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Physic
Q:
The surface of Comet 67P/CG as detected by the Rosetta mission is best described as
A) smooth with parallel striations.
B) smooth with many hilly areas.
C) rough with cracks and crevices.
D) rough with many craters.
Q:
The New Horizons space probe passed through the Pluto system in
A) 2008.
B) 2012.
C) 2015.
D) 2016.
Q:
Pluto is found within the
A) Oort cloud.
B) Kuiper belt.
C) asteroid belt.
D) orbit of Neptune.
Q:
The Dawn spacecraft entered into orbit around Ceres in
A) 2008.
B) 2012.
C) 2015.
D) 2016.
Q:
The Trojans, Greeks, and Hildas are in orbit around
A) the Sun.
B) Jupiter.
C) Saturn.
D) Uranus.
Q:
Earth's Moon is about the
A) same size of a typical asteroid.
B) much bigger than a typical asteroid.
C) much smaller than a typical asteroid.
Q:
Why do the tails of comets point away from the Sun?
Q:
Distinguish between an asteroid, a meteoroid, and a comet.
Q:
With each pass of a comet about the Sun, its mass
A) is appreciably reduced.
B) remains virtually unchanged.
C) actually increases.
Q:
The consequences of a comet's tail sweeping across the Earth would be
A) a meteor shower.
B) likely catastrophic.
C) like an enhanced Aurora Borealis worldwide.
D) quite unpredictable.
Q:
The general direction of a comet's tail is
A) toward the Sun.
B) away from the Sun.
C) behind the comet's direction of motion.
Q:
Comets orbit about the
A) Sun.
B) Moon.
C) Earth.
D) all of these
E) none of these
Q:
In a museum collection you can likely see a
A) meteoroid but not a meteorite.
B) meteor but not a meteoroid.
C) meteorite but not a meteoroid.
Q:
A small rock in interplanetary space is called a
A) meteor.
B) meteoroid.
C) meteorite.
Q:
Most meteors seen as shooting stars are about the size of
A) grains of sand.
B) baseballs.
C) small buildings.
D) very large buildings.
E) small continents.
Q:
Asteroids orbit the
A) Sun.
B) Earth.
C) Moon.
D) all of these
E) none of these
Q:
Why do comet's tails always point away from the Sun?
A) because of solar wind
B) because the inner planets cause the ice and other volatile materials to be pulled towards their orbits
C) because of the comet's interaction with dark matter
D) because when they move away from the Sun they begin to lose inertia
Q:
For what reason was Pluto demoted from full planetary status in 2006?
A) because of objects as large or larger than Pluto in the Kuiper belt
B) because Pluto resides outside of the zone that can truly be described as the solar system
C) because Pluto was discovered to be a twin planet system
D) because according to the standard definition, no planet can be smaller than the Earth's moon
Q:
Why is the Kuiper belt considered to be a zone of failed planet formation?
A) The dwarf planets found therein have yet to fully accrete all of the material in their orbital paths.
B) There is simply not enough material within the dwarf planet's orbital paths for any of them to ever add up to full planetary status.
C) Because none of the dwarf planets are massive enough to maintain an atmosphere.
D) Both A and B are reasonable.
Q:
Between which planets is the asteroid belt found?
A) between Mars and Jupiter
B) between Earth and Mars
C) between Earth and Venus
D) between Jupiter and Neptune
Q:
At about what frequency is Earth struck by a meteorite large enough (about 10 km in diameter) to cause mass extinctions?
A) about every 1 million years
B) about every 10 million years
C) about every 100 million years
D) This has yet to occur on Earth.
Q:
About how many tons of meteorites strike the Earth on a daily basis?
A) 20 tons
B) 200 tons
C) 2000 tons
D) 20,000 tons
Q:
During the peak of a total annular eclipse, the image of the Sun cast onto some white paper is
A) a circle.
B) a crescent.
C) a large white spot.
D) not going to be seen.
Q:
To scale, if Earth were the size of a basketball, then the Moon would be about the size of a
A) bowling ball.
B) tennis ball.
C) ping-pong ball.
D) marble.
Q:
To scale, if Earth were the size of a basketball, then the Moon would be about
A) 5 feet away.
B) 10 feet away.
