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

The giant planets are...

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

Question 2

What are Trans-Neptunian objects?

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

Question 3

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

Jupiter.
Neptune.
Mars.

Question 4

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

Depends how the size is measured.
No.
Yes.

Question 5

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

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

Question 6

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

The photosphere.
The chromosphere.
The corona.

Question 7

Where in the solar system have humans visited in person?

Only Earth.
Earth and the Moon.
Earth, the Moon, and Mars.

Question 8

The inner planets are...

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

Question 9

What was the purpose of the Cassini-Huygens mission?

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

Question 10

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

Depends how the mass is measured.
No.
Yes.

Question 11

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 12

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

Juno.
DART.
The Parker Solar Probe.

Question 13

When should we expect the most sunspots?

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

Question 14

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Solid.
Plasma.
Liquid.

Question 15

Which planets in the solar system have moons?

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

Question 16

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

Apollo 11
Apollo 17
Apollo 10

Question 17

How is a dwarf planet defined by the IAU?

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

Question 18

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 19

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Mercury.
Mars.
Venus.

Question 20

When was planet Earth created?

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

Question 21

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 22

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

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

Question 23

What was the purpose of the MESSENGER mission?

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

Question 24

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 25

Which planets in the solar system do not have rings?

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