Question 1

If the average CO2 molecule in Venus's atmosphere has a velocity of 0.6 km/s,what would the velocity be for a hydrogen atom in Venus's atmosphere? Note the mass of a CO2 molecule is 44 times that of a hydrogen atom.

Accepted Answer

Because of...

Question 2

Like Mars and Venus,Earth originally had a significant amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere.Where is the majority of the carbon now?

Accepted Answer

A)  It has escaped into outer space.
B)  It is bound up in the plant life on Earth.
C)  It is bound up in rocks.
D)  It is dissolved into the oceans.
E)  It is still in the atmosphere in the form of complex molecules.F) C) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 3

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  the lack of CO2 in its atmosphere
B)  the lack of a magnetosphere
C)  the lack of an atmosphere
D)  the lack of geologic activity
E)  its slow rotation rateF) B) and C)
G) D) and E) C

Question 4

The primary atmospheres of the terrestrial planets formed from hydrogen and helium.Why? What happened to this gas?

Accepted Answer

The primary atmospheres were composed of...

Question 5

In the absence of the greenhouse effect,the water on the surface of the Earth would:

Accepted Answer

A)  escape into outer space
B)  remain in liquid form
C)  vaporize and form clouds in the atmosphere
D)  freeze
E)  be absorbed into rocksF) A) and D)
G) B) and C) D

Question 6

The major chemical component of the air we breathe today was deposited on Earth primarily by cometary impacts.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

The only two layers of Earth's atmosphere that have temperature gradients that allow convection to take place are:

Accepted Answer

A)  the troposphere and the thermosphere
B)  the mesosphere and the stratosphere
C)  the thermosphere and the stratosphere
D)  the troposphere and the mesosphere
E)  the troposphere and the stratosphereF) C) and E)
G) B) and E)

Question 8

According to the Ideal Gas law,if you blow up a balloon,seal it,and then lower its temperature,the balloon will:

Accepted Answer

A)  contract
B)  expand
C)  remain the same size
D)  explodeE) A) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 9

Winds are generated on Earth primarily because the Sun unevenly heats our rotating planet.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

According to the figure,about how long ago did oxygen reach its current abundance in Earth's atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 billion years ago
B)  1 billion years ago
C)  0.5 billion years ago
D)  0.25 billion years ago
E)  0.1 billion years agoF) A) and D)
G) C) and D)

Question 11

Venus rotates so rapidly that the dominant form of atmospheric circulation is powered by hurricanes moving from its equator to its poles.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

You take a sealed plastic bag of snacks on an airline flight where the atmospheric pressure is reduced to 0.8 bar,but the cabin is heated so the temperature is approximately the same as when you sealed the bag.What will happen to the volume of the bag? By how much will it have changed?

Accepted Answer

The ideal gas law says P ∝ ρT ∝ T/V.If t...

Question 13

Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have been rising by about 4 percent per decade due to the use of fossil fuels.If this trend continues,what could happen to Earth?

Accepted Answer

Increased concentration of carbon dioxide is acidifying the oceans,directly affecting the carbon cycle.Higher temperatures are also associated with an increase in the severity of extreme weather events and changing climate zones.As the surface temperature increases,polar ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland could melt.This,along with increased temperatures,would lead to sea level rise and coastlines moving inland with flooding as the intermediate result.Eventually the carbon dioxide could cause a runaway greenhouse effect.

Question 14

Venus's surface temperature is fairly uniform from the equator to the poles because:

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus rotates very rapidly,which causes strong zonal winds
B)  Venus is covered by a thick cloud layer that absorbs most of the sunlight that falls on it
C)  the carbon dioxide in Venus's atmosphere efficiently emits infrared radiation
D)  Venus rotates slowly so Coriolis forces do not disrupt Hadley circulation
E)  Venus's orbit is nearly perfectly circularF) D) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 15

If sunlight broke up water molecules in Venus's atmosphere,would the hydrogen atoms escape into outer space? Note that Venus's temperature is 740 K.Recall that gas eventually will escape if the average velocity of its atoms is greater than 1/6 times the escape velocity of the planet.The escape velocity of Venus is 10 km/s.

Accepted Answer

A)  No,the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 0.8 km/s.
B)  No,the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 3.9 km/s.
C)  Yes,the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 3.9 km/s.
D)  Yes,the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 25 km/s.
E)  No,the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 25 km/s.F) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 16

What is the main reason Hadley circulation in a planet's atmosphere breaks up into zonal winds?

Accepted Answer

A)  convection driven by solar heating
B)  heating from the solar wind
C)  hurricanes developing along the planet's equator
D)  a planet's rapid rotation
E)  heating from the greenhouse effectF) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 17

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are:

Accepted Answer

A)  oxygen and nitrogen
B)  methane and ozone
C)  carbon dioxide and water vapor
D)  hydrogen and helium
E)  methane and ammoniaF) A) and B)
G) C) and E)

Question 18

When frozen water on the surface of Mars heats up during summer time,the water:

Accepted Answer

A)  melts and forms liquid pools on the surface
B)  boils off the surface and escapes into outer space
C)  sublimates and goes directly into the gaseous phase
D)  remains frozen because the temperature remains below the freezing point
E)  melts and creates flowing rivers that erode the landscapeF) A) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 19

The major difference in the composition of Earth's atmosphere compared to the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is a direct consequence of:

Accepted Answer

A)  life on Earth
B)  Earth's plate tectonics
C)  differences in the greenhouse effect
D)  the presence of liquid water
E)  differing distances from the SunF) A) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 20

If you found absorption rising from _________ in the spectrum of a planet,you could conclude that it might contain some form of life.

