Pregunta 1
Pregunta
The standard model of solar system formation offers what explanation
for the different compositions of the terrestrial and Jovian planets?
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a) During condensation, the heavier elements tended to sink nearer
the Sun and, being rare, only provided enough material to build the
relatively small terrestrial planets.
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b) During the collapse of the gaseous nebula, most of the material
tended to collect far from the Sun because of the large centrifugal
forces, which provided the necessary material to build the large Jovian
planets.
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c) The large gravitational forces of Jupiter tended to prevent planet
formation in the inner solar system and eventually attracted most of
the material into the region of the Jovian planets.
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d) The terrestrial planets were formed near the Sun where, because of
the high temperatures, only heavier elements were able to condense.
Pregunta 2
Pregunta
Astronomers have discovered massive gas giant planets
like Jupiter orbiting companion stars at closer than 0.7 AU
(about the distance of Venus’s orbit). Why don’t
astronomers believe that these gas giant planets
originally formed at these locations?
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a) The planets’ gravity would have been too large to form
that close to the star.
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b) The temperature in the early solar nebula was too high
at these distances.
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c) Their orbital periods are too long for them to be
located that close to their companion stars.
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d) A young star’s solar wind would have blown the
planets farther away.
Pregunta 3
Pregunta
When a fire engine approaches you, the
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A) speed of its sound increases.
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B) frequency of sound increases.
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C) wavelength of its sound increases.
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D) All increase.
Pregunta 4
Pregunta
The Doppler effect occurs for
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A) sound.
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B) light.
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C) Both A and B.
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D) Neither A nor B.
Pregunta 5
Pregunta
How much material in an accretion disk goes into forming the planets, moons, and smaller objects?
Pregunta 6
Pregunta
The difference in composition between the giant planets and the terrestrial planets is most likely caused by the fact that:
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that giant planets are much larger
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only small differences in chemical composition existed in the solar nebula
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the giant planets are made mostly of carbon
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the terrestrial planets are closer to the Sun
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only the terrestrial planets have iron cores
Pregunta 7
Pregunta
The moon probably formed
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when the Earth's gravity captured a planetesimal
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out of a collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized object
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when a piece of Earth broke off and entered orbit
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when the accretion disk around the Earth fragmented
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when massive planetesimals collided to form a more massive object
Pregunta 8
Pregunta
When you push your palms together and rub them back and forth you are demonstrating one way of converting _______energy into ______ energy
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kinetic into thermal
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potential into thermal
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potential into total
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kinetic into potential
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thermal into kinetic
Pregunta 9
Pregunta
Approximately how much mass was there in the protoplanetary disk out of which the planets were formed, compared to the mass of the sun
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25 percent
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10 percent
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50 percent
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< 1 percent
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5 percent
Pregunta 10
Pregunta
What is the age of our Solar System?
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13.7 billion years old
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4.6 billion years old
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4.6 million years old
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13.7 trillion years old
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13.7 million years old
Pregunta 11
Pregunta
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the early Solar System, based on current observations?
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the material from which the planets formed was swirling about the Sun in the same average rotational direction
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the initial composition of the solar nebula varied between its inner and outer regions
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the first objects to form started out small and grew in size
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the early solar nebula must have been flattened
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temperatures decreased with increasing distance from the Sun
Pregunta 12
Pregunta
Why do the terrestrial planets have a much higher fraction of their mass in heavy chemical elements (as opposed to lighter chemical elements) than the giant planets?
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the giant planets were more massive than the terrestrial planets, and the giant planets preferentially pulled the lighter elements from the inner to the outer Solar System
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Terrestrial planets are low in mass and high in temperature, thus their lighter chemical elements eventually escaped to the outer reaches of the Solar System
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Terrestrial planets are colder and thus more massive chemical elements condensed on them than the giant planets
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terrestrial planets formed much earlier then giant planets before the hydrogen and helium had a chance to cool and condense onto them
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the heavier elements in the forming of the Solar nebula sunk to the center of the Solar System thus the inner terrestrial planets formed mostly from heavy chemical elements
Pregunta 13
Pregunta
Why have astronomers using the radial velocity method found more Jupiter sized planets at a distance of 1 AU around other stars than Earth-size planets ?
