Organic Molecules in Space — MCQs August 20, 2025 by u930973931_answers 50 Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What are organic molecules in space primarily composed of? (A) Carbon and hydrogen (B) Iron and nickel (C) Helium and neon (D) Oxygen and nitrogen 2. Which of the following is a simple organic molecule detected in space? (A) Methane (CH₄) (B) Sodium chloride (NaCl) (C) Ammonia (NH₃) (D) Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) 3. Where are complex organic molecules often found in space? (A) Black holes (B) Molecular clouds and protoplanetary disks (C) The Sun’s corona (D) Neutron stars 4. Which molecule is considered a precursor to amino acids in interstellar space? (A) Formaldehyde (H₂CO) (B) Methanol (CH₃OH) (C) Ethanol (C₂H₅OH) (D) Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) 5. Dust grains in interstellar space play a major role in: (A) Blocking star formation (B) Providing surfaces for chemical reactions (C) Generating gravity (D) Emitting gamma rays 6. Which observatory has been key in detecting organic molecules? (A) Hubble Space Telescope (B) ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) (C) Chandra X-ray Observatory (D) Fermi Telescope 7. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are: (A) A type of dark matter (B) Organic molecules with ring structures (C) Heavy metals in stars (D) Radioactive isotopes 8. What is the importance of organic molecules in space? (A) They cause cosmic rays (B) They may be precursors of life (C) They form black holes (D) They increase star brightness 9. Glycine detected in cometary samples is classified as: (A) A sugar (B) An amino acid (C) A protein (D) A fatty acid 10. The Miller-Urey experiment showed: (A) Stars make amino acids (B) Organic molecules can form in prebiotic conditions (C) DNA forms in space (D) Life exists on all planets 11. Which is the simplest alcohol detected in interstellar space? (A) Ethanol (B) Methanol (C) Propanol (D) Butanol 12. Organic molecules in meteorites suggest: (A) Prebiotic compounds can form beyond Earth (B) All asteroids contain life (C) Life evolved on comets (D) Meteorites are purely metallic 13. Which technique is most effective to detect organic molecules in space? (A) Seismology (B) Infrared spectroscopy (C) Gamma-ray imaging (D) Nuclear fission 14. The Murchison meteorite contained: (A) DNA fragments (B) Amino acids and organic compounds (C) Only water (D) Pure silica 15. Which of the following is NOT an organic molecule? (A) Methane (B) Acetylene (C) Carbon monoxide (D) Benzene 16. Interstellar organic ices are modified by: (A) Gravity only (B) Cosmic rays and UV radiation (C) Earth’s atmosphere (D) Neutron stars 17. Comets often contain: (A) Pure hydrogen (B) Organic molecules and water ice (C) Molten rock (D) Iron ore 18. Which moon of Saturn has complex organic molecules in its atmosphere? (A) Europa (B) Titan (C) Callisto (D) Ganymede 19. Amino acids are significant in space studies because they: (A) Form galaxies (B) Are building blocks of proteins (C) Create stars (D) Trap cosmic rays 20. Organic molecules in exoplanet atmospheres may indicate: (A) Geological or biological processes (B) Gravitational collapse (C) Supernova remnants (D) Magnetic storms 21. Which simple sugar has been detected in star-forming regions? (A) Glucose (B) Glycolaldehyde (C) Fructose (D) Galactose 22. Which of the following is a nucleobase detected in meteorites? (A) Adenine (B) Cellulose (C) Keratin (D) Hemoglobin 23. The organic compound benzene (C₆H₆) has been observed in: (A) Interstellar clouds (B) Earth’s core (C) Black hole accretion disks (D) The solar corona 24. Titan’s atmosphere contains: (A) Methane and complex hydrocarbons (B) Iron vapors (C) Neon gas only (D) Pure oxygen 25. Organic molecules in protoplanetary disks suggest: (A) Life may start during planet formation (B) Stars create DNA (C) Dark matter is organic (D) Black holes form from molecules 26. What happens when UV radiation hits icy dust grains with organics? (A) They vaporize instantly (B) Complex molecules are synthesized (C) No