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Explorations: Stars, Galaxies, and Planets
Thomas Arny, University of Massachusetts

The Terrestrial Planets

Questions for Review



1

How do Mercury’s radius and mass compare with the Earth’s?
2

Does Mercury have an atmosphere? Why or why not?
3

What is the surface of Mercury like?
4

What is peculiar about Mercury’s rotation? What causes this oddity?
5

How does Venus compare with the Earth in mass and diameter?
6

Can we see the surface of Venus? Why or why not?
7

How do astronomers know what the surface of Venus is like?
8

What is the dominant gas in Venus’s atmosphere? How do astronomers know this?
9

What are the clouds of Venus made of?
10

Why is Venus so hot?
11

What sort of features are seen on Venus’s surface? Is the surface young or old? How do astronomers know these things?
12

How does Mars compare with the Earth in mass and diameter?
13

Describe some of the surface features seen on Mars.
14

What is the Martian atmosphere like?
15

What explanation(s) have been offered for why the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets are so different?
16

What are the Martian polar caps composed of?
17

What is the evidence that Mars once had running water on its surface?
18

How do astronomers explain why the Earth’s atmosphere ended up with so little CO2, compared with that of Mars and Venus?
19

What is the evidence that leads some scientists to believe life may have existed on Mars?