Practice Test

Please solve the following questions. This is not a real exam, it will not be graded, and you do not need to submit your solutions to anyone. The questions are simply intended to help you practice for the real exam.

These questions will not appear in the exam itself. Students who don't genuinely attempt to solve the questions on their own, and only memorize the solutions, will have a very hard time in the actual exam!

This sample exam is online, but the real exam will be given in person, at a time and place indicated on the course website.

THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL EXAM!
THIS IS JUST A PRACTICE EXAM!
THE REAL EXAM IS IN PERSON!

If you need any clarifications for these questions, you can ask for them on the course Teams channel.

Question 1

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Liquid.
Plasma.
Solid.

Question 2

What was the purpose of the MESSENGER mission?

To explore Mercury.
To explore Venus.
To explore Mars.

Question 3

When should we expect the most sunspots?

During a solar minimum.
Halfway between a solar maximum and minimum.
During a solar maximum.

Question 4

Which of the following planets has been explored the least by spacecraft?

Jupiter.
Neptune.
Mars.

Question 5

What are Trans-Neptunian objects?

Planet-like objects similar to Neptune.
Planet-like objects beyond the orbit of Neptune.
Another name for dwarf planets.

Question 6

What is the purpose of the planned Artemis III mission?

An uncrewed mission to fly to the Moon but not land on it.
A crewed mission to fly to the Moon and land on it.
A crewed mission to fly to the Moon but not land on it.

Question 7

The inner planets are...

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Mercury and Venus.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 8

The last astronauts to walk on the Moon were from...

Apollo 17
Apollo 11
Apollo 10

Question 9

What was the purpose of the Galileo mission?

To explore Saturn.
To explore Jupiter.
To explore Neptune.

Question 10

Which planets in the solar system do not have rings?

Jupiter and Saturn.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 11

Which of the following layers of the Sun is the highest?

The chromosphere.
The photosphere.
The corona.

Question 12

I have 800 g of a radioactive material with a half-life of 4 months. How much mass will remain from the original material after 1 year?

700 g.
200 g.
100 g.

Question 13

When was planet Earth created?

Several billion years ago.
Several million years ago.
Several thousand years ago.

Question 14

Is the largest planet in the solar system also the most massive?

Yes.
No.
Depends how the size is measured.

Question 15

What was the purpose of the DART mission?

To change the path of an asteroid that was not a threat to Earth.
To change the path of an asteroid that was a dangerous threat to Earth.
To change the path of a moon that was a dangerous threat to Earth.

Question 16

Which planets in the solar system do not have moons?

Mercury and Venus.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 17

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

Juno.
DART.
The Parker Solar Probe.

Question 18

So far, spacecraft sent by humans have explored...

Only planets.
Only planets and moons.
The Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

Question 19

How is a dwarf planet defined by the IAU?

An object that is in direct orbit around the Sun, rounded by its own gravity, and clears its neighborhood.
An object that is in direct orbit around the Sun and rounded by its own gravity, but does not clear its neighborhood.
An object that is in direct orbit around the Sun, but not rounded by its own gravity and does not clears its neighborhood.

Question 20

The giant planets are...

Uranus and Neptune.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 21

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Mars.
Venus.
Mercury.

Question 22

I have 800 g of a radioactive material with a half-life of 6 months. How much mass will remain from the original material after 1 year?

100 g.
700 g.
200 g.

Question 23

Where in the solar system have humans visited in person, other than Earth?

Mars.
The Moon.
The Moon and Mars.

Question 24

Is the least dense planet in the solar system also the least massive?

Yes.
No.
Depends how the mass is measured.

Question 25

How close to the Sun will the Parker Solar Probe get?

7 million km.
0.7 million km.
43.5 million km.