Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
Name ______________________________________________________________
MSIP Resource Manual Worksheet, Chapter 1, part of Chapter 2
Chapter 1: Mars in Society and Culture – pgs. 1-4.
In the Beginning
1. Identify reasons why the early Greeks noted Mars. (There are two answers to this
question.)
a. Mars appeared to sometimes reverse its direction across the sky.
b. How big it looked.
c. Its red color.
d. It was so bright in the evening sky.
2. The Greeks considered Mars’s motion orderly and organized.
a. True
b. False
3. Mars was first named after the Greek god of war. Its name was later changed and
Mars was named after the Roman god of war. Who were these two gods? (There are
two answers to this question.)
a. Ares
b. Deimos
c. Mars
d. Phobos
4. He was the first person to propose that Earth was at the center of the Universe and
all other celestial bodies revolved around it.
a. Archimedes
b. Copernicus
c. Eudoxus
d. Ptolemy
5. Around 140 A.D., this astronomer made revised the original theory.
a. Archimedes
b. Copernicus
c. Eudoxus
d. Ptolemy
6. The Earth centered theory was accepted for almost ____________ years. (Enter a
number)
7. There was one problem with Ptolemy’s theory – it was wrong!
a. True
b. False
1
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
8. This Polish doctor, lawyer, and part-time astronomer determined the only way his
data made sense was if the Sun was at the center of the Solar System.
a. Archimedes
b. Copernicus
c. Eudoxus
d. Ptolemy
The New Scientists
9. This astronomer determined the planets move in ellipses, not circles.
a. Copernicus
b. Galileo
c. Kepler
d. Tycho
Schiaparelli’s Map of Mars
10. Giovanni Schiaparelli observed a series of lines that seemed to cross most of the
surface of Mars and called these lines canali, an Italian word that means “channels.”
This American amateur astronomer believed the lines were canals and this meant
intelligent life on Mars. Who was this American Astronomer?
a. Edwin Hubble
b. Percival Lowell
c. Harlow Shapley
d. Clyde Tombaugh
2
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
11. Percival Lowell’s writings inspired science fiction writers to write about Mars.
a. True
b. False
12. On Halloween in 1938, Orson Wells broadcast a radio story. He convinced many
people this was happening.
a. Humans had landed on Mars.
b. Mars was moving away from the Sun.
c. Mars was going to collide with Earth.
d. Martians were invading Earth.
13. Can Mars, in its current form, support life as we know it?
a. Yes
b. No
14. Spacecraft studying Mars have not found any trace of Lowell’s canals.
a. True
b. False
15. At some time in the past, Mars was much ____________ and ____________ than
it is today. (There are two answers to this question.)
a. colder
b. drier
c. warmer
d. wetter
Chapter 2: Mars Exploration Background, Part I – pgs. 5-8.
The Mars Race
16. The Mars race began on October 4, ____________. (Enter a number)
17. The United States eventually landed ______men on the Moon. (Enter a number)
18. The Soviet Union’s first ____________ attempts to send a probe to Mars were
unsuccessful. (Enter a number)
The thing that sets Mars apart is that it is the one planet that is enough like Earth that you can
imagine life possibly once having taken hold there.
Steven Squyres, Spirit & Opportunity Principal Investigator
3
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
19. This was the first unmanned probe to
fly-by Venus.
a. Mariner 1
b. Mariner 2
c. Mariner 3
d. Mariner 4
20. Approximately every _______ years,
the planets are in just the right position
for an Earth-Mars trip that requires the
least amount of fuel. (Enter a number)
Mariner 2
21. What was the fate of Mariner 3?
a. It became the first space probe to fly-by Mars.
b. It was destroyed during launch.
c. It was eaten by the Great Galactic Ghoul.
d. It was lost in space.
Mariner 2
22. Which space probe was the first to fly-by Mars?
a. Mariner 3
b. Mariner 4
c. Zond 1
d. Zond 2
23. ____________ images were sent to
Earth by the first probe to fly-by Mars.
(Enter a number)
24. Identify the next two probes to fly-by
Mars. (There are two answers to this
question)
a. Mariner 5
b. Mariner 6
c. Mariner 7
d. Mariner 9
25. The two probes sent ____________
images back to Earth. (Enter a number)
Mariner 4 Image of Mars
4
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
Mariner 7 Image of Mars
26. Mariner 7 discovered the Martian polar caps are made of…
a. dry ice.
b. water ice.
c. both water and dry ice.
27. This became the first space probe to orbit another planet.
a. Mars 2
b. Mars 3
c. Mariner 8
d. Mariner 9
28. This prevented the Mars probes from
seeing anything on the surface of Mars.
a. The cameras broke
b. A huge dust storm covering all of
Mars.
c. All space probes failed enroute to
Mars.
d. The probes missed Mars.
Mariner 9 Image of Mars
5
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
Mariner 9
29. Mariner 9’s images completely changed everything we thought we once knew about
Mars.
a. True
b. False
30. The northern hemisphere is made up of… (There are two answers to this
question.)
a. craters.
b. lava basins.
c. mountains.
d. smooth plains.
31. Dark areas on Mars are created by…
a. meteorite impacts.
b. lava flows.
c. dust blown away, uncovering rocks.
d. volcanic explosions.
