano

Saturn's rings are composed of A. Solid thin sheets that float around the planet B. Small icy debris that was caught in the orbit of Saturn and eventually created a ring shape C. Small rocks and dust that was pulled from the surface of Saturn because of its thin atmosphere D. None of the above

B. Small icy debris that was caught in the orbit of Saturn and eventually created a ring shape

Who drafted the first rough map of the ocean floors and suggested tectonic plate movement? A. Darwin B. Tharp and Heezen C. Herschel D. Russell and Dittmann E. Aristarchus

B. Tharp and Heezen

To what temperature does it typically drop to at night on Mars? A. 20 C B. -50 C C. -100 C D. -200 C

C. -100 C

How long does it take the moon to revolve around the earth? A. 20 days B. 24 days C. 27 days D. 30 days

C. 27 days

How much of the Earth is contained in the oceans? A. 30% B. 64.7% C. 96.5% D. 32.3%

C. 96.5%

In relation to Earth, what is the mass of Mars? A. 3 times greater B. Nearly identical C. About 1/10 D. About 1/4 E. 5 times greater

C. About 1/10

What is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter? A. A reflection glare cause by telescopes B. A giant crater C. An enormous hurricane D. A red colored area of Jupiter's surface

C. An enormous hurricane

What are the two moons of Mars similar to? A. Earth's moon B. Polaris C. Asteroids D. Meteors

C. Asteroids

Why is Venus much hotter than Mercury? A. Because it's between Mercury and Eath creating tidal forces B. Because it's the same size as Earth but closer to the Sun C. Because of the greenhouse gasses within the atmosphere D. Because the yellow color of the planet aborbs more light than brown

C. Because of the greenhouse gasses within the atmosphere

Who was one of the first men on the moon? A. Neil Patrick Harris B. Lance Armstrong C. Buzz Aldrin D. John Glenn

C. Buzz Aldrin

The atmosphere of Venus is mostly composed of what? A. Sulfuric acid B. Methane C. Carbon dioxide D. Nitrogen E. Oxygen

C. Carbon dioxide

What is the name of Pluto's largest moon? A. Styx B. Nix C. Charon D. Kerberos E. Hydra

C. Charon

The weather on Venus can best be described as A. Sunny B. Constant rain C. Constant cloud cover D. Extremely windy

C. Constant cloud cover

Which planet is the largest Terrestrial Planet? A. Mars B. Venus C. Earth D. Jupiter

C. Earth

The Galilean moons are the __________ moons of Jupiter. A. Four smallest B. Three smallest C. Four largest D. Three largest E. Four most distant

C. Four largest

Which characteristic do both Earth and Venus share? A. No atmosphere B. The same mass C. Hot iron-rich core D. Very slow retrograde rotation

C. Hot iron-rich core

What is different about Jupiter's rotation at the poles is its equator? A. It rotates 2 minutes faster B. It rotates twice as fast as normal C. It rotates 6 minutes slower D. There is no difference

C. It rotates 6 minutes slower

An unusual hilly formation on the opposite side of the planet from Caloris Basin is known as? A. Scarps B. Surface feature C. Jumbled terrain D. Intercrater plains E. Probe

C. Jumbled terrain

Which planet in our solar system has the most moons? A. Venus B. Earth C. Jupiter D. Uranus

C. Jupiter

Olympus Mons is the name for what on Mars? A. Mars' largest valley B. Mars' largest crater C. Mars' largest mountain D. Mars' north polar ice cap E. First landing sight for NASA on Mars

C. Mars' largest mountain

Which two elements make up the Earth's atmosphere? A. Hydrogen and oxygen B. Nitrogen and hydrogen C. Nitrogen and oxygen D. Carbon and oxygen

C. Nitrogen and oxygen

Unlike other planets, Venus rotates on its axis in a direction _____ to its motion around the sun. A. Perpendicular B. Parallel C. Opposite D. Diagonal E. Counter-clockwise

C. Opposite

Which is not a moon of Jupiter? A. Io B. Callisto C. Phobos D. Ganymede

C. Phobos

What creates Saturn's Rings? A. Asteroids from an asteroid belt B. Rocks from Saturn C. Satellites of Saturn ripped apart D. They are rings of gas

C. Satellites of Saturn are ripped apart

Which of the giant planets has the lowest density? A. Jupiter B. Neptune C. Saturn D. Uranus