C) 20 feet away.
D) 80 feet away.
Q:
Distinguish between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse, and the reasons for each.
Q:
Only one side of the Moon faces Earth. Is this because the Moon spins about its axis, or doesn't spin about its axis? Defend your answer.
Q:
The reason we don't have solar and lunar eclipses monthly is because of the
A) relatively close distance of the Moon and Earth.
B) relatively long distance to the Sun.
C) tapering of the Sun's rays.
D) different orbital planes for Earth and the Moon.
E) 23 tilt of the Earth's axis.
Q:
When the Sun passes between the Moon and the Earth, we have
A) a solar eclipse.
B) a lunar eclipse.
C) met our end.
Q:
When the alignment of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth produce a lunar eclipse, the body that is in between the other two is the
A) Sun.
B) Moon.
C) Earth.
Q:
When the alignment of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth produce a solar eclipse, the body between the other two is the
A) Sun.
B) Moon.
C) Earth.
Q:
When we see a half-moon, the position of the Sun is
A) almost directly behind the Moon.
B) almost directly behind the Earth.
C) at right angles to a line from Earth to the Moon.
D) about 45 from a line from Earth to the Moon.
Q:
When the Moon assumes its characteristic thin crescent shape, the position of the Sun is
A) almost directly behind the Earth, so Earth is between the Sun and the Moon.
B) almost directly in back of the Moon.
C) at right angles to the line between the Moon and Earth.
Q:
The reason that the Moon takes on a crescent shape each month has to do with the
A) Earth's shadow.
B) Sun's position.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
The gravity lock of the Moon to Earth is similar to the action of a
A) tidal wave.
B) giant pendulum.
C) master key.
D) magnetic compass.
E) spinning top.
Q:
The fact that one side of the Moon always faces Earth is evidence that while revolving about the Earth it
A) does not rotate about its axis.
B) rotates about its axis.
Q:
The Earth rotates about its axis once per 24 hours, while the Moon rotates about its axis once per
A) 24 hours also.
B) half month.
C) month.
D) year.
E) none of these
Q:
The core of the Moon is
A) solid.
B) liquid.
C) gaseous.
D) Not enough information is known for an answer.
Q:
Why is the Moon still visible during a full lunar eclipse?
A) Earth's atmosphere acts as a lens that refracts light into the shadowed region.
B) There is a minor component of phosphorescent minerals distributed fairly evenly on the lunar surface.
C) The Moon's thin atmosphere acts as a mirror, reflecting light being cast from neighboring stars.
D) Background microwave radiation becomes excited during the lunar eclipse, and shifts towards visual light, which then slightly illuminates the eclipsed moon.
Q:
Why should one not stare at the Sun during a partial eclipse?
A) Because, whether there is an eclipse or not, the Sun's intense radiation can easily damage our eyes.
B) Because the eclipse event itself creates a lensing effect, which greatly magnifies and intensifies the Suns rays.
C) Because Sunspots, which are excited by the eclipse event, can easily erupt during the eclipse.
D) Because Ultraviolet radiation is intensified during the event.
E) Because coronas and corneas are always a bad mix.
Q:
Which explanation best describes why Earth observers always see the same face of the moon?
A) The Moon's rate of spin matches the rate at which the Moon revolves around Earth.
B) The Moon does not rotate as it circles Earth.
C) We tend only to observe the Moon at night, not during the day.
D) Earth and Moon are partially gravity locked.
Q:
Is the rate of Earth's rotation increasing or decreasing?
A) It is increasing.
B) It is decreasing.
C) It is remaining relatively steady.
D) It is increasing and decreasing in cyclic fashion.
Q:
Neptune was discovered by irregularities in the orbit of
A) Jupiter.
B) Saturn.
C) Uranus.
D) Pluto.
E) Earth.
Q:
The parts of Saturn's rings with the greatest rotational speed are the
A) inner parts.
B) outer parts.
C) Neither, for all parts of Saturn's rings rotate equally.
Q:
The planet that is most tipped to its orbital plane is
A) Mars.
B) Jupiter.
C) Saturn.
D) Uranus.
E) Neptune.
Q:
Compared to the density of water, the density of Saturn is
A) less.
B) more.
C) about the same.