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A Jupiter sized planet shines brighter than an Earth-sized planet
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Earth-sized planets are much rarer than Jupiter-sized planets
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A Jupiter-sized planet exerts a larger gravitational force on the star than an Earth-sized planet, and the Doppler shift of the star is larger
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Actually the planets found at these distances have all been earth sized
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A Jupiter sized planet occults a larger area than an Earth sized planet
Pregunta 14
Pregunta
What happens to the kinetic energy of gas as it falls toward and eventually hits the accretion disk surrounding a protostar?
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it is converted into thermal energy, heating the disk
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it is immediately converted into photons, giving off a flash of light upon impact
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it becomes the kinetic energy of the orbit of the gas in the accretion disk around the protostar
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it disappears into interstellar space
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it is converted into potential energy as the gas plows through the disk and comes out the other side
Pregunta 15
Pregunta
the solid form of a volatile material is generally referred to as:
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ice
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refractory material
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metal
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silicate
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rock
Pregunta 16
Pregunta
Which of the following is NOT considered evidence of cataclysmic impacts in the history of our Solar System?
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Mercury has crust that has buckled on the opposite side of an impact crater
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Mercury, Earth's moon and many other small bodies are covered with many impact craters
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Valles Marineris on Mars is a huge scar, many times deeper than the grand Canyon which spans one-fourth the circumference of the planet
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Mimas has a crater whose diameter is roughly one-third of the moons size
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Uranus is "tipped over" so that it revolves on its side
Pregunta 17
Pregunta
According to the conservation of angular momentum, if an ice skater stars spinning with her arms out wide, then slowly pulls them closer to her body, this will cause her to:
Pregunta 18
Pregunta
The sun has a mass of:
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2 x 10>10 kg
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2 x 10>25 kg
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2 x 10>30 kg
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2 x 10>35 kg
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2 x 10>45 kg
Pregunta 19
Pregunta
Hydrostatic equilibrium is a balance between:
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heat and centrifugal force
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core temperature and surface temperature
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pressure and gravity
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radiation and heat
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centrifugal force and gravity
Pregunta 20
Pregunta
The balance of energy in the solar interior means that:
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energy production rate in the core equals the rate of radiation escaping the sun's surface
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the source of energy in the core is stable and will sustain the sun for millions of years
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the outer layer of the sun absorb and re-emit the radiation from the core at increasingly longer wavelengths
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radiation pressure balances the weight of the overlaying solar layers
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the core of the sun has higher pressure than the outer layers
Pregunta 21
Pregunta
Which force is responsible for holding the protons and neutrons int he nucleus of an atom together?
Pregunta 22
Pregunta
the majority of the sun;s energy comes from
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gravitational contraction
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nuclear fission of uranium
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hydrogen fusion
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helium burning
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burning material as in a fire
Pregunta 23
Pregunta
If the core of the sun were hotter than it is now, how would the sun's energy production change?
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it would produce less energy per second than it does now
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it would produce more energy per second than it does now
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its energy production would vary more than it does now
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its energy production would be more stable than it is now
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the sun's energy production would not change
Pregunta 24
Pregunta
The net effect of the proton proton chain is that four hydrogen nuclei are converted to one helium nucleus and ______ are released
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visible wavelength photons
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gamma ray photons, positrons and neutrinos
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ultraviolet photons and neutrinos
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x-ray photons, electrons, and neutrinos
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infrared photons and positrons
Pregunta 25
Pregunta
If you were to hold on to one end of a metal spoon while placing the other end in a pot of boiling water, you will burn your hand. This is an example of energy being transferred by:
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radiation
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convection
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conduction
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convection and radiation
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radiation and conduction
Pregunta 26
Pregunta
the interior zones of the sun are distinguished by
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jumps in density between zones
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their temperature profiles
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pressure differences inside each zone
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their modes of energy transport
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all of the above
Pregunta 27
Pregunta
Approximately how long does it take the photons released in the nuclear reactions in the core of the sun to exit the photosphere
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8 minutes
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16 hours
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1,000 years
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100,000 years
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4.6 billion years
Pregunta 28
Pregunta
Which of these can travel directly from the center of the sun to the earth in about 8 minutes
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photons
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electrons
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protons
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neutrons
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neutrinos
Pregunta 29
Pregunta
The solar neutrino problem was solved by
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adjusting the rate of hydrogen burning in solar models
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improving detector efficiency so more neutrinos were observed
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postulating that neutrinos had mass and oscillated between three different types
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Lowering the percentage of helium in models of solar composition
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correctly measuring the density of the sun's interior
Pregunta 30
Pregunta
By studying how the surface of the sun vibrates like a struck bell we can determine its
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age
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interior density
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total mass
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size
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temperature
Pregunta 31
Pregunta
Which of the layers of the sun is located the furthest from the center of the sun
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chromosphere
