Astronomy quiz question: Mercury's lobate scarps

Astronomy 210 Quiz 7, Fall Semester 2010
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

__________ caused the long curving ridges on the surface of Mercury.
(A) Lava flooding in lowland basins.
(B) Compression and shrinking of the crust.
(C) Convection currents underneath the crust.
(D) Vertical motion of magma under the crust.

Correct answer: (B)

Mercury's rupes, or lobate scarps, were formed as its relatively thin crust wrinkled and shrank as its massive underlying core cooled and contracted.

Section 70158
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 25 students
(C) : 11 students
(D) : 5 students

"Success level": 60% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.75

Moon and Mercury confusion

"The Earth's Moon" movie (frame from 06'01")
Starry Night Pro 5.0 DVD, starrynight.com


Santa Maria Rupes (detail)
NASA, JPL, Mariner 10, © Calvin J. Hamilton (LANL)
Astronomy Picture of the Day, "Mercury's Faults," January 21, 1996

Astronomy 10 learning goals Q5.1, Q5.2

Apparently the editors at Starry Night Software goofed, as they have a rupes (a lobate scarp, or compression fault line) from Mercury's surface prominently shown in their Moon video. Have students to watch out for the Mercury feature in this movie!