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 of the following layers of the Sun is the highest?

The corona.
The chromosphere.
The photosphere.

Question 2

When was planet Earth created?

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

Question 3

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

Depends how the size is measured.
No.
Yes.

Question 4

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Liquid.
Plasma.
Solid.

Question 5

What is the main goal of NASA's Artemis program?

To send astronauts back to the Moon.
To send astronauts to Mars.
To study the outer planets.

Question 6

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?

200 g.
100 g.
700 g.

Question 7

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.
700 g.
200 g.

Question 8

What was the purpose of the DART mission?

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

Question 9

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Mars.
Mercury.
Venus.

Question 10

The giant planets are...

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

Question 11

What is the main purpose of the Parker Solar Probe?

To study the Sun's corona and solar wind from closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft.
To test whether the Sun's energy is produced by nuclear fusion in its core.
To collect samples of material from the Sun and return them to Earth.

Question 12

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 clear its neighborhood.

Question 13

What are Trans-Neptunian objects?

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

Question 14

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

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

Question 15

Which planets in the solar system do not have moons?

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

Question 16

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

Neptune.
Mars.
Jupiter.

Question 17

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

Apollo 10
Apollo 11
Apollo 17

Question 18

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

Yes.
Depends how the mass is measured.
No.

Question 19

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

The Moon.
Mars.
The Moon and Mars.

Question 20

When should we expect the most sunspots?

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

Question 21

Which planets in the solar system have rings?

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

Question 22

What was the purpose of the Galileo mission?

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

Question 23

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

DART.
The Parker Solar Probe.
Juno.

Question 24

What was the purpose of the MESSENGER mission?

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

Question 25

The inner planets are...

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