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photoshpere
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radiative zone
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convective zone
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corona
Pregunta 32
Pregunta
Which of the following is NOT a result of an increase in solar activity
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the altitudes of orbiting satellites decrease
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airplanes have trouble navigating
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stronger auroras are seen
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power grids can be damaged
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all of the above can be caused by increased solar activity
Pregunta 33
Pregunta
Sunspots appear dark because they have _____________ than the surrounding gas
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higher densities
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lower densities
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higher pressures
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lower temperatures
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higher temperatures
Pregunta 34
Pregunta
the darkest part of the sunspot is called the
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penumbra
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umbra
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granule
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photosphere
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magnetic field
Pregunta 35
Pregunta
the magnetic field of the sun is continuously produced by
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its differential rotation
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the solar wind
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changes in the rate of nuclear fusion in the core
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a liquid conducting layer in the interior
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this is a trick question. the solar magnetic filed is primordial
Pregunta 36
Pregunta
Flows of material surrounding Martian craters suggest
Pregunta 37
Pregunta
Suppose an earthquake occurs on an imaginary planet. Scientists on the other side of the planet detect primary waves but not secondary waves after the quake occurs. this suggests that
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the planets interior consists entirely of rocky materials
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all of the planets interior is solid
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part of the planets interior is liquid
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the planet has an iron core
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the planets mantle is liquid
Pregunta 38
Pregunta
Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surface, place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface
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earth, mercury, venus
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venus, mercury, earth
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mercury, venus, earth
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venus, earth, mercury
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earth, venus, mercury
Pregunta 39
Pregunta
the largest volcanic mountains in the solar system are found on
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mars
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the moon
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venus
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earth
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mercury
Pregunta 40
Pregunta
the lithosphere of a planet is
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the molten layer under the crust
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the upper layer of its atmosphere
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the layer of the atmosphere in which clouds form
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its frozen surface
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its solid surface
Pregunta 41
Pregunta
Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for
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continental drifts
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canyons
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mountain ranges
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ocean trenches
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volcanoes
Pregunta 42
Pregunta
Which is NOT a reason that we suspect that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by a large impact by a large object?
Respuesta
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soot is found in the material in K-T boundary, which probably came from the fires caused by the impact
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an impact crater has been found near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula
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the material in the K-T boundary is rich in iridium
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Many dinosaur fossils are found below the K-T boundary by none above
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the remaining meteorite has been identified on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico
Pregunta 43
Pregunta
earth's innermost core is solid, not liquid, because
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all the liquid has moved up into the mantle via convection
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the core temperature is too low to melt iron
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the pressure is too high for the material to be in a liquid state
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differentiation caused all of the heavy, solid material to sink to the bottom while earth was forming
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iron does not melt
Pregunta 44
Pregunta
Based on the assumption that a liquid, conducting core and rapid rotation are both required for a magnetic dynamo to operate, which terrestrial planets would you expect to have magnetic fields?
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only earth and mercury
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earth, venus, mars, and mercury
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only earth, venus, and mars
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only earth
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only earth and mars
Pregunta 45
Pregunta
of the following methods, the age of the solar system can be determined most accurately by
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measuring the number of craters per square meter on mercury
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measurements of the magnetic field variations in rocks under the earth's oceans
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radioactive dating of rocks retrieved from the moon
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measuring the rate of energy production in the sun
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carbon dating of rocks from mountains on the earth
Pregunta 46
Pregunta
We have direct evidence fro the current existence of water on the surface of which terrestrial object?
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mercury
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callisto
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venus
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ganymede
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mars
Pregunta 47
Pregunta
the fact that earth's interior is differentiated suggests that
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only the crust is solid; the rest of earth's interior is liquid
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it formed first from lighter material, then afterward accreted heavier material
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it has both a liquid and solid core
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it formed first from denser material and then afterward accreted lighter material
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it was entirely liquid at some point in the past
Pregunta 48
Pregunta
Studies of the amount of cratering at different locations on the moon indicate that
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cratering is not linger occurring in the solar system
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the younger lunar surfaces are hundreds of billions of years younger that the oldest surfaces
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most of the heavy cratering in the solar system occurred before the earth formed
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the rate of cratering in the solar system has changed over time
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the moon has never been geologically active at any point in its history
Pregunta 49
Pregunta
Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a planetary magnetic dynamo
Pregunta 50
Pregunta
What is the main reason that the earth's interior is liquid today?
