Astronomy 1010 Exam #2 Chapter 9 Questions Answered Correctly Rated A+
The greenhouse effect plays a major role in the climate of a planet. Visit the Greenhouse Effect
AstroTour, and use what you learn there to choose all the statements below that are correct. Note that
273 K = 0°C = 32°F.
Choose one or more:
A. The Earth absorbs sunlight and reemits it in the ultraviolet.
B. If there were no greenhouse effect, liquid water would not exist on the surface of the Earth.
C. It would be beneficial to humanity to develop technology that would eliminate the greenhouse effect
on Earth.
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium, emitting the same amount of energy into space as it
absorbs from the Sun.
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect will be. -
AnswersB. If there were no greenhouse effect, liquid water would not exist on the surface of the Earth.
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium, emitting the same amount of energy into space as it
absorbs from the Sun.
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect will be.
A planet's temperature depends on its distance from the Sun as well as the strength of its greenhouse
effect. Let's remove the effect of distance from the Sun by just considering how the temperature of a
planet changes due to the presence of its atmosphere.
From the numbers given in the animation, calculate the difference in temperature for each planet with
and without its atmosphere, and then rank the planets in order of increasing greenhouse effect. -
AnswersSmallest Effect
Mars
Earth
Venus
, Largest Effect
Why does Mars have such a low surface pressure? Visit the AstroTour "Atmospheres: Formation and
Escape" on how planets gain and lose atmospheres.
Choose the statement that corresponds to the biggest factor that resulted in Mars having a thinner
atmosphere than Earth and Venus.
Choose one:
Mars is farther away from the Sun than Earth and Venus.
Mars is less massive than Earth and Venus.
Mars had fewer comet impacts than Earth and Venus.
Mars has a longer year than Earth and Venus. - AnswersMars is less massive than Earth and Venus.
Venus and Earth are similar in size, so they should have had similar amounts of volcanic outgassing
adding to the atmosphere, and similar gravities resulting in a similar loss of atmospheric gas to space.
Why, then, are their atmospheres so different?
This table shows the composition of the planets' atmospheres if all the carbon dioxide that exists
anywhere on the planet were included. Carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere through volcanic
outgassing, and it is removed as it is absorbed by liquid water and then chemically combined with rock.
Based on the text above and what you see in the table, what is the most likely reason Venus has a
stronger greenhouse effect than Earth?
Choose one:
A. Venus had more carbon dioxide added to the air through volcanic outgassing.
B. Venus is closer to the Sun, so any liquid water that might have existed on the surface in the distant
past would have evaporated away faster tha - AnswersB. Venus is closer to the Sun, so any liquid water
that might have existed on the surface in the distant past would have evaporated away faster than on
the Earth.
Earth is special among the planets because it has an ozone layer to protect it from ultraviolet light that
can destroy water vapor molecules and a strong magnetic field to protect it from the solar wind
The greenhouse effect plays a major role in the climate of a planet. Visit the Greenhouse Effect
AstroTour, and use what you learn there to choose all the statements below that are correct. Note that
273 K = 0°C = 32°F.
Choose one or more:
A. The Earth absorbs sunlight and reemits it in the ultraviolet.
B. If there were no greenhouse effect, liquid water would not exist on the surface of the Earth.
C. It would be beneficial to humanity to develop technology that would eliminate the greenhouse effect
on Earth.
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium, emitting the same amount of energy into space as it
absorbs from the Sun.
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect will be. -
AnswersB. If there were no greenhouse effect, liquid water would not exist on the surface of the Earth.
D. The Earth has reached thermal equilibrium, emitting the same amount of energy into space as it
absorbs from the Sun.
E. The more carbon dioxide there is in an atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect will be.
A planet's temperature depends on its distance from the Sun as well as the strength of its greenhouse
effect. Let's remove the effect of distance from the Sun by just considering how the temperature of a
planet changes due to the presence of its atmosphere.
From the numbers given in the animation, calculate the difference in temperature for each planet with
and without its atmosphere, and then rank the planets in order of increasing greenhouse effect. -
AnswersSmallest Effect
Mars
Earth
Venus
, Largest Effect
Why does Mars have such a low surface pressure? Visit the AstroTour "Atmospheres: Formation and
Escape" on how planets gain and lose atmospheres.
Choose the statement that corresponds to the biggest factor that resulted in Mars having a thinner
atmosphere than Earth and Venus.
Choose one:
Mars is farther away from the Sun than Earth and Venus.
Mars is less massive than Earth and Venus.
Mars had fewer comet impacts than Earth and Venus.
Mars has a longer year than Earth and Venus. - AnswersMars is less massive than Earth and Venus.
Venus and Earth are similar in size, so they should have had similar amounts of volcanic outgassing
adding to the atmosphere, and similar gravities resulting in a similar loss of atmospheric gas to space.
Why, then, are their atmospheres so different?
This table shows the composition of the planets' atmospheres if all the carbon dioxide that exists
anywhere on the planet were included. Carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere through volcanic
outgassing, and it is removed as it is absorbed by liquid water and then chemically combined with rock.
Based on the text above and what you see in the table, what is the most likely reason Venus has a
stronger greenhouse effect than Earth?
Choose one:
A. Venus had more carbon dioxide added to the air through volcanic outgassing.
B. Venus is closer to the Sun, so any liquid water that might have existed on the surface in the distant
past would have evaporated away faster tha - AnswersB. Venus is closer to the Sun, so any liquid water
that might have existed on the surface in the distant past would have evaporated away faster than on
the Earth.
Earth is special among the planets because it has an ozone layer to protect it from ultraviolet light that
can destroy water vapor molecules and a strong magnetic field to protect it from the solar wind
