Astronomy 1010 Exam #2 Chapter 9 Test Questions and
Answers Rated A
The greenhouse effect plays a major role in the
climate of a planet. Visit the Greenhouse Effect Venus
AstroTour, and use what you learn there to Largest Effect
choose all the statements below that are correct.
Note that 273 K = 0°C = 32°F.
Choose one or more: Why does Mars have such a low surface
A. The Earth absorbs sunlight and reemits it in pressure? Visit the AstroTour "Atmospheres:
the ultraviolet. Formation and Escape" on how planets gain and
B. If there were no greenhouse effect, liquid lose atmospheres.
water would not exist on the surface of the Earth.
C. It would be beneficial to humanity to develop Choose the statement that corresponds to the
technology that would eliminate the greenhouse biggest factor that resulted in Mars having a
effect on Earth. thinner atmosphere than Earth and Venus.
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium,
emitting the same amount of energy into space Choose one:
as it absorbs from the Sun. Mars is farther away from the Sun than Earth
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an and Venus.
atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect Mars is less massive than Earth and Venus.
will be. - ANSWER -B. If there were no Mars had fewer comet impacts than Earth and
greenhouse effect, liquid water would not exist Venus.
on the surface of the Earth. Mars has a longer year than Earth and Venus. -
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium, ANSWER -Mars is less massive than Earth
emitting the same amount of energy into space and Venus.
as it absorbs from the Sun.
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an
atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect Venus and Earth are similar in size, so they
will be. should have had similar amounts of volcanic
outgassing adding to the atmosphere, and similar
gravities resulting in a similar loss of atmospheric
A planet's temperature depends on its distance gas to space. Why, then, are their atmospheres
from the Sun as well as the strength of its so different?
greenhouse effect. Let's remove the effect of
distance from the Sun by just considering how This table shows the composition of the planets'
the temperature of a planet changes due to the atmospheres if all the carbon dioxide that exists
presence of its atmosphere. anywhere on the planet were included. Carbon
dioxide is added to the atmosphere through
From the numbers given in the animation, volcanic outgassing, and it is removed as it is
calculate the difference in temperature for each absorbed by liquid water and then chemically
planet with and without its atmosphere, and then combined with rock.
rank the planets in order of increasing
greenhouse effect. - ANSWER -Smallest Based on the text above and what you see in the
Effect table, what is the most likely reason Venus has a
Mars stronger greenhouse effect than Earth?
Choose one:
Earth A. Venus had more carbon dioxide added to the
1/6
, Astronomy 1010 Exam #2 Chapter 9 Test Questions and
Answers Rated A
air through volcanic outgassing. due to the Milankovitch cycle, which is caused by
B. Venus is closer to the Sun, so any liquid water periodic variations in the Earth's axis tilt and the
that might have existed on the surface in the eccentricity of its orbit. Ice ages occur when the
distant past would have evaporated away faster axis tilt is low, and periods of relative warmth
tha - ANSWER -B. Venus is closer to the occur when it is high. As the amount of liquid
Sun, so any liquid water that might have existed water on Earth changes due to evaporation,
on the surface in the distant past would have precipitation, and freezing, the level of carbon
evaporated away faster than on the Earth. dioxide removed from the air also changes, such
that the greenhouse effect is strengthened during
periods of intense cold and weakened during
Earth is special among the planets because it periods of intense warmth. This helps the Earth
has an ozone layer to protect it from ultraviolet regulate its temperature and move out of periods
light that can destroy water vapor molecules and of extreme climate without becoming like Mars or
a strong magnetic field to protect it from the solar Venus.
wind stripping off its atmosphere. It has just the
right air pressure, and it is at just the right Based on the trends seen in this graph, what
distance from the Sun for liquid water to exist on would you expect Earth's temperature to do over
its surface. Because carbon dioxide is removed the next few thousand years?
from the atmosphere by liquid water, this is key Choose one:
in keeping Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide A. It is impossible to tell because the temperature
level in check. of the Eart - ANSWER -C. decrease toward
the next ice age
The upper graph shows the carbon dioxide
content in Earth's atmosphere as a function of
time, and the lower graph shows the average If we experience a year that is much hotter than
yearly temperature in Antarctica, where the the previous year, this means that Earth is going
carbon dioxide levels were measured. Note that through a global warming trend, where the
the units of time are in thousands of years. temperature will now continually increase each
year.
Study the above figure, then select all the Choose one:
statements below that are correct. A. true
Choose one or more: B. false
A. There are cyclical temperature variations seen C. It is impossible to tell with one year of data. -
on - ANSWER -A. There are cyclical ANSWER -C. It is impossible to tell with one
temperature variations seen on this graph (a year of data.
periodic increase, then decrease) every few
10,000 to 100,000 years or so.
B. The temperature is directly related to the Weather is quite different from climate. Weather
amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere—an describes short-term variations in temperature in
increase in one coincides with an increase in the a localized place on Earth, while climate refers to
other. the overall average temperature in a large region
over a long period of time.