Q:
Compared to your weight on Earth, your weight on Jupiter would be about
A) 2 times.
B) 3 times.
C) 100 times.
D) 300 times.
E) 3000 times.
Q:
If one had the opportunity to walk on Triton, Neptune's largest moon, what would you observe the geysers to be spewing?
A) liquid nitrogen
B) liquid hydrogen
C) liquid oxygen
D) liquid water
Q:
Like Jupiter and Saturn, Neptune emits about 2.5 times as much heat energy as it receives from the Sun, although calculations show it should have already lost all of its original heat. What is the most likely explanation?
A) Unlike Uranus, it is still contracting.
B) Radioactive decay has kicked into overdrive, with runaway reactions taking place.
C) The basis for these calculations is currently being questioned by a new generation of scientists.
D) There are gravitational anomalies taking place, which may hold some clue as to where the heat may be coming from.
E) Uranus' gravity is creating a "slingshot" effect, catapulting solar winds into Neptune's atmosphere in the form of as of yet undetected radiation.
Q:
What is the likely cause of the 98 tilt of Uranus's axis?
A) a collision with a large body early in the solar system's evolution
B) distorted magnetic poles due to its large molten iron core
C) fluid wave dynamics due to its large molten core
D) Neptune's effect on Uranus' gravitational field
Q:
What aspect of Titan may hold clues as to what Earth was like before life arose here?
A) its intense volcanic activity
B) its expansive liquid oceans
C) the rate of radioactive decay of its inner core
D) an intriguing soup of organic molecules
Q:
The materials that compose most of Titan are completely different than those that compose Earth. Therefore, what were scientist surprised to see from space-probe images in a 2005 landing?
A) some indications that an ancient civilization may have inhabited Titan approximately 500,000 years ago
B) a landscape similar to Earth's
C) an utterly alien landscape, unlike anything seen on Earth
D) the image of a man's face on an equatorial mountain range
Q:
Where did Saturn's rings likely come from?
A) either a moon that never formed, or a moon destroyed by tidal forces
B) the decay of radioactive particles in the outer fringes of Saturn's upper atmosphere
C) volcanic activity on its surface ejecting matter into space
D) the gravitational capture of micro-asteroids
Q:
Saturn's rings are composed of?
A) chunks of ice and rock
B) methane gas
C) hydrogen
D) old satellites and other space junk lost from Earth's orbit and other space missions
Q:
What makes Europa the most likely place extraterrestrial life will be found in our solar system?
A) It has an ocean of liquid water, which is warmed by tidal force interaction with Jupiter, and may house underwater volcanic thermal vents.
B) It has an ocean of liquid water, and there is increasing evidence of phytoplankton activity, particularly as shown by ongoing spectral analysis.
C) It has a hydrogen ocean and moderate levels of oxygen in its atmosphere, which is gradually producing water through frequent lighting strikes.
D) Actually, Io is the most likely place to find life, due to its high level of volcanic activity.
Q:
On which body (other than Earth) is life in our solar system most likely to be found?
A) Mars
B) Venus
C) Europa
D) Scientific evidence suggests that life elsewhere in our solar system is not possible.
Q:
Which body in the solar system has the highest level of volcanic activity?
A) Jupiter
B) Earth
C) Mars
D) Io
Q:
What is the cause of Jupiter's extremely high-energy radiation belts?
A) an enormous magnetic field that captures high energy particles
B) the capture of a high number of metallic asteroids
C) tidal forces due to the interaction between Jupiter and its moons
D) the remnants of a massive collision between Jupiter and another large body
Q:
What constitutes over half of Jupiter's volume?
A) oceans of liquid hydrogen
B) oceans of liquid methane
C) its rocky solid core
D) the massive Mons Majora Range
Q:
How much greater is the atmospheric pressure of Jupiter than Earth's? More than
A) ten times.
B) one hundred times.
C) ten thousand times.
D) a million times.
Q:
What is the predominant component of Jupiter's atmosphere?
A) hydrogen
B) helium
C) methane
D) ammonia
Q:
What is the cause of Jupiter's slight flattening, which results in an equatorial diameter 6% greater than its polar diameter?
A) its rapid spin cycle
B) its massive gravitational pull
C) nuclear fission within its core
D) its frequent reversal of its magnetic poles
Q:
Why is Jupiter the largest planet in the solar system?
