Astronomy current events question: Ceres' surface composition

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2017
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!)

Nicholas A. Veronico and Kassandra Bell, "Don't Judge an Asteroid by its Cover: Mid-infrared Data from SOFIA Shows Ceres' True Composition" (January 19, 2017)
nasa.gov/feature/don-t-judge-an-asteroid-by-its-cover-mid-infrared-data-from-sofia-shows-ceres-true

Data from NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy indicate that the surface of dwarf planet Ceres may be covered with:
(A) liquid hydrocarbon oceans.
(B) recent volcanic flows.
(C) rocky asteroid fragments.
(D) valuable rare-earth elements.
(E) water and methane ice.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 20 students
(D) : 0 students
(E) : 3 students