Temperatures on the Surface of Mercury Are Seen to Fluctuate

question 595

Multiple Choice

Temperatures on the surface of Mercury are seen to fluctuate between very cold 100 K (-173°C) and extremely hot 700 K (427°C) .What does this measurement indicate about conditions on Mercury?

• A) Mercury has a very elliptical orbit, and varying distance from the Sun produces these large temperature fluctuations because intensity varies as the inverse square of the distance from the Sun.
• B) The planet has an atmosphere in which the greenhouse effect captures solar radiation to heat the sunlit hemisphere of the planet.
• C) The planet is close to the Sun, has no atmosphere to maintain heat from the Sun, and is rotating.
• D) Erupting volcanoes occasionally heat the planet's surface to extreme temperatures.

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Definitions:

Rods

Photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for vision at low light levels, but not for color vision.

Fovea

A small depression in the retina of the eye where visual acuity is highest due to the concentration of cone cells.

Peripheral Vision

The ability to see objects and movement outside of the direct line of vision, which is essential for activities such as driving.

Color-Blind

The inability or decreased ability to see color or distinguish between colors, due to genetic or acquired conditions affecting color perception.