A) Because that's just the way it happened.
B) Being the oldest planetary core, it had more time than the other planets to accumulate enough gas around itself before solar winds blew interplanetary dust away.
C) Due to a massive collision with another protoplanet.
D) Because of its distance from the Sun, the gravitational attraction between it and the Sun is perfectly balanced so as to create a density that results in the largest size of any planet.
Q:
The number of moons in orbit around Mars is
A) zero.
B) one.
C) two.
D) three.
Q:
The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Mars is
A) oxygen.
B) nitrogen.
C) water vapor.
D) carbon dioxide.
E) methane.
Q:
The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Venus is
A) oxygen.
B) nitrogen.
C) water vapor.
D) carbon dioxide.
E) methane.
Q:
The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Earth is
A) oxygen.
B) nitrogen.
C) water vapor.
D) carbon dioxide.
E) methane.
Q:
The percentage of the Earth's surface covered by ocean is about
A) 50%.
B) 60%.
C) 70%.
D) 80%.
E) 85%.
Q:
The planet with a mass most like Earth's is
A) Mercury.
B) Venus.
C) Mars.
D) Saturn.
E) Neptune.
Q:
No greenhouse effect occurs on Mercury because of no
A) daily spin.
B) atmosphere.
C) relatively cool regions.
D) plant life.
E) terrestrial radiation.
Q:
In what region of Mars is microscopic life most likely to exist?
A) At the poles, where ice caps may harbor microorganisms.
B) At the equator, where temperatures are most moderate.
C) Deep within the planet's core.
D) Beneath the planet's surface, where melting water may pool.
Q:
Why is Mars' greenhouse effect negligible compared to that of Earth's?
A) Its mass is only one-ninth of Earth's.
B) Greenhouse gas emissions were greatly curtailed according to the International Mars Greenhouse Gas Reduction Treaty of 2003.
C) The Martian atmosphere is much thinner and retains little heat.
D) Martian carbon dioxide contains a rare isotope with little ability to trap heat.
Q:
How do the wind speeds of the Martian atmosphere compare with those of Earth?
A) about the same as Earth's
B) about one tenth of Earth's
C) about 50% of Earth's
D) about ten times more than Earth's
Q:
The carbon dioxide cycle is important to Earth because it
A) helps sustain the planet's plant base.
B) has been recognized by the Nobel Prize award committee.
C) and the oceans are critical in moderating and regulating the Earth's temperatures.
D) prevents the gradual buildup of oxygen, which would eventually lead to a combustible atmosphere.
Q:
Temperature differences between nighttime and daytime on Earth are relatively small due to
A) polar regions absorbing most solar energy.
B) Earth being 70% water.
C) Earth's relatively high daily spin rate and shortness of nighttime.
D) seasonal fluctuations and Earths magnetic field.
Q:
Venus and Earth started out with roughly the same amount of water. While Earth still has water in abundance, all of Venus' was lost. Where did it go?
A) It chemically combined with CO2 to form H2CO3.
B) Ultraviolet rays split the hydrogen from the oxygen components, and the hydrogen escaped into space.
C) It all evaporated into space due to the intense daytime heat of 470C.
D) Scientists are still trying to determine this.
Q:
Pretend you are on a morning time mission on the surface of Venus. When looking out the spacepod window you are likely to see
A) the Sun rising in the West.
B) the Sun rising in the East.
C) fierce windstorms everywhere you look.
D) thick and still smog-like cloud cover.
Q:
With daytime temperatures that can reach 430C, why is nighttime on Mercury so cold?
A) Because the year is so short, there isn't enough time for the heat to build up in the equatorial regions.
B) With very little atmosphere, heat is quickly lost back into space.
C) The weak gravitational field doesn't retain the daytime's heat.
D) The solar winds quickly dissipate all heat on the planet's dark side.
Q:
What travels up and down the Sun's magnetic loops extending from the surface?
A) helium atoms
B) plasma
C) hyrogen atoms
D) a blend of helium and hydrogen atoms
Q:
As you read these words, the Sun is
A) gaining mass.
B) losing mass.
C) neither gaining nor losing mass.
D) None of the above.