Dark matter (missing matter) is matter
A. whose presence can be inferred by gravitational effects, but it doesn't give off light or detectable radiation.
B. which appears dark against a brighter background of stars.
C. that must be located almost entirely in the large voids between superclusters.
D. barely visible in dim or dark stars but its gravitational effects are very obvious.
ANSWER: 

If neutrinos that are created in the cores of stars are
A. detected, they could account for most of the dark matter.
B. found to have a tiny mass, they would be the dominate form of matter in the universe.
C. detected, they would replace gravitons as the dominate form of matter in the universe.
D. detected, they, plus axions, could account for all the dark matter.
ANSWER: 

If dark matter does not exist, then the universe
A. cannot be open.
B. cannot be "saddle shaped".
C. cannot be closed.
D. will collapse.
ANSWER: 

The destiny of the universe is closely associated with
A. its age.
B. its density.
C. its size.
D. the Einstein variablility constant.
ANSWER: 

If the universe is open, it is
A. spherical in shape and will grow colder and darker as energy is depleted.
B. saddle shaped and will grow colder and darker as energy is depleted.
C. saddle shaped and gravity will halt the expansion.
D. basically flat and gravity will reverse the expansion.
ANSWER: 

If the universe is closed, it is
A. shaped like a sphere and gravity will slow, reverse and collapse all matter back to a point.
B. shaped like a saddle and gravity will slow and stop the expansion of galaxies.
C. shaped like a saddle and gravity will slow, reverse and collapse all matter back to a point.
D. also flat and gravity will slow, reverse and collapse all matter back to a point.
ANSWER: 

An open universe is one
A. that will eventually collapse.
B. where scientific study can occur in any and all directions.
C. where galaxies are free to move in all directions.
D. that will expand forever.
ANSWER: 

Of the following combinations of types of universes, the one that is not possible is the
A. closed, inflationary, and oscillating universe.
B. flat and inflationary universe.
C. open, inflationary, and oscillating universe.
D. closed and oscillating universe.
ANSWER: 

The type of universe in which the average density is predicted to be greatest is the
A. closed universe.
B. flat universe.
C. open universe.
D. hyperbolic universe.
ANSWER: 

Gravitational lensing is thought to be a proof of dark matter's existence because light is bent much more around
A. stars than around galaxies.
B. stars than can be accounted for by the mass of the stars.
C. galaxies than can be accounted for by the number of visible stars in the galaxy.
D. spiral galaxies than around elliptical galaxies.
ANSWER: 

The percentage of the mass of the universe that is dark matter is estimated to be
A. 90 to 99 percent.
B. 50 percent.
C. 10 to 20 percent.
D. 1 to 2 percent.
ANSWER: 

In order for the universe to be oscillating, it must also be
A. flat.
B. closed.
C. open.
D. hyperbolic.
ANSWER: 

The disk that forms in the early solar system
A. becomes "lumpy" due to the accretion of particles.
B. becomes very hot throughout its length and width.
C. rapidly falls toward the center to form the sun only.
D. expands due to its rotation.
ANSWER: 

During the early formation of the solar system, the cloud (solar nebula)
A. flattens like a pancake with a central bulge that eventually forms Jupiter and the giant planets.
B. only slightly flattens to produce the sun.
C. flattens like a pancake with a central bulge that eventually forms the sun.
D. first flattens then thickens as planets develop. 
ANSWER: 

When the sun finally turned on (began to shine with visible light), it had a strong
A. solar wind that blew off the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.
B. photon pressure that blew off the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.
C. solar wind that evaporated the original inner planets.
D. solar wind that pushed the gas in the disk outward.
ANSWER: 

According to current theories: 
A. most single stars should have disks and/or planets around them.
B. most single stars should have disks and/or Pluto-like objects forming near the "ice line".
C. most stars should have giant planets inside the "ice line" and terrestrial beyond.
D. most stars should have giant and terrestrial planets inside the "ice line".
ANSWER: 

As planets and a star form from a cloud and disk of debris,
A. most of the matter goes into forming the planets.
B. most of the matter goes into making the star.
C. the matter is almost equally distributed between planets and the star.
D. much of the matter is pushed out of the disk by the star's solar wind.
ANSWER: 

