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

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 a moon that was a dangerous threat to Earth.
To change the path of an asteroid that was a dangerous threat to Earth.

Question 2

What was the purpose of the Magellan mission?

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

Question 3

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

Neptune.
Mars.
Jupiter.

Question 4

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 5

What is the purpose of the planned Artemis III mission?

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

Question 6

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

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

Question 7

The inner planets are...

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

Question 8

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

Apollo 10
Apollo 11
Apollo 17

Question 9

What was the purpose of the Galileo mission?

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

Question 10

When should we expect the most sunspots?

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

Question 11

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

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

Question 12

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?

700 g.
200 g.
100 g.

Question 13

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

Depends how the mass is measured.
No.
Yes.

Question 14

The giant planets are...

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

Question 15

When was planet Earth created?

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

Question 16

How is a dwarf planet defined by the IAU?

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

Question 17

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

The Moon and Mars.
Mars.
The Moon.

Question 18

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Liquid.
Plasma.
Solid.

Question 19

Which planets in the solar system have rings?

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

Question 20

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Mercury.
Venus.
Mars.

Question 21

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

The chromosphere.
The corona.
The photosphere.

Question 22

Which planets in the solar system have moons?

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

Question 23

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?

100 g.
200 g.
700 g.

Question 24

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

Yes.
Depends how the size is measured.
No.

Question 25

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

Juno.
DART.
The Parker Solar Probe.