Astronomy quiz question: Venus' lack of plate tectonics

Astronomy 210 Quiz 7, fall semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Lack of __________ on Venus' surface may be evidence it does not have plate tectonics.
(A) volcanic activity.
(B) sedimentary rocks.
(C) widespread faults and folded mountain ranges.
(D) oceans.

Correct answer: (C)

Plate tectonics ("continental drift") on Earth results in characteristic midocean rifts (where new crust is formed from the mantle) and subduction zones (where older crust is folded back down into the mantle), but also results in faults, where crustal plates move laterally past each other, and folded mountain ranges, where crustal plates are compressed and crumpled up. Lack of these features indicates that Venus does not have plate tectonics as does Earth.

Section 70158
Exam code: quiz07sEcn
(A) : 6 students
(B) : 0 students
(C) : 26 students
(D) : 2 students

Success level: 73% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.33