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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what year did humans visit the moon for the last time?

2. CFCs are chemicals that is primarily hazardous to the environment in what area?

3. Where does Sagan think it is most likely that life will be found on Mars?

4. What is the primary way that humans add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

5. What happens to the number of asteroids and comets in the solar system as time goes on?

Short Essay Questions

1. What major environmental catastrophes does Sagan warn against in Chapter 14, "Exploring Other Worlds and Protecting One"?

2. Why does Sagan believe it is unlikely that a manned mission to Mars will be carried out in the near future?

3. What does Sagan conclude about the morality of terraforming and planetary colonization?

4. What does Sagan say that it is probably the fate of humanity to "live in the dark"?

5. Why does Sagan suggest that space exploration aids in protecting the planet?

6. What is unusual about the surface of Venus?

7. What types of strategies are most practical for stopping an Earth-bound asteroid?

8. What does Sagan think were the major upsides of the Apollo missions?

9. What location in the solar system either have or are believed to have once had volcanoes?

10. What does Sagan want to see on Mars?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Uranus was the first new planet discovered, aside from the five known to ancient cultures.

1) Discus the discovery of Uranus and what made this discovery unusual and unique.

2) Describe the planet Uranus, including a discussion of its unique inclination and theories to explain this feature.

3) Discuss Sagan's impression of the planet and the likelihood that it or its moons could harbor life.

Essay Topic 2

Volcanoes are quite common and relatively active on Earth, and can be observed on solid planetary bodies throughout the solar system.

1) Describe the process of volcanism in general, its causes, and its impact on the environment.

2) Discuss the function and nature of volcanoes on Earth and how they interact with the upper atmosphere and eject particles into space.

3) Describe some of the known active or dormant volcano system observed on other planets and moons.

Essay Topic 3

The heliocentric theory was developed by Copernicus, Galileo, and others, and uprooted the dogmatically endorsed geocentric theory, forever changing the nature of scientific thought in the West.

1) Describe heliocentric theory and the scientists who proposed and developed it.

2) Explain some of the abnormalities and observations that lent support to the heliocentric theory.

3) Discuss the reasons that Sagan believes heliocentric theory was opposed by the church.

4) Describe the impact of the victory of the heliocentric theory over the geocentric model on scientific thinking in the West.

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