effect occurs (D) The ice becomes metallic 27. The Rosetta mission detected organic molecules on: (A) Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (B) Mars (C) Titan (D) Europa 28. Amines and nitriles in space are considered important because they: (A) Strengthen magnetic fields (B) Contribute to amino acid formation (C) Block star formation (D) Trap infrared light 29. What is the significance of PAHs detected in interstellar medium? (A) They indicate advanced civilizations (B) They might be linked to prebiotic chemistry (C) They create neutron stars (D) They destroy comets 30. Which spacecraft discovered organic compounds on Mars? (A) Viking (B) Curiosity Rover (C) Cassini (D) Voyager 31. Amino acids in meteorites often show: (A) Chirality (left/right handedness) (B) No carbon atoms (C) Pure metals (D) Isotope absence 32. Which process likely forms organic molecules in interstellar clouds? (A) Stellar nucleosynthesis (B) Surface reactions on icy dust grains (C) Magnetic field interactions (D) Black hole evaporation 33. Which organic molecule was first discovered in interstellar space in 1969? (A) Methanol (B) Formaldehyde (C) Acetylene (D) Ethane 34. What is special about glycolaldehyde detection near young stars? (A) It’s a simple sugar precursor to RNA (B) It indicates black hole activity (C) It proves life exists (D) It emits gamma rays 35. Which element must always be present for a molecule to be considered organic? (A) Oxygen (B) Hydrogen (C) Carbon (D) Nitrogen 36. The Stardust mission brought back samples containing: (A) Organic molecules from comet Wild 2 (B) Iron crystals (C) Dark matter (D) Pure silica 37. Complex organic molecules detected in interstellar clouds include: (A) Amino acids and alcohols (B) Liquid water (C) Diamond structures (D) Metallic oxides 38. Which radiation is most useful in identifying organic molecules in space? (A) Infrared (B) X-rays (C) Gamma rays (D) Microwaves 39. Organic molecules are often considered as: (A) Precursors of biological life (B) Elements heavier than iron (C) Artificial pollutants (D) Byproducts of nuclear fusion 40. The presence of methane on exoplanets is important because: (A) It may indicate biological or geological activity (B) It proves dark energy exists (C) It creates black holes (D) It prevents star formation 41. Which type of star-forming region often contains organic molecules? (A) H II regions (B) Molecular clouds (C) Pulsar nebulae (D) Supernova remnants 42. NASA’s Cassini mission confirmed organic molecules in the plumes of: (A) Europa (B) Enceladus (C) Titan (D) Ganymede 43. What is the key difference between inorganic and organic molecules? (A) Organic molecules contain carbon-hydrogen bonds (B) Organic molecules are heavier (C) Organic molecules are only gases (D) Organic molecules lack oxygen 44. Why are carbon-based molecules considered essential for life? (A) Carbon can form stable, diverse bonds (B) Carbon is the heaviest element (C) Carbon prevents radiation damage (D) Carbon glows in the dark 45. Organic molecules have been detected in interstellar clouds using: (A) Radio and infrared telescopes (B) Gamma-ray satellites (C) Gravitational wave detectors (D) Optical seismology 46. The discovery of amino acids in meteorites suggests: (A) Prebiotic chemistry is universal (B) Earth is unique in chemistry (C) Life originated on the Sun (D) Dark matter is organic 47. Which molecule indicates potential for RNA world chemistry in space? (A) Glycolaldehyde (B) Methane (C) Formaldehyde (D) Benzene 48. Which type of spectroscopy identifies vibrational modes of organic molecules? (A) Infrared spectroscopy (B) Gamma spectroscopy (C) X-ray diffraction (D) Radar imaging 49. What is one challenge in detecting organic molecules in space? (A) Weak spectral signals (B) Too much oxygen (C) Planets absorbing all light (D) Lack of telescopes 50. Why is the study of organic molecules in space important for astrobiology? (A) It helps understand the origins of life (B) It proves galaxies are expanding (C) It creates dark energy models (D) It explains black hole evaporation