Terrestrial planets have iron cores created by
A. radioactivity that melts the planet followed by iron objects striking the planet and sinking to the center.
B. silicate planetesimals that accrete to, and cover an iron object.
C. gravity compressing heavy elements into iron as the planet accretes.
D. radioactivity that melts the planet allowing iron to sink and form the core.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning rocky debris in the solar nebula
A. Rocky objects bombarded the early planets.
B. Most of the record of the early bombardment was erased when all the planets melted.
C. Much of the record of the early bombardment on some planets is still there.
D. Much of the record of the early bombardment of the Earth by this debris has been eliminated by erosion.
ANSWER: 

Differences that we see between planets is largely due to
A. differences in composition in the early nebula.
B. when the planet formed.
C. differences in temperature from the inner solar nebula to the outer.
D. differences in the density of gas from the inner solar nebula to the outer.
ANSWER: 

The terrestrial planets have all of the following characteristics except
A. solid, rocky surfaces.
B. craters.
C. high average densities.
D. a large number of naturally occurring satellites.
ANSWER: 

The Jovian planets are made primarily of
A. ice and rock in solid form.
B. liquid hydrogen and liquid metallic hydrogen.
C. methane and ammonia.
D. hydrogen and helium.
ANSWER: 

Of the following characteristics, the one that is associated with the present Jovian planets and not with the terrestrial planets is
A. liquid water on the surface.
B. ring systems
C. frozen water/ice at the poles.
D. a cratered surface.
ANSWER: 

The Earth was formed by collisions of progressively bigger objects which led to
A. heating, melting and differentiation.
B. heating, melting and evaporation.
C. melting, accretion and differentiation in that order.
D. heating, differentiation and melting in that order.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following is incorrect concerning the present magnetic field of the Earth?
A. The magnetic field is created in the Earth's molten, outer core.
B. The orientation of the magnetic field moves slightly.
C. The north magnetic pole is lined up with the north geographical pole.
D. Motion in the Earth's liquid core creates the magnetism.
ANSWER: 

We know that Earth has a molten core because
A. of the behavior of seismic waves resulting from earthquakes.
B. scientists have drilled deep enough to sample the molten material.
C. scientists have observed molten rock emerging from the middle of the ocean.
D. scientists have observed molten rock emerging from erupting volcanoes.
ANSWER: 

The mantle is the layer of dense rock that lies between the molten core and the surface. Studies of seismic waves in the mantle show that it behaves as a
A. liquid.
B. very rigid solid.
C. brittle solid that breaks and cracks.
D. plastic solid that flows like a liquid under high pressure.
ANSWER: 

The ozone layer in the Earth's atmosphere protects the surface from
A. carbon dioxide.
B. harmful ultraviolet radiation.
C. infrared radiation.
D. radio waves generated by the sun.
ANSWER: 

The ozone molecule is made from
A. oxygen atoms
B. two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
C. one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.
D. one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms.
ANSWER: 

The greenhouse effect is caused when visible light enters Earth's atmosphere and warms the land. A portion of the resulting infrared radiation or heat is prevented from escaping by 
A. oxygen in the atmosphere.
B. carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
C. liquid water in the oceans.
D. the ozone layer.
ANSWER: 

Many scientists think that Earth's ozone layer is being destroyed by
A. chloroxygen (ClO).
B. fluorohydrogen (FH).
C. chlorofluorocarbon (CFC).
D. water vapor (WV).
ANSWER: 

Liquid water can exist on Earth mainly because of
A. the mass of the Earth.
B. its distance from the sun.
C. the strong magnetic field that pulled water to the surface during its formation.
D. its rather thin atmosphere.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning the temperature of the Earth.
A. The temperature of the Earth is maintained by the water vapor and CO2 creating a Greenhouse effect in the atmosphere.
B. Without the Greenhouse gases, the Earth's average temperature would be several degrees below zero.
C. A large proportion of the Earth's surface temperature comes from the Earth's hot interior.
D. As the amount of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere rises, the Earth's surface temperature should also rise.
ANSWER: 

Excessive amounts of carbon dioxide are thought to be dispersed into Earth's atmosphere as the result of
A. depletion of the ozone layer.
B. symbiotic relationship between plant and animal life.
C. civilization's increased consumption of energy.
D. ultraviolet disassociation of methane and ammonia.
ANSWER: 