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tidal force of the moon on the earth
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seismic waves that travel through earth's interior
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pressure on the core from earth's layers
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decay of radioactive elements
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convective motions in the mantle
Pregunta 51
Pregunta
Mars, Venus, and Earth are much less heavily cratered than Mercury and the Moon. this is explained by the fact that
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Mars, Venus, and earth are much larger in size than Mercury and the moon
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the rate of cratering in the early solar system was strongly dependent on location
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Mars, Venus, and Earth were geologically active for a longer period of time than Mercury and the Moon
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Mars, Venus, and the Earth have thicker atmospheres
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Earth and Venus were shielded from impacts by the moon and Mars was protected by the asteroid belt
Pregunta 52
Pregunta
If a star has a Jupiter sized planet, and we use
the transit method to search for planets
around that star, we will:
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Definitely find the planet
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Depends on the brightness of the planet
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Depends on the orientation of the planet
orbit
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Definitely not find the planet
Pregunta 53
Pregunta
The image at right shows a picture of the
Sun. The dark spots located on this
image are sunspots. How does the size
of Earth compare to the size of the
sunspot that is identified on the right
side of the image of Sun?
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) Earth and the sunspot are about the
same size.
-
The sunspot is much, much larger than
Earth.
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The sunspot is much, much smaller
than Earth.
Pregunta 54
Pregunta
If you were constructing a scale model of the solar
system that used a Sun that was the size of a
basketball (approximately 12 inches in diameter),
which of the following lengths would most closely
approximate the scaled distance between Earth
and the Sun?
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3 feet (length of an outstretched arm)
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10 feet (height of a basketball goal)
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100 feet (height of an 10 story building)
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300 feet (length of a football field)
Pregunta 55
Pregunta
The Sun's luminosity comes primarily from
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chemical burning.
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the mechanical energy of turbulence.
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nuclear fusion.
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gravitational contraction.
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all of the above are comparable in importance.
Pregunta 56
Pregunta
The photosphere (the visible surface) of the Sun is like
Respuesta
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the surface of the Earth; you could stand on it, if you could
survive the heat.
-
the surface of the ocean; you couldn't stand on it, but you
would clearly be able to detect differences above and
below it.
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an apparent surface; you would notice very little change as
you go through it, as when you fly through a cloud.
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the surface of a trampoline; you could land on it, but the
intense pressure would push you away again.
Pregunta 57
Pregunta
The temperature in and around the Sun
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drops continuously as you move outward.
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rises continuously as you move outward.
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drops as you move from the center to the
photosphere, then rises above the photosphere.
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rises as you move from the center to the
photosphere, then drops above the photosphere.
Pregunta 58
Pregunta
Sunspots appear dark because they are
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holes in the photosphere through which you can
see deeply into the stellar interior
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a bit cooler and thus dimmer than the rest of the
photosphere
-
large opaque structures that block light from the
glowing solar surface.
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causing retinal damage
Pregunta 59
Pregunta
The 11 year solar cycle is NOT followed by
the:
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Number of sunspots on the Sun
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Typical latitude of sunspots on the Sun
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Rate of Solar Flares
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Incidence of strong aurora on the Earth
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None of the above
Pregunta 60
Pregunta
Earthquakes are an important tool for scientists because their
vibrations
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influence the Earth's orbit about the Sun.
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allow the study of the Earth's internal structure.
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inform us of the mass of the Earth.
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are used to predict the future of plate tectonics.
Pregunta 61
Pregunta
The reason that the Earth's surface has so few meteor craters
compared to other nearby bodies in the Solar System is
that
Respuesta
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the Moon blocked almost all of the meteors that otherwise
would have hit the Earth.
-
the atmosphere causes all objects entering from space to
burn up before they hit the ground.
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the Earth's surface has been modified by various forces
which cover or remove traces of the craters.
-
all meteorite impacts break the crust and release lava from
the mantle to fill in the hole.
Pregunta 62
Pregunta
The change in position of the continents over time is
primarily caused by
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continental plates floating on the ocean
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mantle material circulating inside Earth.
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Earth’s slowly shrinking as it cools.
-
global wind patterns and sustained ocean
currents.
Pregunta 63
Pregunta
Which of the following is evidence that the Earth's interior is not rigid?
I. Plate tectonics
II. The liquid oceans
III. The greenhouse effect
IV. The magnetic field
Respuesta
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I, II.
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I, IV.
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II, III.
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II, IV.
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III, IV.