GEOL 109 Exam 2 Questions with Revised
Answers| Verified 100% Correct
Lesson 1 - Mars: The Red Planet - ✔✔...
Although both Mercury and Mars have similar gravity fields, Mars has an atmosphere
whereas Mercury does not. What is a possible explanation? - ✔✔Mars is more
volatile rich.
Because Mars accreted further from the Sun than Mercury, Mars has a greater amount
of volatiles. These volatiles were outgassed and released past the surface of Mars where
they were trapped by the gravity field of Mars.
Which planetary body has (basically) no magnetic field today? - ✔✔Mars
Though Mars is larger than Mercury it does not have a present magnetic field. There is
evidence within martian rocks that show there was one in the past, but there is not an
active one today.
Which of the following are important differences between the nature of the martian
hemispheres (north and south)? (Mark all that apply) - ✔✔-ages
-number of young volcanoes and volcanic plains
-elevations
-the number of impact craters
The northern and southern hemispheres are very different in almost every aspect.
Including ages, crater density, volcanic activity, and elevations.
,What is the evidence for ground ice (or ground water) on Mars? Choose all correct
answers. - ✔✔-fluidized crater-ejecta patterns
-chaotic (collapse) terrains
Evidence of water on Mars is seen in impact features produced by melted water and the
chaotic terrain produced by flowing water.
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click on the VALLES MARINERIS. - ✔✔blue, looks like scratches
or a big scar
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click anywhere in the CRATERED HIGHLANDS. - ✔✔all the
yellow, cratered part
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click anywhere in the YOUNGEST PLAINS. - ✔✔on top, blue,
smooth, uncratered
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click on the volcanoes of the THARSIS BULGE. - ✔✔looks like a
pyramid with one big volcano at top and three on bottom
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click on a THICK SHEET OF ICE. - ✔✔red part at the bottom
How did these vast valleys on Mars form? - ✔✔The outflow valleys were eroded by
liquid water.
, Flowing water erodes the landscape and produces sinuous stream channels that flow
from higher elevation (left) to lower elevation (right).
Lesson 16 - Mercury: The Iron Planet - ✔✔...
Would you be surprised if tomorrow's newspaper reported that a volcano was
discovered erupting on Mercury? - ✔✔Yes, that is not expected to happen on
Mercury today.
Mercury no longer has volcanic activity because its lithosphere is too thick for magmas
to penetrate.
What causes the differences between impact craters on the Moon and those on
Mercury (the extent of the ejecta blanket and secondary cratering)? - ✔✔different
gravitational attractions on each planet
Gravitational pull can affect the extent of crater ejecta and secondary craters. Both of
these craters will extend for greater distances on planetary bodies that have less gravity.
What do thermal models of Mercury's evolution suggest about its history? - ✔✔That
it developed a metallic core early in its history.
The iron within Mercury separated out into a core early in the planet's history.
The oldest types of terrains on both the Moon and Mercury are
________________________. - ✔✔heavily cratered terrain
Answers| Verified 100% Correct
Lesson 1 - Mars: The Red Planet - ✔✔...
Although both Mercury and Mars have similar gravity fields, Mars has an atmosphere
whereas Mercury does not. What is a possible explanation? - ✔✔Mars is more
volatile rich.
Because Mars accreted further from the Sun than Mercury, Mars has a greater amount
of volatiles. These volatiles were outgassed and released past the surface of Mars where
they were trapped by the gravity field of Mars.
Which planetary body has (basically) no magnetic field today? - ✔✔Mars
Though Mars is larger than Mercury it does not have a present magnetic field. There is
evidence within martian rocks that show there was one in the past, but there is not an
active one today.
Which of the following are important differences between the nature of the martian
hemispheres (north and south)? (Mark all that apply) - ✔✔-ages
-number of young volcanoes and volcanic plains
-elevations
-the number of impact craters
The northern and southern hemispheres are very different in almost every aspect.
Including ages, crater density, volcanic activity, and elevations.
,What is the evidence for ground ice (or ground water) on Mars? Choose all correct
answers. - ✔✔-fluidized crater-ejecta patterns
-chaotic (collapse) terrains
Evidence of water on Mars is seen in impact features produced by melted water and the
chaotic terrain produced by flowing water.
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click on the VALLES MARINERIS. - ✔✔blue, looks like scratches
or a big scar
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click anywhere in the CRATERED HIGHLANDS. - ✔✔all the
yellow, cratered part
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click anywhere in the YOUNGEST PLAINS. - ✔✔on top, blue,
smooth, uncratered
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click on the volcanoes of the THARSIS BULGE. - ✔✔looks like a
pyramid with one big volcano at top and three on bottom
This is a colored topographic map of Mars, with high elevations in brown and white and
low elevations in blue. Click on a THICK SHEET OF ICE. - ✔✔red part at the bottom
How did these vast valleys on Mars form? - ✔✔The outflow valleys were eroded by
liquid water.
, Flowing water erodes the landscape and produces sinuous stream channels that flow
from higher elevation (left) to lower elevation (right).
Lesson 16 - Mercury: The Iron Planet - ✔✔...
Would you be surprised if tomorrow's newspaper reported that a volcano was
discovered erupting on Mercury? - ✔✔Yes, that is not expected to happen on
Mercury today.
Mercury no longer has volcanic activity because its lithosphere is too thick for magmas
to penetrate.
What causes the differences between impact craters on the Moon and those on
Mercury (the extent of the ejecta blanket and secondary cratering)? - ✔✔different
gravitational attractions on each planet
Gravitational pull can affect the extent of crater ejecta and secondary craters. Both of
these craters will extend for greater distances on planetary bodies that have less gravity.
What do thermal models of Mercury's evolution suggest about its history? - ✔✔That
it developed a metallic core early in its history.
The iron within Mercury separated out into a core early in the planet's history.
The oldest types of terrains on both the Moon and Mercury are
________________________. - ✔✔heavily cratered terrain
