Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth? A) An asteroid B) A meteoroid C) A comet D) Interplanetary dust

Q: Which of the following is(are) believed to be material that never collected into a single planet? A) Asteroids B) Meteoroids C) Comets D) Interplanetary dust

Q: Which of the following is(are) found mainly between Mars and Jupiter? A) Asteroids B) Meteoroids C) Comets D) Interplanetary dust

Q: The asteroid belt is between the orbits of A) Earth and Mars. B) Mars and Jupiter. C) Earth and Venus. D) Jupiter and Saturn.

Q: Which planet has a large moon with retrograde motion? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune

Q: Which of the following moons has retrograde motion? A) Ganymede B) Titan C) Miranda D) Triton

Q: Which planet's major moons were named after literary characters? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune

Q: Which planet has the second largest moon in the solar system? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune

Q: Which of Jupiter's moons is believed to be covered with water ice and possibly have life sustaining conditions? A) Io B) Europa C) Ganymede D) Callisto

Q: Which of the Galilean moons has volcanic activity? A) Io B) Europa C) Ganymede D) Callisto

Q: Which of the following is Jupiter's largest moon? A) Io B) Euorpa C) Ganymede D) Callisto

Q: Which of the Jovian planets has the most moons? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune

Q: Which of the following has the most moons? A) Mercury B) Venus C) Earth D) Mars

Q: Suppose you live on the near side of the Moon in the crater Copernicus. How often will the Sun set below your horizon? A) Every 12 hours B) Every 24 hours C) Every 29.5 days D) Never

Q: A waxing phase of the Moon can be seen A) 10 days after a full moon. B) 10 days after a new moon. C) 10 days before a new moon. D) none of these

Q: An observer on the Moon looking at Earth would A) always see a fully illuminated Earth. B) always see a half-illuminated Earth. C) see phases of Earth. D) see continuous darkness.

Q: In exactly 14 days after a full moon, one would see a A) new moon. B) waxing crescent moon. C) first-quarter moon. D) waning crescent moon.

Q: The "horns" of the crescent moon point A) always away from the Sun. B) in random directions. C) down toward Earth. D) always away from Earth.

Q: Tides occur later each day because of A) Earth's rotation with respect to the Sun. B) the Moon's rotation with respect to Earth. C) Earth's rotation with respect to the Moon. D) a change in gravitational attraction.

Q: Someone on the far side of the Moon would observe Earth rise once every A) 24 hours. B) 24 hours and 50 minutes. C) 29.5 Earth days. D) None of these, the observer would never see Earth rise.

Q: Someone on the near side of the Moon would observe Earth rise once every A) 24 hours. B) 24 hours and 50 minutes. C) 29.5 Earth days. D) None of these, the observer would never see Earth rise or set.

Q: Spring tides occur close to the time of ______________ moon. A) the new B) the first-quarter C) both the new and the full D) the last-quarter

Q: Spring tides occur A) only in March. B) when Earth, the Moon, and the Sun line up. C) fewer than 10 times a year. D) once a month.

Q: Tides are caused by A) the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun. B) Earth's rotation. C) the Moon keeping the same face toward Earth. D) none of these.

Q: During a solar eclipse, the umbra moves across Earth's surface generally from A) east to west. B) west to east. C) south to north. D) north to south.

Q: A lunar eclipse can occur only when the Moon is in or near the ______________ phase. A) new B) first-quarter C) last-quarter D) full

Q: A solar eclipse occurs at or near the time of a A) first-quarter moon. B) last-quarter moon. C) new moon. D) full moon.

Q: When the Moon rises at approximately 12 noon, it is in the ______________ phase. A) first-quarter B) last-quarter C) new D) full

Q: When the Moon is on an observer's meridian at 9 A.M., the Moon is in the ______________ phase. A) waning crescent B) waning gibbous C) waxing crescent D) waxing gibbous

Q: The last-quarter Moon rises approximately at A) 6 A.M. B) noon. C) 6 P.M. D) midnight.

Q: The first-quarter Moon sets at approximately A) midnight. B) noon. C) 6 P.M. D) 6 A.M.

Q: At the time of a full moon, an astronaut on the Moon looking at Earth would see a A) full Earth moon. B) first-quarter Earth moon. C) last-quarter Earth moon. D) new Earth moon.

Q: On March 21, the Moon is in its first-quarter phase. An observer who sees this Moon on his or her meridian at this time A) cannot see the Sun. B) sees the Sun setting. C) sees the Sun rising. D) none of these

Q: The full moon by definition occurs A) for only a day. B) for 7-3/8 days. C) only for an instant. D) only once every month.

Q: The phase of the Moon that one observes on the overhead meridian at 10 P.M. local time is a ______________ moon. A) waxing crescent B) waning crescent C) waxing gibbous D) waning gibbous

Q: The Moon always presents the same face to Earth because A) the Moon does not rotate on its axis. B) the Moon rotates on its axis at same rate at which it revolves around Earth. C) the Moon revolves around the Sun in one month. D) none of these

Q: The Moon revolves around Earth A) in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above Earth's North Pole. B) once every day. C) once every 7-3/8 days. D) none of these

Q: The direction of the Moon's orbit about Earth is A) westward. B) eastward. C) clockwise, as viewed from above Earth's North Pole. D) none of these.

Q: The Moon rises 50 minutes later each day because A) the tidal forces on the Moon slow Earth's rotation, causing its period to be longer. B) the Moon revolves eastward around Earth. C) the Moon rotates on its axis. D) the Moon revolves westward around Earth.

Q: The Moon's orbital plane is inclined to Earth's orbital plane by A) 0. B) 5. C) 23.5. D) 30.