C. Saturn

What is the term used to describe the altering of Venus's atmosphere to make habitable for human life? A. Ecoforming B. Eco-forcing C. Terraforming D. Terra-forcing

C. Terraforming

The moon was formed from A. A collapsing molecular-cloud B. A shockwave from a supernova C. The debris from a collision between Earth and protoplanet D. The accumulation of various gases

C. The debris from a collision between Earth and protoplanet

Auroras are the result of A. The interaction of particles from the Sun and Earth's atmosphere B. Destruction of the upper atmosphere C. The interaction of Earth's magnetic field with Earth's atmosphere D. Upper-atmosphere lightning strikes

C. The interaction of Earth's magnetic field with Earth's atmosphere

Why don't Saturn's rings fall into the planet? A. They are floating in space B. The gravity of Saturn is not strong enough C. The rings are in orbit D. The gravity from nearby planets counters Saturn's gravity

C. The rings are in orbit

How is the crust of Earth's moon composed? A. Very thick around entire surface B. Thicker on Earth side / thinner on far side C. Thicker on far side / thinner on Earth side D. Very thin around the entire surface

C. Thicker on far side / thinner on Earth side

The Moon's gravitational pull on the Earth creates the Earth's A. Lunar sphere B. Tidal elliptical C. Tidal bulge D. Lunar ellipse

C. Tidal bulge

Which of the following planets has a 90 degree tilt? A. Neptune B. Mercury C. Uranus D. Jupiter E. Mars

C. Uranus

Which planet in our solar system has the most volcanoes? A. Mercury B. Saturn C. Venus D. Mars

C. Venus

What rover is NOT on Mars? A. Spirit B. Curiosity C. Voyager D. Opportunity

C. Voyager

How long does it take for Saturn to make one revolution around the sun? A. 5 Earth years B. 15 Earth years C. 25 Earth years D. 30 Earth years E. 35 Earth years

D. 30 Earth years

A season on Neptune lasts for how many years on Earth? A. 1 year B. 4 years C. 10 years D. 40 years E. 100 years

D. 40 years

What is the radius of Earth? A. 222 km B. 780 km C. 640 km D. 6,400 km E. 1,800 km

D. 6,400 km

What percentage of sunlight does the moon reflect? A. 90% B. 65% C. 12% D. 7%

D. 7%

Now that Pluto is no longer included as a planet in the solar system, how many planets are there in the Solar System? A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8 E. None of the above

D. 8

The surface temperature of Saturn is A. 147º F B. 147 K C. 97º F D. 97 K

D. 97 K

What is the order of the Earth's Layers? A. The crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core B. The mantle, the outer core, the crust and the inner core C. The inner core, the outer core, the mantle, and the crust D. The crust, the outer core, the mantle, the inner core

A. The crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core

Which of the planets below has the most similar tilt angle rotation axis to Mars (24.0 degrees)? A. Venus B. Earth C. Mercury D. Jupiter E. Uranus

B. Earth

Mercury's atmosphere is more dense than Earth's because it is closer to the sun. A. True B. False

B. False

Saturn's rings are solid. A. True B. False

B. False

The Moon has the largest density among all moons in the solar system. A. True B. False

B. False

What type of rain falls on Jupiter? A. Nitrogen rain B. Helium-neon rain C. Acid rain D. Carbon rain

B. Helium-neon rain

Saturn's atmosphere consists of A. Carbon dioxide B. Hydrogen and helium C. Nitrogen and oxygen D. Methane

B. Hydrogen and helium

What elements are the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn primarily composed of? A. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide B. Hydrogen and helium C. Nitrogen and methane D. Argon and krypton

B. Hydrogen and helium

Which Galilean moon of Jupiter experiences the strongest tidal force and is, consequently, the closest to the planet? A. Callisto B. Io C. Europa D. Ganymede

B. Io

Increasing their distance from Jupiter, what order are the Galilean moons in? A. Ganymede, Io, Callisto, Europa B. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto C. Callisto, Europa, Ganymede, Io D. Europa, Io, Callisto, Ganymede

B. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Mercury? A. It has a cool, iron-rich core B. It has a completely smooth terrain C. It has a resonance rotation D. It has a weak magnetic field E. It has an average temperature of 440K

B. It has a completely smooth terrain

Which planet has the strongest magnetic field in the solar system? A. Earth B. Jupiter C. Saturn D. Pluto

B. Jupiter

What planet has the tallest mountains in our solar system? A. Saturn B. Mars C. Earth D. Venus

