1. Which planet has the highest temperature both day and night?
   (A) Mercury
   (B) Venus
   (C) Earth
   (D) Mars
   (E) Jupiter

2. This planet is hot because it
   (A) is the closest to the Sun.
   (B) has the thickest atmosphere.
   (C) has the strongest magnetic field.
   (D) contains the largest amount of radioactive material.
   (E) is contracting and converts gravitational energy into heat.

3. Which of the following has the highest temperature?
   (A) the surface of the Sun
   (B) the surface of Mercury
   (C) the surface of Venus
   (D) the surface of the Earth
   (E) the center of the Earth

4. In greenhouse effect, the surface of a planet absorbs the sunlight and emits in ______, which is absorbed by the carbon dioxide and water in the atmosphere.
   (A) visible
   (B) X-ray
   (C) ultraviolet
   (D) infrared
   (E) radio

5. Venus and the northern hemisphere of Mars do not have a lot of craters on the surface, because
   (A) they were covered by oceans.
   (B) they were shielded by the Sun.
   (C) their surfaces have been re-paved by lava outflows.
   (D) their strong magnetic fields have deflected meteorites.
   (E) their craters have melted.

6. Which of the following has clustered craters?
   (A) Mercury
   (B) the Earth
   (C) the Moon
   (D) Venus
   (E) Jupiter

7. What is the cause of clustered craters?
   (A) clustered meteorites bound together by gravity
   (B) clustered meteorites bound together by magnetic field
   (C) clustered meteorites fragmented from a larger body
   (D) lucky coincidences
   (E) all of the above

8. Venus has no magnetic field, so it must have
   (A) a solid core.
   (B) iron at its core.
   (C) a core hotter than the surface.
   (D) been de-magnetized by the solar wind.
   (E) don't know.

9. What is the total number of moons (natural satellites) that orbits around the terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars)?
   (A) 0
   (B) 3
   (C) 5
   (D) 10
   (E) 18

10. Most volcanos on Venus and Mars are
    (A) cinder-cone volcanos.
    (B) shield volcanos.
    (C) composite volcanos.
    (D) all of the above.
    (E) none of the above.

11. The largest, most massive volcano in the solar system is on
    (A) Mercury.
    (B) Venus.
    (C) the Earth.
    (D) Mars.
    (E) Io.

12. This volcano can grow so massive because
    (A) there is no plate motion so lava can build up at the same spot.
    (B) the temperature is so high that lava can flow more easily.
    (C) strong tidal forces from nearby planet or satellites.
    (D) frequent hits of meteorites.
    (E) the density of lava is high.

13. The most active volcanos in the solar system are on
    (A) Mercury.
    (B) Venus.
    (C) the Earth.
    (D) Mars.
    (E) Io.

14. These volcanos are active because
    (A) rapid plate motions.
    (B) the temperature is so high that lava can flow more easily.
    (C) strong tidal forces from nearby planet or satellites.
    (D) frequent hits of meteorites.
    (E) the density of lava is low.

15. During the first billion years of the solar system's life, there were a lot collisions. These were responsible for
    (A) Venus' retrograde spin.
    (B) the Earth and Moon system.
    (C) Mercury's large iron core.
    (D) craters on the Moon.
    (E) all of the above.

16. Mars appears red because
    (A) the iron in the surface rocks is oxidized like rust
    (B) it is covered by thick sulfuric acid clouds.
    (C) the terrorists shed their blood there.
    (D) it has a high temperature.
    (E) it is redshifted.

17. Which of the following have water (and/or ice)?
    (A) the Moon and Mercury
    (B) the Earth and Mars
    (C) Mercury and Mars
    (D) the Moon and Mars
    (E) all of the above

18. The meteorite that shows possible evidence of life on Mars was
    (A) found at the Antarctica of the Earth.
    (B) a present from the Russians.
    (C) brought back from Mars by the Pathfinder.
    (D) captured by the Space Shuttle from space.
    (E) found on the Moon.

19. The moons of Mars
    (A) were formed simultaneously with Mars.
    (B) were captured asteroids.
    (C) were captured comets.
    (D) were formed by collision with another planet.
    (E) were split off from the surface of Mars.

20. Mars has very severe winter in its southern hemisphere because
    (A) the southern winter occurs when Mars is at aphelion.
    (B) the southern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun during winter.
    (C) all of the above.
    (D) none of the above.

21. Which of the following is correct about Jupiter's surface features?
    (A) The brighter zones reflect more sunlight.
    (B) The darker belts are actually bright in infrared.
    (C) The Great Red Spot rotates counterclockwisely.
    (D) The different colors are caused by different chemical composition.
    (E) All of the Above.

22. The physical condition of Jupiter's core is derived from
    (A) radar measurements.
    (B) theoretical model calculations.
    (C) the analysis of seismic P-waves and S-waves.
    (D) rock samples collected by the Voyager spacecrafts.
    (E) the analysis of optical spectrum.

23. Hydrostatic equilibrium refers to balance between
    (A) pressure and gravity.
    (B) optical and radio waves.
    (C) temperature and pressure.
    (D) electric and magnetic fields.
    (E) magnetic field and gravity.

24. What is the most abundant element in Jupiter's atmosphere?
    (A) hydrogen
    (B) helium
    (C) oxygen
    (D) nitrogen
    (E) carbon

25. Why is Jupiter able to keep this element in its atmosphere?
    (A) Jupiter is young.
    (B) Jupiter has high gravity.
    (C) Jupiter is cold.
    (D) Jupiter has strong magnetic field.
    (E) Jupiter has many satellites.

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    Last updated October 5, 2001

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