The Planet Mars
6
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
32. This bulge is home to ________________,
the largest volcano in the Solar System, as well
as the three __________________________
volcanoes larger than any on Earth. (There
are two answers to this question.)
a. Elysium Mons
c. Tharsis Montes
b. Olympus Mons
d. Tharsis Tholus
Tharsis Ridge
33. Which of the following are discoveries by Mariner 9? (There are two answers to
this question.)
a. A canyon that is so long it would extend from San Francisco to Washington,
D. C.
b. Channels that look like dry riverbeds.
c. Craters on the surface.
d. Huge lakes on the surface of Mars.
7
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
MSIP Resource Manual Worksheet – Key
1. Identify a/the reason(s) why the early Greeks noted Mars. (There are two answers
to this question.)
a. Mars appeared to sometimes reverse its direction across the sky; c. Its
red color.
2. The Greeks considered Mars’s motion orderly and organized.
b. False
3. Mars was first named after the Greek god of war. Its name was later changed and
Mars was named after the Roman god of war. Who were these two gods? (There are
two answers to this question.)
a. Ares; c. Mars
4. He was the first person to propose that Earth was at the center of the Universe and
all other celestial bodies revolved around it.
c. Eudoxus
5. Around 140 A.D., this astronomer made revised the original theory.
d. Ptolemy
6. The Earth centered theory was accepted for almost _____ years. (Enter a number)
1400
7. There was one problem with Ptolemy’s theory – it was wrong.
a. True
8
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
8. This Polish doctor, lawyer, and part-time astronomer determined the only way his
data made sense was if the Sun was at the center of the Solar System.
b. Copernicus
9. This astronomer determined the planets move in ellipses, not circles.
c. Kepler
10. Giovanni Schiaparelli observed a series of lines that seemed to cross most of the
surface of Mars and called these lines canali, an Italian word that means “channels.”
This American amateur astronomer believed the lines were canals and this meant
intelligent life on Mars. Who was this American Astronomer?
b. Percival Lowell
11. Percival Lowell’s writings inspired science fiction writers to write about Mars.
a. True
12. On Halloween in 1938, Orson Wells broadcast a radio story. It convinced many
people this was happening.
d. Martians were invading Earth.
13. Can Mars, in its current form, support life as we know it.
b. No
14. Spacecraft studying Mars have not found any trace of Lowell’s canals.
a. True
15. At some time in the past, Mars was much _____ and _____ than it is today.
(There are two answers to this question.)
c. warmer; d. wetter
9
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
16. The Mars race began on October 4, _____. (Enter a number)
1957
17. The United States eventually landed _____ on the Moon. (Enter a number)
12
18. The Soviet Union’s first _____ attempts to send a probe to Mars were
unsuccessful. (Enter a number)
3
19. This was the first unmanned probe to fly-by Venus.
b. Mariner 2
20. Approximately every _____ years the planets are in just the right position for an
Earth-Mars trip that requires the least amount of fuel. (Enter a number)
2
21. What was the fate of Mariner 3?
b. It was destroyed during launch.
22. Which space probe was the first to fly-by Mars?
b. Mariner 4
23. _____ images were sent to Earth by the first probe to fly-by Mars. (Enter a
number)
21
24. Identify the next two probes to fly-by Mars.
b. Mariner 6; c. Mariner 7
10
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
25. The two probes sent _____ images back to Earth. (Enter a number)
58
26. Mariner 7 discovered the Martian polar caps are made of…
a. dry ice.
27. This became the first space probe to orbit another planet.
b. Mariner 9
28. This prevented the Mars probes from seeing anything on the surface of Mars.
b. A huge dust storm covering all of Mars.
29. Mariner 9’s images completely changed everything we thought we once knew about
Mars.
a. True
30. The northern hemisphere is made up of… (There are two answers to this
question.)
b. lava basins; d. smooth plains
31. Dark areas on Mars are created by…
c. dust blown away uncovering rocks.
32. Mariner 9 discovered _____, the largest volcano in the Solar System and three
_____ volcanoes larger than any on Earth. (There are two answers to this
question.)
b. Olympus Mons; c. Tharsis Montes
11
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
33. Which of the following are discoveries by Mariner 9? (There are two answers to
this question.)
a. A canyon that is so long it would extend from San Francisco to Washington,
D.C.
b. Channels that look like dry riverbeds.
c. Craters on the surface.
d. Huge lakes on the surface of Mars.
a. A canyon that is so long it would extend from San Francisco to
Washington, D.C.; b. Channels that look like dry riverbeds.
12
Objective – Understand past and current attempts to better understand Mars.
MSIP Resource Manual Worksheet – Scoring Guide
1. a, c
2. b (2 choices)
3. a, c
4. c
5. d
6. 1400
7. a (2 choices)
8. b
9. c
10. b
11. a (2 choices)
12. d
13. b (2 choices)
14. a
15. c, d
16. 1957
17. 12
18. 3
19. b
20. 2
21. b
22. b
23. 21
24. b, c
25. 58
26. a (3 choices)
27. b
28. b
29. a (2 choices)
30. b, d
31. c
32. b, c
33. a, b
Scoring
Guide
30-33 – 4
27-29 – 3.5
22-26 – 3
20-21 – 2.5
17-19 – 2
14-16 – 1.5
11-13 – 1
1-10 – .5
0–0
13