Solar System Physics 2

1. Solar System Physics 2 Multiple Choice Questions

2. Test Question Does this quiz work? A. Yes B. No

3. Solar System Physics 2 • 1. What do you need to (most simply) measure the radius of Earth? • Two sticks, a known distance apart, at the same latitude but different longitude. • Two sticks, a known distance apart, at the same longitude but different latitude. y • A very large pair of callipers. • A mountain and a piece of string.

4. Solar System Physics 2 • 2. Which of the following statements about different sorts of waves is true? • Pressure waves would be the main form of wave released from a vertical slip in a fault. A pressure wave pushes material in the direction of motion. • A shear wave pushes material at right-angles to its direction of motion. A pressure wave is a longitudinal wave. y • A shear wave is a transverse wave and it would be the sort of wave released if somebody shouted “you’ve just lost the game” in air. • Water waves, light waves, shear waves in general and sound waves are all transverse waves.

5. Solar System Physics 2 • 2. Shear waves travel faster than pressure waves through rock, true or false? • True. • False. y

6. Solar System Physics 2 • 4. Austin Powers fails to prevent a meteorite hitting Glasgow. Dr Evil sits in New Zealand with lots of seismology instrumentation to observe the disaster, what would he see on his instruments? • Lots of shear waves because, like in an ocean, shear waves can pass through the liquid core. He will see no pressure waves because they are very severely diffracted by the rock. • No pressure wave readings but some shear waves • C. None of either, he is in a seismic shadow. • D. No shear waves but some pressure waves. y

7. Solar System Physics 2 • 5. The density of the terrestrial planets is given by… (think of the two simple equations you need to combine). • ρ = M / (4/3)πR3. y • ρ = 4M / 3πR3. • ρ = M / (3/4)πR3. • ρ = M / (4/3)πR2.

8. Solar System Physics 2 • 6. What causes the Earth’s magnetic field? • The effect of a body containing metal, moving through the solar wind. • The field has been stored in the rock since the formation of the solar system. • The motion of a liquid metallic core. y • The L.H.C turning on.

9. Solar System Physics 2 • 7. Which of the following statements is FALSE? • Venus is much more volcanically active than Earth, it has an atmosphere but shows little evidence of erosion. • Mars’ surface shows a history of volcanism and substantial erosion. • The Moon has evidence of past volcanism, lots of impact cratering but no erosion. • Mercury has lots of small lava plains and prominent evidence of weather erosion from its stormy hot atmosphere. y

10. Solar System Physics 2 • 8. Which of the following statements about Earth’s crust is true? • The lithosphere floats on the asthenosphere, the lithosphere is split into 12 large parts. y • The asthenosphere floats on the lithosphere, the lithosphere is split into 12 large parts. • The asthenosphere floats on the lithosphere, the asthenosphere is split into 12 large parts. • The lithosphere floats on the asthenosphere, the asthenosphere is split into 12 large parts.

11. Solar System Physics 2 • 9. Earth, Mars and Venus each have an atmosphere, and each of these atmospheres have a prominent gas from which they are made. Which of the following lists, indicating the most prominent gas of each planet’s atmosphere, is true? • Earth – N2, Mars – CO2 and Venus – H2. • Earth – O2, Mars – CO2 and Venus – CO2. • Earth – O2, Mars – CO2 and Venus – CH4. • Earth – N2, Mars – CO2 and Venus – CO2. y

12. Solar System Physics 2 • 10. Which of the following statements about the reasons for the Aurora is true? • The Sun’s magnetic field interacts with Earth’s, producing luminescent neutrons. • Methane released from the arctic tundra ignites in the upper stratosphere when charged particles from the solar wind hit it. • Charged particles from the solar wind penetrate the magnetosphere of the Earth at the poles, these trapped particles produce the shimmering effect. y • Ions from the solar wind interact with Earth’s magnetosphere producing a particular spin polarisation of the charged particles in the upper atmosphere which then shimmer.

13. Solar System Physics 2 • 11. The Crust is as much as ten times thinner under the oceans, true or false? • True. y • False.

14. Solar System Physics 2 • 12. What is the inner core of the Earth mainly made of? • Iron and Nickel. y • Basalt and Silica. • Iron and Titanium. • Iron, Nickel and Titanium.

15. Solar System Physics 2 • 13. Which of the following rock cycle processes is impossible? • Igneous → metamorphic → sedimentary → metamorphic → sedimentary. • Metamorphic → sedimentary → primitive → igneous. Y • Metamorphic → igneous → sedimentary → metamorphic. • Primitive → metamorphic → igneous → sedimentary.

16. Solar System Physics 2 • 14. Planets are heated by geothermal energy due to tidal stressing and the radioactive decay of heavy elements. Which of the following is another major source of energy that plays a major part in the making Earth the temperature that it is.? • Solar radiation. • Nuclear fusion in core. • Greenhouse effect. • Gravitational energy released when planet formed.

17. Solar System Physics 2 • 15. Which of the following statements about half-life is true? • The half-life is half the time it takes for half the original number to decay. • The half-life is longer for the lighter elements. • The half-life is the time taken for half of the original number to decay. y • The half-life is double the time taken for one quarter of the original number to decay.

18. Solar System Physics 2 • 16. Which of the following lists are all greenhouse gasses in Earth’s atmosphere? • CO, H2O and H2. • CO2, H2O and CH4. y • CO2, CH4 and N2. • CO, CH4 and H2O.

19. Solar System Physics 2 • 17. Which of the three main types of asteroid contain a lot of Iron and Nickel? • C-type. • S-type. • M-type. y

20. Solar System Physics 2 • 18. Which of the three main types of asteroid make up 75% of the asteroid belt? • C-type. y • S-type. • M-type.

21. Solar System Physics 2 • 19. What is the most common meteorite in the solar system, i.e. which is the most common to hit us (hint: they are known as primitive meteorites)? • C-type. • Stony. y • Iron. • Mixed

22. Solar System Physics 2 • Put the definitions in the second table in an order so that they match the order of the names in the first table. • 2, 4, 1, 3. • 4, 1, 2, 3. y • 1, 2, 3, 4. • 1, 2, 4, 3.

23. Solar System Physics 2 • 21. Which has more energy? • A typical meteorite of 10cm diameter. y • 100kg of TNT. • They are the same.

24. Solar System Physics 2 • 22. What are comets mostly made of? • Basalt and silica. • Nickel and iron. • Basalt and iron. • Ice and dust. Y

25. Solar System Physics 2 • 23. In what direction do comet tails point? • Towards the Sun. • Away from the comet’s travel direction. • Away from the Sun. y • In direction of the Comet’s motion.

26. Solar System Physics 2 • 24. What is the correct order of the suns outer layers from inner-most to outer-most? • Chromosphere, photosphere, corona. • Chromosphere, corona, photosphere. • Corona, chromosphere, photosphere. • Photosphere, chromosphere, corona. y

27. Solar System Physics 2 • 25. Which motion carries the greatest angular motion? • Jupiter’s orbital motion. y • Saturn’s orbital motion. • The Sun’s rotational motion. • Jupiter’s rotational motion.