The periodic rise and fall of Earth's average To get an accurate indication of where Earth's
temperature over 10,000s to 100,000s of years is temperature is heading in the long term, we must
2/6
Answers Rated A
The greenhouse effect plays a major role in the
climate of a planet. Visit the Greenhouse Effect Venus
AstroTour, and use what you learn there to Largest Effect
choose all the statements below that are correct.
Note that 273 K = 0°C = 32°F.
Choose one or more: Why does Mars have such a low surface
A. The Earth absorbs sunlight and reemits it in pressure? Visit the AstroTour "Atmospheres:
the ultraviolet. Formation and Escape" on how planets gain and
B. If there were no greenhouse effect, liquid lose atmospheres.
water would not exist on the surface of the Earth.
C. It would be beneficial to humanity to develop Choose the statement that corresponds to the
technology that would eliminate the greenhouse biggest factor that resulted in Mars having a
effect on Earth. thinner atmosphere than Earth and Venus.
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium,
emitting the same amount of energy into space Choose one:
as it absorbs from the Sun. Mars is farther away from the Sun than Earth
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an and Venus.
atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect Mars is less massive than Earth and Venus.
will be. - ANSWER -B. If there were no Mars had fewer comet impacts than Earth and
greenhouse effect, liquid water would not exist Venus.
on the surface of the Earth. Mars has a longer year than Earth and Venus. -
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium, ANSWER -Mars is less massive than Earth
emitting the same amount of energy into space and Venus.
as it absorbs from the Sun.
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an
atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect Venus and Earth are similar in size, so they
will be. should have had similar amounts of volcanic
outgassing adding to the atmosphere, and similar
gravities resulting in a similar loss of atmospheric
A planet's temperature depends on its distance gas to space. Why, then, are their atmospheres
from the Sun as well as the strength of its so different?
greenhouse effect. Let's remove the effect of
distance from the Sun by just considering how This table shows the composition of the planets'
the temperature of a planet changes due to the atmospheres if all the carbon dioxide that exists
presence of its atmosphere. anywhere on the planet were included. Carbon
dioxide is added to the atmosphere through
From the numbers given in the animation, volcanic outgassing, and it is removed as it is
calculate the difference in temperature for each absorbed by liquid water and then chemically
planet with and without its atmosphere, and then combined with rock.
rank the planets in order of increasing
greenhouse effect. - ANSWER -Smallest Based on the text above and what you see in the
Effect table, what is the most likely reason Venus has a
Mars stronger greenhouse effect than Earth?
Choose one:
Earth A. Venus had more carbon dioxide added to the
1/6
, Astronomy 1010 Exam #2 Chapter 9 Test Questions and
Answers Rated A
air through volcanic outgassing. due to the Milankovitch cycle, which is caused by
B. Venus is closer to the Sun, so any liquid water periodic variations in the Earth's axis tilt and the
that might have existed on the surface in the eccentricity of its orbit. Ice ages occur when the
distant past would have evaporated away faster axis tilt is low, and periods of relative warmth
tha - ANSWER -B. Venus is closer to the occur when it is high. As the amount of liquid
Sun, so any liquid water that might have existed water on Earth changes due to evaporation,
on the surface in the distant past would have precipitation, and freezing, the level of carbon
evaporated away faster than on the Earth. dioxide removed from the air also changes, such
that the greenhouse effect is strengthened during
periods of intense cold and weakened during
Earth is special among the planets because it periods of intense warmth. This helps the Earth
has an ozone layer to protect it from ultraviolet regulate its temperature and move out of periods
light that can destroy water vapor molecules and of extreme climate without becoming like Mars or
a strong magnetic field to protect it from the solar Venus.
wind stripping off its atmosphere. It has just the
right air pressure, and it is at just the right Based on the trends seen in this graph, what
distance from the Sun for liquid water to exist on would you expect Earth's temperature to do over
its surface. Because carbon dioxide is removed the next few thousand years?
from the atmosphere by liquid water, this is key Choose one:
in keeping Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide A. It is impossible to tell because the temperature
level in check. of the Eart - ANSWER -C. decrease toward
the next ice age
The upper graph shows the carbon dioxide
content in Earth's atmosphere as a function of
time, and the lower graph shows the average If we experience a year that is much hotter than
yearly temperature in Antarctica, where the the previous year, this means that Earth is going
carbon dioxide levels were measured. Note that through a global warming trend, where the
the units of time are in thousands of years. temperature will now continually increase each
year.
Study the above figure, then select all the Choose one:
statements below that are correct. A. true
Choose one or more: B. false
A. There are cyclical temperature variations seen C. It is impossible to tell with one year of data. -
on - ANSWER -A. There are cyclical ANSWER -C. It is impossible to tell with one
temperature variations seen on this graph (a year of data.
periodic increase, then decrease) every few
10,000 to 100,000 years or so.
B. The temperature is directly related to the Weather is quite different from climate. Weather
amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere—an describes short-term variations in temperature in
increase in one coincides with an increase in the a localized place on Earth, while climate refers to
other. the overall average temperature in a large region
over a long period of time.
The periodic rise and fall of Earth's average To get an accurate indication of where Earth's
temperature over 10,000s to 100,000s of years is temperature is heading in the long term, we must
2/6
