What number is Mars from the Sun in our solar system?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 3
d) 6
b) The fourth planet from the Sun
What is the primary component of Mars' atmosphere?
a) Oxygen
b) Nitrogen
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Hydrogen
c) Carbon dioxide
What is the name of the largest volcano on Mars?
a) Mount Olympus
b) Mount St. Helens
c) Olympus Mons
d) Mauna Loa
c) Olympus Mons
Which famous science fiction movie is partly inspired by Mars and its possibility for human colonization?
a) Star Wars
b) The Martian
c) 2001: A Space Odyssey
d) Interstellar
b) The Martian
Mars is known as the "Red Planet." What gives it its reddish appearance?
a) Water
b) Iron-rich soil
c) Sand
d) Methane
b) Iron-rich soil
What is the pressure of Mars' atmosphere compared to Earth's?
a) 5%
b) 12%
c) 7%
d) less than 1%
d) less than 1%
Mars has extensive canyon systems. What is the name of the largest canyon on Mars?
a) Valles Marineris
b) Grand Canyon
c) Hellas Planitia
d) Rio Grande Rift
a) Valles Marineris
Mars has two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos. What are they named after?
a) Greek gods of war
b) Space explorers
c) Characters from the "Star Wars" franchise
d) Ancient Martian legends
a) Greek gods of war
What is the average surface temperature on Mars?
a) -50°C
b) -10°C
c) -65°C
d) -130°C
a) -65°C
Why does Mars have such a thin atmosphere?
a) Solar wind
b) Hit by a giant asteroid
c) Aggressive dust storms
d) Stolen by Earth
a) Solar wind
The Tharsis region on Mars is home to several massive volcanoes. What geological feature characterizes this region?
a) A large ice sheet
b) A series of giant impact craters
c) A large volcanic plateau
d) A thick dust storm
c) A large volcanic plateau
How long is one day on Mars (a "sol")?
a) approximately 22 hours
b) approximately 25 hours
c) approximately 26 hours
d) approximately 40 hours
b) approximately 25 hours
How long does it take Mars to orbit the Sun?
a) 365 days
b) 687 days
c) 521 days
d) 724 days
b) 687 days
What element is found in Mars’ atmosphere in trace amounts, and may suggest potential for past life?
a) Nitrogen
b) Methane
c) Oxygen
d) Carbon monoxide
b) Methane
What is the name of Mars' largest impact crater?
a) Gale Crater
b) Schiaparelli Crater
c) Hellas Planitia
d) Caloris Basin
c) Hellas Planitia
In 1976, NASA's Viking 1 spacecraft took the first close-up photo of a Martian rock that looked like a human face. What was this formation called?
a) The Face of Mars
b) The Martian Sphinx
c) The Great Martian Face
d) The Red Idol
a) The Face of Mars
What are the names of Mars' two moons?
a) Phobos and Deimos
b) Europa and Callisto
c) Dione and Enceladus
d) It only has one moon
a) Phobos and Deimos
How does Mars' lack of a magnetic field affect its atmosphere?
a) It causes the atmosphere to retain more oxygen, making it thicker.
b) It allows solar wind to slowly strip away the atmosphere over time.
c) It keeps the atmosphere cool and stable, preventing heat loss.
d) It enhances the atmosphere's ability to hold water vapor.
b) It allows solar wind to slowly strip away the atmosphere over time.
Mars experiences seasons similar to Earth. What causes these seasons on Mars?
a) Its tilt on the axis
b) Its elliptical orbit
c) Its proximity to the Sun
d) Its magnetic field
a) Its tilt on the axis
Which of the following Martian moons is slowly spiraling inward toward Mars and is expected to eventually break apart?
a) Phobos
b) Deimos
c) Triton
d) Titan
a) Phobos