20110902

Astronomy current events question: Curiosity landing site

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)
Guy Webster and Dwayne C. Brown, "NASA's Next Mars Rover to Land at Gale Crater," July 22, 2011
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20110722.html
Gale crater was selected for the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity landing site, because this location may have:
(A) a central mountain with sediment deposits.
(B) entrances to potentially deep lava tunnels.
(C) steam geysers that support life.
(D) similarities to the "Face on Mars."
(E) large underground mats of algae-like growth.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 17 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 7 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 1 student

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