Q: The Moon completes one orbit around Earth about every A) 29.5 days. B) 7 days. C) 365 days. D) sidereal day.

Q: The Moon A) revolves about Earth from west to east. B) has a day equal to 29.5 Earth days. C) has an elliptical orbit about Earth. D) all of these.

Q: Rills on the Moon are believed to have been caused by A) moonquakes. B) meteorite impacts. C) volcanoes. D) expansion and contraction of the Moon's surface.

Q: The Moon's average density is A) greater than Earth's. B) less than Earth's. C) approximately the same as Earth's. D) nonexistent because water is not present.

Q: The oldest rocks on the Moon were formed about how many years ago? A) 1.5 million B) 4.4 million C) 1.5 billion D) 4.4 billion

Q: The impact of meteorites on the Moon has caused A) craters only. B) rays only. C) rills only. D) both rays and craters.

Q: Craters on the Moon are believed to have been caused by A) wind erosion. B) water erosion. C) the impact of meteorites. D) volcanic action.

Q: The Moon is thought to be A) older than Earth. B) the same age as Earth. C) younger than Earth. D) infinitely old.

Q: Moonquakes are believed to have caused the Moon's A) rays. B) craters. C) rills D) plains (maria).

Q: Which of the following is not a general feature of the Moon's surface? A) Dry ocean plains B) Multiring basins C) Secondary craters D) None of these; that is, all these features are present

Q: Pulverized rock is believed to make up the Moon's A) rays. B) craters. C) rills. D) plains (maria).

Q: The far side of the Moon A) has never been seen. B) has more craters than the near side. C) looks just like the near side. D) is always dark.

Q: The diameter of the Moon is approximately A) 800 mi. B) 239,000 mi. C) 93,000,000 mi. D) 2200 mi.

Q: If a person weighs 150 lb on Earth, what will the person weigh on the Moon? A) 25 lb B) 900 lb C) 150 lb D) 75 lb E) 15 lb

Q: If a person weighs 150 lb on Earth, what will the person weigh on the Moon? A) 25 lb B) 900 lb C) 150 lb D) 75 lb E) 300 lb

Q: A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (80W, 33N). What two longitudes are experiencing low tide? A) 10E and 170E B) 10W and 170W C) 10E and 170W D) 10W and 170E

Q: A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (59W, 30N). Which listed longitude is experiencing a low tide occurring? A) 121E B) 59E C) 31E D) 31W E) 121W

Q: A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (24W, 43N). Which listed longitude is experiencing a low tide occurring? A) 156E B) 24E C) 66E D) 66W E) 156W

Q: A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (30W, 54N). At approximately what other longitude is a high tide occurring? A) 150E B) 30E C) 60E D) 60W E) 150W

Q: A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (157W, 54N). At approximately what other longitude is a high tide occurring? A) 23E B) 157E C) 67E D) 67W E) 23W

Q: A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (80W, 33N). At approximately what other longitude is a high tide occurring? A) 100E B) 80E C) 60E D) 40E E) 20E

Q: It is 12:00 noon local solar time at 75W. The date is March 21. At which of the following longitudes would an observer be able to see the last-quarter moon rising? A) 105W B) 75E C) 15W D) 105E

Q: At what longitude is an observer who sees the last-quarter moon on his meridian when it is 12:00 noon local solar time at 75W? A) 165W B) 15E C) 15W D) 165E E) 75E

Q: The local solar time at 75W is 12:00 noon. What is the longitude of an observer who sees the full moon on her meridian at this time? A) 105E B) 75E C) 15E D) 15W E) None of the above

Q: The local solar time at 25W is 12:00 noon. What is the longitude of an observer who sees the full moon on her meridian at this time? A) 155E B) 65E C) 25E D) 25W E) None of the above

Q: The particles of interplanetary dust are called ______________. A) micrometeoroids B) asteroids C) meteors D) meteorites

Q: Short-period comets, such as Halley's comet, are believed to come from ______________. A) the Kuiper Belt B) the Oort cloud C) the asteroid belt D) Earth

Q: Long-period comets are believed to come from ______________. A) the Oort cloud B) interstellar space C) the asteroid belt D) the Great Red Spot

Q: As comets approach and move around the Sun, the coma and the tail ______________ in size. A) decrease B) increase C) remain the same D) none of the above

Q: Halley's Comet returns about every ______________ years. A) 4 B) 12 C) 1000 D) 10,000 E) 76

Q: Probably the best-known comet is ______________ Comet. A) Sally's B) Bally's C) Bailey's D) Malley's E) Halley's

Q: Comets are composed of ______________. A) dust and ice B) rock C) helium D) lead E) iron

Q: The ______________ surrounds the nucleus of a comet. A) head or coma B) cloud C) fuzz D) cover E) epinucleus

Q: A meteor ______________ results when a large number of meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere. A) fall B) landing C) group D) explosion E) shower

Q: The seriousness of an asteroid collision is gauged by the ______________ scale. A) Torino B) Richter C) Decibel D) Sunami E) Star

Q: When a meteor strikes Earth's surface, it is called a(n) ______________. A) asteroid B) star C) planet D) meteorite E) ball

Q: When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it is called a(n) ______________. A) meteor or "shooting star" B) asteroid C) star D) planet E) dwarf planet

Q: ______________ is the largest known asteroid. A) Pluto B) Mars C) Ceres D) Vesta E) Mercury

Q: Charon is a moon of ______________ . A) Earth B) Venus C) Neptune D) Mars E) Pluto

Q: Nix and Hydra are moons of ______________ . A) Earth B) Venus C) Neptune D) Mars E) Pluto