ASTR FINAL EXAM NEWEST 2024-2025 ACTUAL

• | P a g e

ASTR FINAL EXAM NEWEST 2024-2025 ACTUAL

EXAM COMPLETE ALL 250 QUESTIONS AND

CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS ( VERIFIED

ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+

Which of the following puzzles in the solar system cannot be explained by a giant impact event?

• the formation of the Moon
• the large metallic core of Mercury
• the backward rotation of Venus
• the extreme axis tilt of Uranus
• the orbit of Triton in the opposite direction to Neptune's rotation -

ANSWER- E) the orbit of Triton in the opposite direction to Neptune's rotation

The nebular theory of the formation of the solar system successfully predicts all but one of the following. Which one does the theory not predict?

• Planets orbit around the Sun in nearly circular orbits in a flattened

disk.

• the compositional differences between the terrestrial and jovian

planets

• the equal number of terrestrial and jovian planets 1 / 4

• | P a g e

• asteroids, Kuiper-belt comets, and the Oort cloud
• the craters on the Moon - ANSWER- C) the equal number of

terrestrial and jovian planets

The age of our solar system is approximately

• 10,000 years.
• 3.8 million years.
• 4.6 million years.
• 4.6 billion years.
• 14 billion years. - ANSWER- D) 4.6 billion years.

The age of the solar system can be established by radioactive dating of

• the oldest Earth rocks.
• the oldest rocks on the Moon.
• the oldest meteorites.
• the atmosphere of Mars.
• It hasn't been done yet, but the age of the solar system could be

obtained from a sample of Io's surface. - ANSWER- C) the oldest meteorites.

What do meteorites reveal about the solar system?

• They reveal that meteorites are much older than the comets and

planets.

• Nothing, because they come from other star systems. 2 / 4

• | P a g e

• They reveal that the solar system once contained 10 planets.
• They reveal that the age of the solar system is approximately 4.6

billion years.

• They reveal that the early solar system consisted mostly of hydrogen

and helium gas. - ANSWER- D) They reveal that the age of the solar system is approximately 4.6 billion years.

Suppose you find a rock that contains some potassium-40 (half-life of 1.3 billion years). You measure the amount and determine that there are

• grams of potassium-40 in the rock. By measuring the amount of its

decay product (argon-40) present in the rock, you realize that there must have been 40 grams of potassium-40 when the rock solidified. How old is the rock?

• 1.3 billion years
• 2.6 billion years
• 3.9 billion years
• 5.2 billion years
• none of the above - ANSWER- C) 3.9 billion years

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest.

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars
• Mercury, Moon, Venus, Earth, Mars
• Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
• Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth
• Mercury, Moon, Mars, Earth, Venus - ANSWER- D) Moon,

Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth 3 / 4

• | P a g e

What is differentiation in planetary geology?

• the process by which gravity separates materials according to density
• the process by which different types of minerals form a conglomerate

rock

• any process by which a planet's surface evolves differently from

another planet's surface

• any process by which one part of a planet's surface evolves

differently from another part of the same planet's surface

• any process by which a planet evolves differently from its moons -

ANSWER- A) the process by which gravity separates materials according to density

Under what circumstances can differentiation occur in a planet?

• The planet must have a rocky surface.
• The planet must be made of both metal and rock.
• The planet must have an atmosphere.
• The planet must be geologically active, that is, have volcanoes,

planetquakes, and erosion from weather.

• The planet must have a molten interior. - ANSWER- E) The planet

must have a molten interior.

When we say that a liquid has a high viscosity, we mean that it

• is runny like water.
• flows slowly like honey.
• / 4