B. Mars

What is the largest mountain on Venus? A. Aprhodite Terra B. Maxwell Montes C. Olympus Mons D. Isthar Terra

B. Maxwell Montes

Underneath the stratosphere, what is the next level of material of the atmosphere of Uranus and Neptune? A. Hydrogen sulfide ice B. Methane ice C. Ammonia ice D. Ammonium hydrosulfide ice

B. Methane ice

Who first took step on the moon? A. Yuri Gagarin B. Neil Armstrong C. Buzz Armstrong D. Eugene Cernan E. Neil Aldrin

B. Neil Armstrong

Pluto is sometimes closer to the sun than A. Saturn B. Neptune C. Uranus D. It is always the farthest from the sun

B. Neptune

How big is Jupiter's mass in comparison to the Sun? A. One hundredth B. One thousandth C. One tenth D. One millionth

B. One thousandth

The surface of Venus consists of specific features like A. Maxwell Montes B. Aprhodite Terra C. Dante's gallow craters D. A and B only E. All of the above

D. A and B only (Maxwell Montes and Aphrodite Terra)

Which of the following characteristics does not apply to Saturn? A. Rings that are visible from Earth B. An interior similar to Jupiter's C. Self-generating heat D. Blue coloring due to methane

D. Blue coloring due to methane

What is true of Mercury? A. Noon to noon is two years on Mercury because of the strange resonance rotation B. Mercury is very cold on the night time side C. Mercury's orbital period is about half the period of Earth's period D. Both A and B C. All of the above

D. Both A and B (noon to noon is two years on Mercury because of the strange resonance rotation and Mercury is very cold on the night time side)

What is the ocean of Saturn's moon Titan composed of? A. Water B. Hydrogen and nitrogen C. Molten lead D. Ethane and methane

D. Ethane and methane

What is the atmosphere of Jupiter primarily made up of? A. Helium B. Sulfur C. Ammonia D. Hydrogen

D. Hydrogen

Which of the following is true about Mercury? A. It has a thin atmosphere B. It is geologically active C. It has a solid core D. It is about 70% metallic

D. It is about 70% metallic

How much oxygen is Earth's atmosphere composed of? A. 57% B. 36% C. 89% D. 21%

D. 21%

What is one use for the WISE telescope? A. Sky surveys B. Star gazing C. Planet searching D. None of the above

A. Sky surveys

The planet Mercury is the_____________ planet in our solar system. A. Smallest yet second most dense B. Largest yet second most dense C. Most dense and (of the rocky planets) largest D. Most dense and smallest E. Roundest, and yet the most rocky

A. Smallest yet second most dense

Approximately how many miles is the Earth's surface from outer space? A. 100 miles B. 40 miles C. 10 miles D. 200 miles

A. 100 miles

Earth's crust is A. A thin layer of the least dense rock material B. Thick layer of rock material C. Thin layer of dried lava D. Thin layer of thinned out rocks

A. A thin layer of the least dense rock material

What makes up the majority of Mars' atmosphere? A. Carbon dioxide B. Nitrogen C. Oxygen D. Argon

A. Carbon dioxide

Which one of the officially recognized dwarf planets is NOT located in the outer solar system? A. Ceres B. Pluto C. Eris D. Makemake E. Haumea

A. Ceres

What causes Earth to have electromagnetic fields? A. Electric currents in the two regions that make up the Earth's core B. The Moon's gravity C. Weather patterns D. Water being broken apart by the Sun's radiation

A. Electric currents in the two regions that make up the Earth's core

What mountain on Earth has the highest altitude, from base to peak? A. Hawaii B. Mt. Kilimanjaro C. Mt. Everest D. Mt. Rushmore

A. Hawaii

How thick is Mars' atmosphere compared to Earth's atmosphere? A. It is 100x thinner than Earth's atmosphere B. It is 20x more dense than Earth's atmosphere C. It it is 2.5x less dense than Earth's atmosphere D. None of the above

A. It is 100x thiner than Earth's atmosphere

Which is the largest planet in our solar system? A. Jupiter B. Neptune C. Earth D. Mars E. Saturn

A. Jupiter

Which probe hasn't explored Jupiter? A. Kepler III B. Voyager I C. Voyager II D. Galileo E. They've all explored Jupiter

A. Kepler III

Which of the following planets does NOT have a density higher than 5,000g/cm3? A. Mars B. Earth C. Mercury D. Venus

