Version A

Write your name at the top of this quiz as well as on your answer sheet, and hand them both in at the end of the quiz. WRITE YOUR VERSION ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET. Feel free to write or draw on the quiz.

SELECT THE BEST ANSWER TO EACH PROBLEM.

1. When ²⁴³Am decays to ²³⁹Np, it emits a/an:
a) alpha particle.
b) proton.
c) positron.
d) electron.
e) gamma particle.

a) alpha particle.

2. The radioactive isotope ¹⁴C decays to ¹⁴N with a half-life of 5370 years. If a shell has a ¹²C/¹⁴C ratio about four times that of the Earth's atmosphere (i.e., the ¹⁴C/¹²C ratio is 1/4 that of the atmosphere), then this shell has an approximate age of:
a) 5370/2 = 2685 years.
b) 5370 years.
c) 5370 X 2 = 10740 years.
d) 5370 X 3 = 16,110 years.
e) 5370 X 4 = 21,480 years.

c) 5370 X 2 = 10740 years.

3. An igneous rock:
a) is one that has fallen to the Earth from space; it is likely a piece of an asteroid that has broken off.
b) is the best kind of rock for radioactive dating.
c) is another kind of rock that has been transformed by pressure and heat.
d) is chunks of other kinds of rocks, shell fragments, sand, etc., that have been cemented together.
e) the kind of rock that fossils are generally found in.

b) is the best kind of rock for radioactive dating.

4. What is the largest moon in the solar system?
a) Our Moon.
b) Europa.
c) Ganymede.
d) Enceladus.
e) Triton.

c) Ganymede.

5. The surface of Io is:
a) a very cratered icy surface.
b) a rocky cratered surface, like the surface of Mercury and the highlands of the Moon.
c) a very cracked icy surface, with very few craters.
d) extremely volcanic, with molten lava flowing from active volcanoes.
e) covered with water ice, with a possible ocean of liquid water underneath.

d) extremely volcanic, with molten lava flowing from active volcanoes.

6. What is the name of the spacecraft on its way to Pluto right now?
a) Messenger.
b) New Horizons.
c) Voyager 2.
d) Cassini.
e) Magellan.

b) New Horizons.

7. For the four Galilean moons, what is their order, from Jupiter outwards?
a) Ganymede, Callisto, Io, Europa.
b) Europa, Ganymede, Io, Callisto.
c) Callisto, Europa, Ganymede, Io.
d) Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto.
e) Io, Callisto, Ganymede, Europa.

d) Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto.

8. Europa may have:
a) a layer of liquid metallic hydrogen under its surface.
b) lakes of methane.
c) an ocean of water under a thick layer of ice.
d) the most cratered surface in the solar system.
e) the thickest atmosphere of all the moons in the solar system.

c) an ocean of water under a thick layer of ice.

9. Cassini observations of Titan suggest that its surface has:
a) many ancient craters.
b) lakes of methane.
c) a very rocky surface, much like the Moon's.
d) oceans and lakes of water.
e) an extremely hot temperature, about 700K.

b) lakes of methane.

10. Callisto:
a) is covered with an icy surface with few craters.
b) likely has methane lakes on its surface.
c) is extremely volcanic.
d) has powerful liquid water geysers.
e) has a dark icy cratered surface.

e) has a dark icy cratered surface.

11. Which of the following objects has powerful liquid water geysers?
a) Callisto.
b) Pluto.
c) Io.
d) Enceladus.
e) Titan.

d) Enceladus.

12. The triple point of a substance is the temperature and pressure at which the substance:
a) is so compressed it reaches a strange liquid metallic state.
b) is hot enough and under enough pressure to form a geyser.
c) can be a liquid, solid, and gas simultaneously.
d) decays radioactively.
e) becomes igneous.

c) can be a liquid, solid, and gas simultaneously.

13. Which moon appears to have dunes on its surface, due to wind activity?
a) Europa.
b) Callisto.
c) Titan.
d) Io.
e) Triton.

c) Titan.

14. Which moon has the thickest atmosphere?
a) Europa.
b) Callisto.
c) Titan.
d) Io.
e) Triton.

c) Titan.

15. Triton is a moon of:
a) Jupiter.
b) Saturn.
c) Uranus.
d) Neptune.
e) Pluto.

d) Neptune.

16. The oldest rocks found in the solar system are:
a) Meteorites.
b) From Greenland.
c) From the maria on the Moon.
d) From the highlands on the Moon.
e) From Mars.

a) Meteorites.

17. The name of the large, long-lived storm in the atmosphere of Jupiter that was seen by Galileo, and is still visible, is called:
a) the Cassini Spot.
b) Valhalla.
c) the Great Red Spot.
d) the Great Black Spot.
e) Galileo's Spot.

c) the Great Red Spot.

18. During gamma decay, what is produced?
a) a helium nucleus.
b) a proton.
c) a positron.
d) an electron.
e) a photon of light.


e) a photon of light.

19. About 2 billion years ago, the Earth's atmosphere become rich in oxygen. This was likely caused by:
a) Plate tectonics.
b) Volcanoes.
c) A large meteorite impact.
d) yellow algae.
e) cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).

e) cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).

20. The most common element in Jupiter is:
a) carbon.
b) silicon.
c) hydrogen.
d) iron.
e) oxygen.

c) hydrogen.