Mid Term

Question 1

France made its entrance into the space race with a space mission by a cat. T or F

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The Mayans used two major calendars. T/F

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The Mayan civilization appeared in present-day Mexico before the Aztecs. T/F

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Nicholas Copernicus proved that the Earth revolves around the Sun. T/F

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Both Voyager 1 and 2 are still in communication with us after being launched in 1977. T/F

Answer 5

True

Question 6

To date, about how old are the Egyptian pyramids Khafre and Khufu?

a. between 2,560 and 2,540 years old
b. between 3,289 and 3,309 years old
c. between 5,009 and 5,029 years old
d. between 4,579 and 4,559 years old

Answer 6

4579 and 4559

Question 7

Which country would you have to travel to in order to see Stonehenge?

a. Honduras
b. England
c. Egypt
d. France

Answer 7

England

Question 8

When does the Temple of Kukulkan illuminate?

• sunset during fall and spring equinoxes
• sunrise during fall and spring equinoxe
• sunset during summer and winter solstices
• sunrise during summer and winter solstices

Answer 8

sunset during fall and spring equinoxes

Question 9

The Calendar Round used how many days to track sacred events?

260
360
365
7200

Answer 9

260

Question 10

What year was the original Kepler space telescope retired?

• 2011
• 2012
• 2013
• 2014

Answer 10

2013

Question 11

Which direction would you be pointing if you were showing someone the zenith?

• down
• up
• right
• left

Answer 11

up

Question 12

What was the problem with the Vostok 1 spacecraft that initially sent the first human into space?

• An oxygen tank was punctured.
• The outer layers were not prepared for the high temperatures produced by friction.
• The designers of the spacecraft failed to include an ejection system.
• It was not built for a safe landing.

Answer 12

It was not build for a safe landing

Question 13

How many months was the Mars Pathfinder en route to our neighboring red planet, Mars?

12 months

3 months

6 months

14 months

Answer 13

6 months

Question 14

Who was the first person to exit a spacecraft in space?

Neil Armstrong

Buzz Aldrin

Alexey Leonov

Alan Shepherd

Answer 14

Alexey Leonov

Question 15

The first female in space spent almost _____ hours, orbiting the Earth 48 times.

72
50
168
17

Answer 15

72

Question 16

The distances in space are based on astronomical units, which are average distances between the Sun and Earth. T/F

Answer 16

True

Question 17

Venus has no volcanoes. T/F

Answer 17

False

Question 18

Mercury has one of the most unique orbits of all planets. T/F

Answer 18

True

Question 19

Like Earth, Mercury has one moon. T/F

Answer 19

False

Question 20

All scientists know exactly what caused the solar nebula to begin to collapse. T/F

Answer 20

False

Question 21

What atmosphere layer is considered the first layer, closest to Earth and where all weather occurs?

• the thermosphere
• the troposphere
• the stratosphere
• the mesosphere

Answer 21

the troposphere

Question 22

Up until the 17th century, how many bodies was the universe thought to have?

8 bodies

24 bodies

3 bodies

7 bodies

Answer 22

8 bodies

Question 23

Mars has two polar icecaps made of both frozen water and:

dust and rock.

liquid molten rock.

frozen hydrogen.

frozen carbon dioxide.

Answer 23

Frozen Carbon Dioxide

Question 24

What are believed to have caused the steep cliff-like north and south ridges that stretch over Mercury’s surface?

• large meteorite impacts
• early tectonic activity and tidal forces
• being so close to the sun and getting burnt
• the extremely abstract composition of the atmosphere

Answer 24

early tectonic activity and tidal forces

Question 25

What three layers does Mercury have? - inside, outside, and internal - top, middle, and lower - a core, mantle, and crust - silicate, sulfur, and mission

Answer 25

a core, mantle and crust

Question 26

What was formed in the fifth phase of the solar system formation? - the rotating disks - the sun stars - the gas giants - Saturn’s moons

Answer 26

the gas giants

Question 27

The big bang created a gigantic cloud of dust and gas called: - the extrasolar. - the solar nebula. - the planetesimals. - the protosun.

Answer 27

the solar nebula

Question 28

The Earth orbits the Sun which technically makes the Earth a _____ because by definition this is something that revolves around another object. - extrasolar - satellite - gravity - nebula

Answer 28

satellite

Question 29

Of all the inner terrestrial planets, what planet has the densest atmosphere? - Mars - Earth - Mercury - Venus

Answer 29

Venus

Question 30

What percentage of Venus’ surface is composed of low-lying volcanic plains with large amounts of flowing lava? - 25 percent - 70 percent - 85 percent - 10 percent

Answer 30

85

Question 31

Recent counts show 53 confirmed moons of Jupiter, not including the “temporary” moons. T/F

Answer 31

True

Question 32

Jupiter is the fastest rotating planet of all of the planets. T/F

Answer 32

True

Question 33

The asteroid belt separates the inner planets from the outer planets. T/F

Answer 33

True

Question 34

t is almost as if each outer planet is a small solar system in its own right. T/F

Answer 34

True

Question 35

The interior of Saturn is estimated to be over 21,000°F (11,700°C). T/F

Answer 35

True

Question 36

What term refers to the force that acts outward on a body moving around a center from its own inertia? - wind speeds - hydrosulfide - complex ring system= - centrifugal force