A. Mars

The side of Mercury that faces the sun experiences temperatures the near 427 degrees Celsius while the side that does not face the sun experiences temperatures as low as -173 degrees Celsius. Why is this? A. Mercury has no atmosphere B. It has to do with Mercury's distance from the sun C. Mercury has no vegetation to help control temperature D. The consistency of Mercury's core plays a role

A. Mercury has no atmosphere

Which of these is a region than can be found in the internal structure of Saturn? A. Metallic hydrogen and helium B. Volcanic rock C. Gummy worms D. Potassium E. All of the above

A. Metallic hydrogen and helium

Why do Uranus and Neptune have a blue-green color? A. Methane B. It's their favorite color C. Metallic hydrogen D. The greenhouse effect

A. Methane

Mercury's orbit is A. More elliptical than Earth's B. Less elliptical than Earth's C. So similar to Earth's that they are practically the same D. Not elliptical at all, but rather circular

A. More elliptical than Earth's

Which planet has a great dark spot, similar to Jupiter's great red spot? A. Neptune B. Earth C. Jupiter D. Pluto

A. Neptune

What type of waves have scientists used in order to learn about Earth's interior? A. Seismic waves B. Atomic matter waves C. Microwaves D. Longitudinal waves

A. Seismic waves

What are the layers of the Earth's atmosphere in order from lowest altitude to highest altitude? A. Troposphere, Tropopause, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere B. Troposphere, Tropopause, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Stratosphere C. Troposphere, Tropopause, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Thermosphere D. Tropopause, Troposphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Thermosphere

A. Troposphere, Tropopause, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere

Neptune is more dense than Jupiter. A. True B. False

A. True

The Moon's mass is roughly 1.2 percent the mass of the Earth. A. True B. False

A. True

The crust of the Moon is thicker on the far side (the side furthest from the Earth) and is thinner on the closer side (the side closer to the Earth). A. True B. False

A. True

The earth's core is as hot as the Sun. A. True B. False

A. True

What causes the formation of the central peak of a crater? a. Underlying layers rebounding b. Layers of debris covering the impacted object c. Underlying layers deforming d. The formation of secondary craters

A. Underlying layers rebounding

Which planet is named after a Greek god instead of a Roman one? A. Uranus B. Saturn C. Venus D. Neptune

A. Uranus

Can the stronger storms on Mars shroud the planet in dust in just weeks? A. Yes B. No C. Hahah Beats me D. Matt Damon

A. Yes

How many main groups of rings does Saturn have? A. 4 B. 7 C. 3 D. 9

B. 7

How are comets formed? A. The sun created them B. By the collapse of a giant, diffuse cloud of gas and dust about 4.6 billion years ago C. Scientests created them D. NASA sent them to space

B. By the collapse of a giant, diffuse cloud of gas and dust about 4.6 billion years ago

Water erosion dominates which planet? A. Mars B. Earth C. Venus D. All of the above

B. Earth

What speed do the fastest winds reach on Saturn? A. 450 km/hr B. 1,650 km/hr C. 100 km/hr D. 250 km/hr

B. 1,650 km/hr

Mars is ____ the size(volume) of the Earth? A. 2/15 B. 1/16 C. 3/13 D. 1/18

B. 1/16

How long is Jupiter's rotational period? A. 24 hours B. 10 hours C. 12 hours D. None of the above

B. 10 hours

How long is a day (Noon to Noon) in Mercury? A. 1 Earth year B. 176 Earth days C. 6 Earth hours D. 1 Earth day

B. 176 Earth days

When did Voyager 2 fly by Uranus? A. 1984 B. 1986 C. 1968 D. 1946 E. 1996

B. 1986

How many permanent polar ice caps does Mars have? A. 4 B. 2 C. 3 D. It doesn't have ice caps, it is impossible to have liquid (or frozen) water on Mars

B. 2

What is the length of a day in Mars? A. 10 hours, 35 minutes B. 24 hours, 37 minutes C. 23 hours, 56 minutes D. 16 hours, 1 minute

B. 24 hours, 37 minutes

How long is a day on Venus? A. 1/2 an Earth day B. 243 Earth days C. 1 Earth day D. 56 Earth days E. 3 Earth years

B. 243 Earth days

How many moons does Pluto have? A. 6 B. 5 C. 3 D. 4

B. 5

Why is the Moon's tidal force about twice as strong as the Sun's? A. The Moon is so much father from Earth than the Sun B. The Moon is so much closer to Earth than the Sun C. The Sun is more massive than the Moon D. The Moon's gravitational force is stronger than the Sun's

