20120910

Astronomy current events question: Mars' plate tectonics

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2012
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!)
Ray Villard, "Shift Happens: Mars May Have Plate Tectonics," August 20, 2012
http://news.discovery.com/space/shift-happens-mars-may-have-plate-tectonics-120820.html
A University of California, Los Angeles scientist has concluded that Mars has plate tectonics from analyzing:
(A) samples taken by the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover.
(B) GPS-recorded shifts in the relative positions of NASA probes orbiting Mars.
(C) infrared images of Mars' supervolcanoes.
(D) microtremors recorded by the NASA Spirit and Opportunity rovers.
(E) images taken by NASA probes orbiting Mars.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 9 students
(B) : 7 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 9 students
(E) : 24 students

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