Accepted Answer

A)  oxygen
B)  methane
C)  water vapor
D)  oxygen,methane,or water vaporE) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Exam 9: Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

If the average CO₂ molecule in Venus's atmosphere has a velocity of 0.6 km/s,what would the velocity be for a hydrogen atom in Venus's atmosphere? Note the mass of a CO₂ molecule is 44 times that of a hydrogen atom.

Correct Answer
verified
Because of...
View Answer

Like Mars and Venus,Earth originally had a significant amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere.Where is the majority of the carbon now?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon?

Correct Answer
verified
C

The primary atmospheres of the terrestrial planets formed from hydrogen and helium.Why? What happened to this gas?

Correct Answer
verified
The primary atmospheres were composed of...
View Answer

In the absence of the greenhouse effect,the water on the surface of the Earth would:

Correct Answer
verified
D

The major chemical component of the air we breathe today was deposited on Earth primarily by cometary impacts.

Correct Answer
verified

The only two layers of Earth's atmosphere that have temperature gradients that allow convection to take place are:

Correct Answer
verified

According to the Ideal Gas law,if you blow up a balloon,seal it,and then lower its temperature,the balloon will:

Correct Answer
verified

Winds are generated on Earth primarily because the Sun unevenly heats our rotating planet.

Correct Answer
verified

According to the figure,about how long ago did oxygen reach its current abundance in Earth's atmosphere?

Correct Answer
verified

Venus rotates so rapidly that the dominant form of atmospheric circulation is powered by hurricanes moving from its equator to its poles.

Correct Answer
verified

You take a sealed plastic bag of snacks on an airline flight where the atmospheric pressure is reduced to 0.8 bar,but the cabin is heated so the temperature is approximately the same as when you sealed the bag.What will happen to the volume of the bag? By how much will it have changed?

Correct Answer
verified
The ideal gas law says P ∝ ρT ∝ T/V.If t...
View Answer

Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have been rising by about 4 percent per decade due to the use of fossil fuels.If this trend continues,what could happen to Earth?

Venus's surface temperature is fairly uniform from the equator to the poles because:

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

What is the main reason Hadley circulation in a planet's atmosphere breaks up into zonal winds?

Correct Answer
verified

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are:

Correct Answer
verified

When frozen water on the surface of Mars heats up during summer time,the water:

Correct Answer
verified

The major difference in the composition of Earth's atmosphere compared to the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is a direct consequence of:

Correct Answer
verified

If you found absorption rising from _________ in the spectrum of a planet,you could conclude that it might contain some form of life.

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 9: Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

If the average CO2 molecule in Venus's atmosphere has a velocity of 0.6 km/s,what would the velocity be for a hydrogen atom in Venus's atmosphere? Note the mass of a CO2 molecule is 44 times that of a hydrogen atom.

Correct AnswerverifiedBecause of...View AnswerShow Answer

Like Mars and Venus,Earth originally had a significant amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere.Where is the majority of the carbon now?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon?

Correct AnswerverifiedC

The primary atmospheres of the terrestrial planets formed from hydrogen and helium.Why? What happened to this gas?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe primary atmospheres were composed of...View AnswerShow Answer

In the absence of the greenhouse effect,the water on the surface of the Earth would:

Correct AnswerverifiedD

The major chemical component of the air we breathe today was deposited on Earth primarily by cometary impacts.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The only two layers of Earth's atmosphere that have temperature gradients that allow convection to take place are:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to the Ideal Gas law,if you blow up a balloon,seal it,and then lower its temperature,the balloon will:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Winds are generated on Earth primarily because the Sun unevenly heats our rotating planet.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to the figure,about how long ago did oxygen reach its current abundance in Earth's atmosphere?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Venus rotates so rapidly that the dominant form of atmospheric circulation is powered by hurricanes moving from its equator to its poles.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

You take a sealed plastic bag of snacks on an airline flight where the atmospheric pressure is reduced to 0.8 bar,but the cabin is heated so the temperature is approximately the same as when you sealed the bag.What will happen to the volume of the bag? By how much will it have changed?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe ideal gas law says P ∝ ρT ∝ T/V.If t...View AnswerShow Answer

Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have been rising by about 4 percent per decade due to the use of fossil fuels.If this trend continues,what could happen to Earth?

Venus's surface temperature is fairly uniform from the equator to the poles because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the main reason Hadley circulation in a planet's atmosphere breaks up into zonal winds?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When frozen water on the surface of Mars heats up during summer time,the water:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The major difference in the composition of Earth's atmosphere compared to the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is a direct consequence of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If you found absorption rising from _________ in the spectrum of a planet,you could conclude that it might contain some form of life.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If the average CO₂ molecule in Venus's atmosphere has a velocity of 0.6 km/s,what would the velocity be for a hydrogen atom in Venus's atmosphere? Note the mass of a CO₂ molecule is 44 times that of a hydrogen atom.

Correct Answer
verified
Because of...
View Answer

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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C

Correct Answer
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The primary atmospheres were composed of...
View Answer

Correct Answer
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D

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
The ideal gas law says P ∝ ρT ∝ T/V.If t...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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