B. The moon is so much closer to the Earth than the Sun

Which one of these planetary bodies actually orbits Saturn? A. Phobos B. Titan C. Pluto D. Io

B. Titan

What can be thought of as Earth's sister planet? A. Mars B. Venus C. Uranus D. Jupiter

B. Venus

Which of these planets has the highest average temperature? A. Jupiter B. Venus C. Neptune D. Mercury

B. Venus

Who is credited with the discovery of Uranus? A. John Couch Adams B. William Herschel C. Urbain Leverrier D. Johan Galle

B. William Herschel

The Mare of the Moon suggest A. Oldest areas of the Moon B. Youngest areas of the Moon C. Evidence that the Moon once had an atmosphere D. Evidence the Moon once had water

B. Youngest areas of the Moon

What is the Moon's gravity in proportion to Earth's gravity? A. 1/10 B. 1/3 C. 1/4 D. 1/6

D. 1/6

Pluto was given its name by A. NASA B. American Astronomical Society C. International Astronomical Union D. 11 year old Venetia Burney E. Group of Scientists at a University

D. 11 year old Venetia Burney

How long does it take Neptune to complete one orbit around the sun? A. 32 years B. 79 years C. 128 years D. 164 years

D. 164 years

Which of the following is not a type of moonrock? A. Basalts B. Breccia C. Regolith D. Keptonic

D. Keptonic

What is the Caloris Basin found on the planet of Mercury? A. Huge rift valley B. Largest mountain in the solar system C. Large highlands D. Large impact crater E. Huge cliffs though to have form as the planet cooled and contracted

D. Large impact crater

What was the NASA spacecraft called that recently passed Pluto, taking great pictures of the surface of Pluto that we previously did not have? A. Kepler B. U.S.S. Enterprise C. The Voyager D. New Horizons

D. New Horizons

How was the category of dwarf planets created? A. Astronomers wanted to create hype and excitement about space B. It was easier than changing all the text books to change the number of planets C. Astronomers needed a new find to keep their grant D. Pluto did not fit well into the definition of other planets and many other objects like Pluto were found E. They have always been in existence

D. Pluto did not fit well into the definition of other planets and many other objects like Pluto were found

Mercury is one of our solar system's___________. A. Gas midgets B. Gas giants C. Only planets made entirely of Mercury (hint the name) D. Rocky bodies (like Earth) E. Largest planets

D. Rocky bodies (like Earth)

Which is the largest state that can fit inside Mercury's crater Caloris Basin? A. Rhode Island B. California C. Iowa D. Texas

D. Texas

What other small object like Mercury is less geologically active than the terrestrial planets? A. Pluto B. Saturn C. Uranus D. The Moon

D. The Moon

Which planets have the hottest and coldest surface temperatures, respectively? A. Mars; Pluto B. Mercury; Pluto C. Venus; Earth D. Venus; Pluto

D. Venus; Pluto

Triton, Neptune's moon, has which characteristic? A. A thin nitrogen atmosphere B. Hurricanes C. Earthquakes D. Ice volcanoes E. Both A and D

E. Both A and D (a thin nitrogen atmosphere and ice volcanoes)

Aside from the heat remaining from the planet's formation, what is the name for the process that generates heat on Saturn? A. Nitrogen fusion B. An excess of gamma rays C. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere D. Liquid neon in the atmosphere E. Helium precipitation

E. Helium precipitation

Which of the following is evidence of water on Mars? A. Rocks on Mars form layers indicating that gentle currents of water laid these sandy deposits B. Rocks on Mars are rich in sulfur indicating precipitation from water C. Rocks on Mars demonstrate degrees of weathering, indicating water erosion D. Rocks on Mars contained small spherical grains that would have been formed by percolation of water E. These are all evidence of water on Mars

E. These are all evidence of water on Mars (rocks on Mars form layers indicating that gentle currents of water laid these sandy deposits, rocks on Mars are rich in sulfur indicating precipitation from water, rocks on Mars demonstrate degrees of weathering indicating water erosion, and rocks on Mars contained small spherical grains that would have been formed by percolation of water)

Which of the following planets takes longer to rotate once than revolute, and also rotates clockwise? A. Mars B. Jupiter C. Pluto D. Saturn E. Venus

E. Venus

Which one of these planets does not have any moons orbiting it? A. Uranus B. Mars C. Saturn D. Neptune E. Venus

E. Venus