1. Which of the following emits in visible light (as a blackbody)?
   (A) Mercury
   (B) Moon
   (C) Mars
   (D) all of the above
   (E) none of the above

2. Which of the following emits at infrared and radio wavelengths (as a blackbody)?
   (A) Mercury
   (B) Moon
   (C) Mars
   (D) all of the above
   (E) none of the above

3. The most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen. What is its origin?
   (A) It was there originally.
   (B) It is brought in by meteorites.
   (C) It is produced by life on Earth.
   (D) It comes from the Earth's surface rocks.
   (E) All of the above.

4. The second most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere is oxygen. What is its origin?
   (A) It was there originally.
   (B) It is brought in by meteorites.
   (C) It is produced by life on Earth.
   (D) It comes from the Earth's surface rocks.
   (E) All of the above.

5. The tides are responsible for
   (A) the slowing down of the Earth's rotation.
   (B) the Moon's gradual moving away from the Earth.
   (C) the Moon's keeping the same side toward the Earth.
   (D) all of the above.
   (E) none of the above.

6. The Earth's continental drift is caused by
   (A) the bombardment of solar wind.
   (B) convection in the upper part of the mantle.
   (C) unbalanced volcanic pressure.
   (D) the rotation of the Earth's magnetic field.
   (E) heating in the Earth's atmosphere.

7. Which is the correct order for the Earth's interior layers, from the center to the surface?
   (A) solid iron core, liquid iron core, mantle, lithosphere, crust
   (B) liquid iron core, solid iron core, lithosphere, mantle, crust
   (C) liquid iron core, solid iron core, mantle, crust, lithosphere
   (D) solid iron core, liquid iron core, mantle, crust, lithosphere
   (E) crust, lithosphere, mantle, liquid iron core, solid iron core

8. The Earth's magnetic field is produced in the
   (A) crust.
   (B) mantle.
   (C) lithosphere.
   (D) liquid iron core.
   (E) solid iron core.

9. The Moon has no magnetic field, so it must
   (A) have a solid core.
   (B) not be rotating.
   (C) have a core colder than the surface.
   (D) have been de-magnetized by the solar wind.
   (E) not have iron anywhere.

10. The Earth's volcanic lavas come from the
    (A) crust.
    (B) mantle.
    (C) lithosphere.
    (D) liquid iron core.
    (E) solid iron core.

11. Aurorae are created by
    (A) kitchen fires.
    (B) polar bears' bonfires.
    (C) volcanic ash reflecting sunlight.
    (D) tidal interactions with the Moon.
    (E) solar wind particles entering Earth's atmosphere.

12. The physical conditions of the Earth's interior can be studied via
    (A) tides.
    (B) aurorae.
    (C) deep drill probes.
    (D) earthquakes.
    (E) all of the above.

13. Which of the following in a planet's atmosphere are responsible for the greenhouse effect?
    (A) nitrogen and oxygen
    (B) neon and argon
    (C) carbon monoxide and water
    (D) carbon dioxide and water
    (E) oxygen and water

14. Which of the following is adopted as the age of the solar system?
    (A) age of the oldest meteorite
    (B) age of the oldest rock on the Earth
    (C) age of the youngest rock on the Earth
    (D) age of the oldest rock from the Moon
    (E) all of the above

15. The Moon is divided into
    (A) cratered highlands and oceans.
    (B) cratered highlands and mare basins.
    (C) continents and impact basins.
    (D) continents and oceans.
    (E) crustal plates like the Earth.

16. Dark areas on the Moon's surface
    (A) are maria.
    (B) have lower reflectivity.
    (C) have few craters.
    (D) are lava-filled impact basins.
    (E) all of the above.

17. There are fewer maria on the far side of the Moon because
    (A) it has been shielded by the Sun.
    (B) it is not illuminated by the Sun so we do not have data.
    (C) the crust is thicker there.
    (D) the magnetic field is stronger there.
    (E) the Earth has intercepted all meteors.

18. Water on the Moon has been found in
    (A) maria.
    (B) the lunar atmosphere.
    (C) the Moon's south pole.
    (D) all over the lunar surface.
    (E) nowhere.

19. Why are there few obvious meteorite craters on Earth?
    (A) The Earth has not been struck as frequently because of its strong magnetic field.
    (B) The gravitational field of the Moon has protected the Earth from impact.
    (C) The craters have been eroded away and destroyed by glaciation and continental drift.
    (D) They are all under the oceans.

20. The current rate of cratering of the Earth (averaged over the last few million years) is
    (A) about the same as that of the heavy bombardment.
    (B) greater than that of the late heavy bombardment.
    (C) about the same as that of the late heavy bombardment.
    (D) about the same as that on the maria.
    (E) zero

21. It is now accepted that the Earth-Moon system was formed
    (A) by the Earth capturing the Moon.
    (B) by the Earth breaking up into two bodies.
    (C) simultaneously when all planets were formed.
    (D) by tidal interaction with the Sun and Jupiter.
    (E) by a collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized body.

22. Radar observations of planets
    (A) use the principle of Doppler shifts.
    (B) produce three-dimensional images of the planetary surface.
    (C) cannot see the deep interior of the planets.
    (D) use ranging by time delay between the transmitted and returned signals.
    (E) all of the above.

23. Neutral hydrogen atoms can emit a spectral line at 21 cm wavelength. If you detect this spectral line from a neutral hydrogen gas cloud and the wavelength you measure is 20.5 cm, this gas cloud is
    (A) coming toward you
    (B) moving away from you
    (C) not moving
    (D) there's no way to tell

24. The Mercury's atmosphere consists of mostly heavy elements such as sodium and potassium. What is their origin?
    (A) It was there originally.
    (B) It is brought in by meteorites.
    (C) It is produced by life on Earth.
    (D) It comes from Mercury's surface rocks.
    (E) All of the above.

25. Scarps on Mercury were caused by
    (A) aliens.
    (B) impacts.
    (C) glaciation.
    (D) uneven cooling after Mercury's formation.
    (E) the solar wind.

26. Mercury's crater walls are generally shorter than the lunar crater walls because
    (A) Mercury is hotter.
    (B) Mercury has a stronger magnetic field.
    (C) Mercury has a higher surface gravity.
    (D) Mercury's crater walls have been blown away by the solar wind.
    (E) Mercury's severe weather has worn down its crater walls.

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    Last updated October 5, 2001

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