Our Solar System
Practice Test
1.
What is the dependent variable in the graph in Figure 3?
Time (s)
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Mass of product (g)
1.5
3.2
4.3
6.0
7.7
9.2
10.4
12.1
a.
mass
b.
time
c.
product versus time
d.
weight
2.
Which planets in the figure are similar in composition to the sun?
a.
1-4 and 9
b.
1-4
c.
5-8
d.
9
3.
The __________ of a planet is its apparent backwards movement as seen from Earth's sky.
a.
eccentricity
b.
epicycle
c.
perihelion
d.
retrograde motion
4.
__________ is a common term for electromagnetic radiation.
a.
Waves
b.
Radiation
c.
Light
d.
Radio
5.
What part of an experiment is used to show that results are due to the condition being tested?
a.
dependent variable
b.
hypothesis
c.
independent variable
d.
control
6.
What explains the behavior of natural phenomena?
a.
theories
b.
scientific laws
c.
experiments
d.
dependent variables
7.
The __________ of the Moon are light in color, mountainous, and heavily covered by craters.
a.
rays
b.
maria
c.
rilles
d.
highlands
8.
On the summer solstice, the Sun is directly above the __________, and the number of daylight hours for the northern hemisphere is __________.
a.
tropic of Capricorn, at a minimum
b.
equator, at a maximum
c.
tropic of Cancer, at a maximum
d.
tropic of Capricorn, at a minimum
9.
A __________ is a technology developed for use in space, which now benefits society.
a.
Very Large Array
b.
spinoff
c.
telescope
d.
mare
10.
The objects that eventually formed planets by colliding and merging are called __________.
a.
planetesimals
b.
solar nebula
c.
stars
d.
asteroids
11.
When the Moon is aligned with and between the Sun and Earth, the Moon is at the __________ stage.
a.
waxing crescent
b.
full moon
c.
waning gibbous
d.
new moon
12.
What is Olympus Mons?
a.
a scarp on Mercury
b.
a composite volcano on Venus
c.
one of Mars' moons
d.
a large shield volcano on Mars
13.
Use the table to determine the smallest gas giant planet.
Planet
Orbital Radius, a (AU)
Planetary Radius, r (km)
Planetary Mass, m (10
24
kg)
Mercury
0.387
2439.7
0.3302
Venus
0.723
6051.8
4.8685
Earth
1.0
6378.1
5.9736
Mars
1.524
3397
0.64185
Jupiter
5.204
71 492
1898.6
Saturn
9.582
60 268
568.46
Uranus
19.201
25 559
86.832
Neptune
30.047
24 764
102.43
Pluto
39.236
1195
0.0125
a.
Neptune
b.
Uranus
c.
Jupiter
d.
Saturn
14.
What particle(s) make up the nucleus of an atom?
a.
protons and neutrons
b.
electrons only
c.
protons only
d.
neutrons and electrons
15.
The eccentricity of a perfect circle is __________ and a very elongated ellipse is __________.
a.
one, zero
b.
nearly zero, one
c.
zero, one
d.
zero, nearly one
16.
How would the values in the "Percent Carbon Dioxide" column in Figure 2 be presented in scientific notation?
Experiment 1
Experiment 2
Percent
Oxygen
Percent
Carbon
Dioxide
Percent
Nitrogen
Growth
Rate
(mm/day)
Percent
Oxygen
Percent
Carbon
Dioxide
Percent
Nitrogen
Growth
Rate
(mm/day)
1
0.03
98.97
10
21
1
78
15
10
0.03
89.97
11
21
10
69
25
20
0.03
79.97
10
21
20
59
35
30
0.03
69.97
12
21
30
49
43
40
0.03
59.97
11
21
40
39
44
50
0.03
49.97
10
21
50
29
44
a.
0.03 x 10
3
b.
3 x 10
2
c.
30 x 10
-3
d.
3 x 10
-2
17.
Why is Venus the hottest planet, even though it isn't the closest to the Sun?
a.
it's greenhouse effect
b.
it surfuric acid rain
c.
it's high albedo
d.
it's high atmospheric pressure
18.
Electrons tend to occupy the __________ energy level.
a.
second
b.
intermediate
c.
lowest available
d.
highest available
19.
Comets are bodies that are __________ that orbit __________.
a.
icy, each planet
b.
larger than Earth, Earth
c.
helium gas, the Sun
d.
ice and rock, the Sun
20.
What mineral are the lunar breccias primarily made of?
a.
quartz
b.
plagioclase feldspar
c.
orthoclase feldspar
d.
gypsum