The lunar maria are
A. the lava plains of the lunar lowlands.
B. the smooth plateaus of the lunar highlands.
C. less than 1 billion years old.
D. moving plates of lunar crust.
ANSWER: 

The Large-Impact Hypothesis, for the formation of the moon, supposes that
A. Earth formed as a result of a collision with a Mars-sized object.
B. the moon formed during a meteor shower resulting from the collision of two meteorites
C. Earth formed near the moon and gradually pulled away after a near collision with a large asteroid.
D. the moon formed largely from debris ejected from Earth by the impact of a large body.
ANSWER: 

The very intense bombardment of the moon that resulted in cratering
A. destroyed the moon's atmosphere.
B. made most of the surface darker.
C. also occurred on Earth and the other planets.
D. created a dust filled atmosphere.
ANSWER: 

The moon presently lacks an atmosphere because
A. the intense bombardment of its surface destroyed it.
B. the material that accreted to form the moon did not contain gases.
C. the great impact that created the moon also evaporated the atmosphere.
D. it is too small (that is, it doesn't have enough mass).
ANSWER: 

Counting craters on the surface of the moon gives an indication of
A. the size of the impacts.
B. the age of the surface.
C. the composition of the surface.
D. when the moon's protective atmosphere was lost.
ANSWER: 

The same side of the moon always faces the Earth because:
A. when the moon was created by the great impact, it stopped the moon's rotation.
B. when the moon was captured by the Earth, it stopped the moon's rotation.
C. its rate of rotation is equal to its rate of revolution.
D. its rate of rotation is slowing down.
ANSWER: 

Comparing Mercury with other objects we can say that Mercury
A. is a lot like the moon on its outside but more like the Earth on the inside.
B. is a lot like the moon on its surface but its volcanoes are more like those on Mars.
C. is a lot like the moon both on its surface as well as its interior.
D. lacks the large lava plains of the lunar surface but it is like the moon on the inside. 
ANSWER: 

Mercury's diameter is a little
A. larger than our moon's but its density is about the same as the Earth's.
B. smaller than our moon's but its density is about the same as the Earth's.
C. smaller than the Earth's and its density is about the same as the moon's.
D. smaller than the Earth's and its mass is about the same as the moon's.
ANSWER: 

Evidence for a large metallic core is revealed by Mercury's
A. heavily cratered highlands.
B. impact basins filled with lava.
C. lobate scarps.
D. high density.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following is not true concerning Mercury?
A. It is very hot on the sun facing portion of the equator.
B. It is rotating very slowly compared to the Earth.
C. It lacks seasons due to its slow rotation.
D. It may have small amounts of frozen water near its poles.
ANSWER: 

Compared with the Earth, Venus has about the same
A. density, mass and diameter; Mars about the same tilt, rotational rate and temperature.
B. density, mass and diameter; Mars about the same tilt and rotational rate.
C. density, mass and tilt; Mars about the same diameter and rotational rate.
D. tilt and diameter; Mars about the same density and rotational rate.
ANSWER: 

Markings or features in the atmosphere are difficult to observe on Venus from Earth because it is
A. too far away and the clouds are moving too fast.
B. only observed near sunrise or sunset when we are looking through a thicker portion of the Earth's atmosphere which causes more distortion.
C. so close to the sun that its glare prohibits a clear view.
D. so far away. 
ANSWER: 

The surface of Venus is under a thick layer of
A. CO2, nitrogen and hydrogen that create a great atmospheric pressure and temperatures of about 900oF.
B. CO2 and nitrogen that create a great atmospheric pressure and temperatures about 800oF.
C. CO2 that generate strong, very strong, hot winds of about 900oF.
D. mainly CO2 that create a great atmopheric pressure and temperature of about 900oF.
ANSWER: 

If the Earth was moved to the orbit of Venus, then
A. a lot less water would have accumulated on Earth.
B. a lot more limestone would have accumulated on Earth.
C. less CO2 would have formed in the Earth's atmosphere.
D. the temperature of the Earth would be low due to the loss of water.
ANSWER: 

Coronae are circular bulges bordered by fractures, volcanoes and lava flows. These features are probably produced by
A. volcanic eruptions and massive lava flows.
B. earthquakes.
C. rising magma below the crust.
D. plate tectonics and continental drift mechanisms.
ANSWER: 

