Mercury and Venus

This planet has the densest composition overall.

• Venus

• Mercury

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

Which planet closely matches Earth in size & composition?

• Venus

• Mercury

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Mercury has a much larger ___ - compared to Earth's moon.

• polar ice cap

• or thicker crust

• core

• atmosphere

Today, all of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) on Venus is located almost entirely in the

• crust

• mantle

• atmosphere

• oceans

Mercury's diameter - compared to Earth's moon - is

• larger than the Moon.

• comparable to the Moon.

• smaller than the Moon.

• not affected by the closeness of the Sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Planet & moon surfaces that show the most cratering are

• most likely hit by comets.

• not very scarred.

• the youngest.

• the oldest.

Venus has a level of plate tectonic activity (compared to Earth) that is

• virtually non-existent.

• a little less.

• very comparable.

• a little more.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Why can't astronomers directly study the surface of Venus?

• the surface is just way too hot

• the surface is permanently obscured by thick clouds

• there is no surface of Venus

• too many active volcanoes

Mercury most likely cooled faster (than say Mars) because

• it is/was denser.

• plate tectonics took over.

• it was smaller.

• it was/is larger than the Moon.

One of the many discoveries of the recent MESSENGER space probe to Mercury include

• active volcanoes & a shrinking core.

• spider-shaped impact basins.

• water ice at the poles (like the Moon).

• strange alien bases on the far-side.