Astronomy current events question: measuring Mars' gravity

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2019
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!)

Andrew Good, "'Mars Buggy' Curiosity Measures a Mountain's Gravity" (January 31, 2019)
solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/833/mars-buggy-curiosity-measures-a-mountains-gravity/

NASA's Mars Rover Curiosity used accelerometer and gyroscope data to measure the __________ of Mount Sharp's underground rock layers.
(A) water content.
(B) seismic activity.
(C) magnetic fields.
(D) tectonic plate motion.
(E) gravitational strength.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 6 students
(B) : 12 students
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 7 students
(E) : 18 students