Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
|
|
| 1. | There
are several different types of galaxies. The Milky Way, which contains our solar system,
is a. | a spiral
galaxy. | c. | a horse head
galaxy. | b. | an elliptical galaxy. | d. | an irregular galaxy. | | | | |
|
|
| 2. | We
can be sure that the Milky Way galaxy we live in is a spiral galaxy rather than an elliptical galaxy
because a. | it has curved
arms. | c. | its stars are
all about the same age. | b. | it does not show any rotation. | d. | new stars are no longer forming. | | | | |
|
|
| 3. | Which
planet is characterized by polar ice caps, a pink sky, a rust-colored surface, large volcanoes, and
surface channels? a. | Uranus | c. | Mars | b. | Pluto | d. | Saturn | | | | |
|
|
| 4. | Which
planet is closer to the Sun than Earth is to the Sun? a. | Jupiter | c. | Saturn | b. | Venus | d. | Mars | | | | |
|
|
| 5. | Which
planet has a great red spot and many moons? a. | Neptune | c. | Mars | b. | Jupiter | d. | Mercury | | | | |
|
|
| 6. | The
time it takes the Moon to go from a new moon to a full moon and back to a new moon is
about a. | 1
day. | c. | 28
days. | b. | 14 days. | d. | 365 days. | | | | |
|
|
| 7. | | | Use the table
below to answer this question.
| | |
This table shows
data for major characteristics of the nine planets in the solar system. (One revolution is the length
of time required for a planet to make one complete trip around the Sun; one rotation is the length of
time required for a planet to make one complete turn on its axis.)
| Which of the following planets has the shortest day measured in Earth
time? | | |
a. | Pluto | c. | Jupiter | b. | Earth | d. | Mercury | | | | |
|
|
| 8. | | | Use the chart
below to answer this question.
| | |
The chart shows the average distance of each planet from the Sun and
the speed each planet travels in its orbit. Which conclusion should be drawn from this
chart? a. | The planets
closer to the Sun travel around the Sun faster. | b. | The planets
closer to the Sun absorb the Sun's energy and therefore move faster. | c. | The outer
planets move slower because they are larger. | d. | The outer
planets move slower because they have many moons. | | |
|
|
| 9. | Astronomers determine the chemical composition of stars by using a a. | telescope. | c. | kaleidoscope. | b. | spectroscope. | d. | stethoscope. | | | | |
|
|
| 10. | What
are the two dominant elements in Earth's atmosphere? a. | oxygen and
carbon dioxide | c. | nitrogen and
oxygen | b. | hydrogen and helium | d. | silicon and hydrogen | | | | |
|
|
| 11. | Which
picture demonstrates rotation?
|
|
| 12. | Venus
is completely enveloped in clouds that hide its surface from view on Earth. Which statement is also
true about these clouds? a. | They keep the surface cool. | c. | They are mostly made of water. | b. | They produce
sulfuric acid rain. | d. | They are caused
by volcanoes. | | | | |
|
|
| 13. | According to the big bang theory, the universe originated as a a. | point where all
matter and energy was concentrated. | b. | complex system of galaxies that has since been
expanding. | c. | complete, limitless void without any matter or
energy. | d. | massive sphere of matter and energy with near-infinite
diameter. | | |
|
|
| 14. | The
phenomenon that causes the winds to be deflected to the left or right due to Earth's rotation is
called a. | Steno's
laws. | c. | the nebular
hypothesis. | b. | the Coriolis effect. | d. | differentiation. | | | | |
|
|
| 15. | The
asteroid belt is located between a. | the Sun and Earth. | c. | Neptune and Pluto. | b. | Mars and
Jupiter. | d. | Saturn and
Uranus. | | | | |
|
|
| 16. | The
only reusable spacecraft designed to transport astronauts to and from space is
a a. | space
probe. | c. | rocket. | b. | satellite. | d. | space shuttle. | | | | |
|
|
| 17. | | | Use the table
below, which lists characteristics of the largest planets in our solar system, to answer this
question.
| | |
All of these
planets have a. | rotations slower
than Earth's. | c. | bands of
clouds. | b. | a gas and liquid composition. | d. | storms on their surfaces. | | | | |
|
|
| 18. | If
you were to watch the stars all night, they would seem to a. | stay in exactly
the same place in the sky. | b. | move across the sky at night, as the Sun does during the
day. | c. | go in circles
around the point straight up from where you are. | d. | move across the
sky at night, in the opposite direction that the Sun moves during the day. | | |
|
|
| 19. | Which
is the largest object in the solar system? a. | Earth | c. | the Sun | b. | Jupiter | d. | the
Moon | | | | |
|
|
| 20. | Which
statement about asteroids is true? a. | Asteroids have tails like comets. | b. | Asteroids are
made mostly of ice. | c. | Most asteroids have orbits very similar to
comets. | d. | Most asteroids exist between the orbits of Mars and
Jupiter. | | |
|
|
| 21. | The
atmosphere of Venus consists of thick yellow clouds formed mostly from a. | helium. | c. | hydrogen. | b. | sulfur. | d. | carbon. | | | | |
|
|
| 22. | Earth
stays in orbit around the Sun because of inertia and a. | friction. | c. | magnetism. | b. | gravity. | d. | momentum. | | | | |
|
|
| 23. | An
object in the solar system has many wide, flat craters. What must be true about the
object? a. | It is an
asteroid. | b. | It was originally formed with
craters. | c. | It has been hit by other objects from
space. | d. | It is a planet. | | |
|
|
| 24. | Which
planet is characterized by thick cloud cover, greenhouse effect, vast plains, and high
mountains? a. | Uranus | c. | Mercury | b. | Saturn | d. | Venus | | | | |
|
|
| 25. | NASA
scientists recently discovered evidence of liquid water on a. | Venus. | c. | Jupiter. | b. | Mars. | d. | The Moon. | | | | |
|