Answer 36

centrifugal force

Question 37

Which of the outer planets is known as the “windy” planet? Uranus Neptune Jupiter Saturn

Answer 37

Saturn

Question 38

What term is used today to describe Jupiter’s four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto? Little Red Spot Great Red Spot Galilean satellites Gossamer rings

Answer 38

Galilean satellites

Question 39

What did NASA launch on August 5, 2011, to conduct in-depth examinations of Jupiter’s chemistry, atmosphere, interior structure, and magnetosphere? Cassini Apollo 13 Juno the spacecraft Hubble Satellite

Answer 39

Juno the spacecraft

Question 40

What are the four parts of Jupiter’s ring system? an inner “halo” ring, a main ring, and two gossamer rings an inner “halo” ring, a main ring, a gossamer ring, and a moon a dust ring, a main ring, and two gossamer rings an inner “halo” ring, a smashing ring, and two gossamer rings

Answer 40

an inner “halo” ring, a main ring, and two gossamer rings

Question 41

Newly discovered moons of Jupiter can only be included in Jupiter’s large moon count once their _____ are formed. orbits cores stars gases

Answer 41

orbits

Question 42

What year is the next storm expected to occur on Saturn? 2100 2020 2050 2065

Answer 42

2020

Question 43

What will you find on Saturn’s bottom deck where temperatures are 32°F (0°C)? volcanos hydrosulphide clouds clouds of water ammonia clouds

Answer 43

clouds of water

Question 44

Titan is the name of _____ giant moon. Saturn’s Jupiter’s Earth’s Venus’s

Answer 44

Saturn's

Question 45

Janet is looking at Saturn from Earth because she wants to see the bright blue color of the northern hemisphere of the planet. Why won’t Janet actually be able to observe this bright blue color? because Saturn’s rings block it because Earth’s atmosphere blocks it because it cannot be seen unless you are in a spacecraft because Venus constantly blocks the northern hemisphere

Answer 45

because Saturn’s rings block it

Question 46

Neptune is smaller than the gas giants and Earth. T/F

Answer 46

False

Question 47

Neptune’s moon Triton is larger than the dwarf planets Pluto and Eris. T/F

Answer 47

True

Question 48

All of the planets have at least one moon that is larger than Pluto’s. T/F

Answer 48

False

Question 49

Although Uranus could fit 63 Earths inside of it, gravity on Uranus is actually less than on Earth. T/F

Answer 49

True

Question 50

Uranus was the ninth body in space to be identified and named. T/F

Answer 50

False

Question 51

Which space expedition has given us a lot of information about the outer planets, including Uranus, Neptune, and the dwarf planets? Sputnik Vostok 1 Voyager 2 Apollo 11

Answer 51

Voyager 2

Question 52

When did the “Great Dark Spot” on Neptune disappear? 1968 1978 1989 1994

Answer 52

1994

Question 53

Atmospheric winds on Neptune are ____ times as strong as those on Earth and ______ time as strong as those on Jupiter. nine; three twenty; two six; four ten; one hundred

Answer 53

nine; three

Question 54

Which planet (or dwarf planet) is roughly the same size as one of its moons? Uranus Pluto Ceres Neptune

Answer 54

Pluto

Question 55

Which organization reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet? the International Astronomical Union (IAU) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) the International Space Station team (ISS) the European Space Agency (ESA)

Answer 55

the International Astronomical Union (IAU)

Question 56

Which planet does NOT experience retrograde rotation? Venus Mars Pluto Uranus

Answer 56

Mars

Question 57

It’s summer time and you are spending time with some younger cousins who want to draw with chalk outside. Because you are studying astronomy, you start to draw the solar system—including orbit lines. What would be unique about how you might draw the orbits of Neptune and Pluto in comparison to the orbits of other planets? The orbits of Neptune and Pluto are more ovular while the other planets’ are more circular, so you will draw them that way. The orbits of Neptune and Pluto go opposite the orbits of their moons, so you will draw their moons as well. The orbits of Neptune and Pluto will intersect at some point, so you may draw them crossing over one another. The orbits of Neptune and Pluto both reverse course every few years, so you may draw arrows on their orbits.

Answer 57

The orbits of Neptune and Pluto will intersect at some point, so you may draw them crossing over one another.

Question 58

Which of the following did NOT cause astronomers to question Pluto’s status as a planet? Its mass is much less than the other eight planets. It is made up of rock and ice, like comets—not like the other planets. It is larger than all of its known satellites. The area beyond the Kuiper Belt compared well to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Answer 58

It is larger than all of its known satellites.

Question 59

Which of these is the BEST analogy for the theory about why Uranus’s rings formed? a piece of string that is tied at the ends, forming a circle a glass of milk being poured into a glass that is taller than it is wide a bowling ball hitting a set of pins, sending them spinning outward a cup of hot coffee being poured over ice and freezing

Answer 59

a bowling ball hitting a set of pins, sending them spinning outward

Question 60

Which of the following layers in Uranus’ atmosphere is the densest part? stratosphere troposphere thermosphere Uranus does not have a dense atmosphere

Answer 60

troposphere