The extreme temperatures on the surface of Venus are said to be the result of
A. a "runaway" greenhouse effect.
B. volcanic activity.
C. coronae formation.
D. a very hot interior.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following is not a common feature on the surface of Mars?
A. craters, desert-like areas
B. very large volcanoes
C. very large canyons
D. lobate scarps
ANSWER: 

It appears that plate tectonics
A. created as many features on Mars as it has on the Earth.
B. on Mars did not progress to the same extent that it did on Earth.
C. formed the same types of volcanoes on Mars as it has on the Earth.
D. led to the creation of large channels on Mars.
ANSWER: 

The Martian atmosphere
A. is very thin because most of the CO2 was dissolved into water that once flowed there.
B. is very thin because the pressure is so low.
C. is very thin because Mars is less massive and could not hold its atmosphere as well as the Earth or Venus.
D. contains a lot of water during certain seasons.
ANSWER: 

Various meandering stream bed features on Mars indicate that
A. volcanic activity on Mars is significantly different from that on Earth.
B. the atmospheric erosion properties are different from those on Earth.
C. water must have existed in liquid form at some point in the Martian past.
D. lava flows produced most of the flow patterns.
ANSWER: 

During the warmer seasons on Mars, the northern hemisphere polar ice cap
A. melts and disappears completely.
B. melts, leaving an ocean of liquid water.
C. shrinks, leaving a smaller permanent cap of frozen water.
D. evaporates into the atmosphere.
ANSWER: 

Jupiter and Saturn could best be described as very large balls of liquid
A. helium whose tremendous pressures create hot liquid interiors.
B. helium whose tremendous pressures create hot iron interiors.
C. hydrogen whose tremendous pressures create hot interiors.
D. hydrogen with a pure iron core.
ANSWER: 

One main consequence of Jupiter's rapid rotation is
A. that atmopheric storms are stretched into zones and belts.
B. that all atmosphere storms are grouped into large spiraling cells of clouds.
C. that the atmospheric pressures create hot interiors.
D. the creation of the Great Red Spot.
ANSWER: 

The continual resurfacing of the moon Io is partly from
A. sulfurous volcanoes driven by a molten iron core.
B. sulfurous volcanoes driven by the heat from impacts.
C. sulfurous volcanoes driven by the gravity of Jupiter which heats Io's interior.
D. pressurized water spraying and freezing to the surface.
ANSWER: 

Some enormous storms on Jupiter
A. persist for years due to the high atmosphere temperatures.
B. persist for years due to the lack of land masses to stop them.
C. persist for years due to the high atmospheric pressures.
D. come and go in response to the change in tilt.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning Jupiter's magnetic field.
A. The magnetic field is very large and strong.
B. The magnetosphere is much larger than the volume of the sun.
C. The field is probably generated by the circulation of liquid metallic hydrogen in the deeper interior.
D. The field is probably generated by a dynamo moving liquid metallic helium in the core.
ANSWER: 

Special features of the moon, Titan, are its
A. large size and thick methane atmosphere.
B. large size and influence on the ring structure of Saturn.
C. large size and thick nitrogen atmosphere.
D. thick methane atmosphere and its likeness to the early Earth.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning the rings of Saturn
A. They are composed of particles ranging in size from house size to dust.
B. They are composed of mostly water ice.
C. There are 100's of ringlets that together give the appearance of broad rings.
D. They are not influenced by satellites (moons).
ANSWER: 

The interior of Saturn is mostly liquid. As a result, the planet's rapid rotation produces
A. large methane clouds in the atmosphere.
B. a perfectly spherical planet.
C. a magnetic field more intense than Jupiter's.
D. the most oblate planet with the greatest equatorial bulge in the solar system.
ANSWER: 

Compared to Jupiter, Saturn's atmosphere has
A. more hydrogen and colored components.
B. no zones or belts.
C. less obvious cloud structure.
D. little motion.
ANSWER: 

One of the favored theories concerning the rings of Saturn suggest they are
A. young and left over material from the formation of Saturn.
B. young and the result of a collision of an icy moon with a comet.
C. old and the result of a collision of an icy moon with a comet.
D. old and too far from the planet to accrete into a larger object.
ANSWER: 
