Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Mars
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Volcanoes are not found only on Earth. Several other bodies in the Solar System have volcanic features, and some of them are among the largest volcanoes known. Arsia Mons, sometimes incorrectly written as Arsia Mon, is a prominent volcano whose name appears frequently in astronomy and planetary science questions. This question tests whether you know on which planet this well known volcano is located.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The planet Mars is well known for having huge shield volcanoes concentrated in the Tharsis region. Among these, Olympus Mons is the most famous, but Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons are also very important and are located near each other. The naming pattern with Mons is used widely for Martian volcanoes. Jupiter is a gas giant without a solid surface like Earth, and while there is intense activity on its moon Io, the term Arsia Mons specifically refers to a Martian feature. Earth does not have any volcano named Arsia Mons, and the option None of the above is therefore not required.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the Latin word Mons means mountain or volcano.
Step 2: Recall that Mars hosts several large shield volcanoes named Olympus Mons, Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons.
Step 3: Identify that Arsia Mons is part of the Tharsis volcanic region on Mars.
Step 4: Note that neither Earth nor Jupiter is associated with this particular name in standard planetary maps.
Step 5: Conclude that the planet with the volcano Arsia Mons is Mars.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can confirm this by looking at any labelled map of Mars from a reputable space agency or an astronomy atlas. These maps show the Tharsis region with large shield volcanoes and clearly label Arsia Mons along with its neighbouring volcanoes. Scientific articles on Martian geology refer to Arsia Mons as part of Mars, never as a feature of Earth or Jupiter. This consistent usage in multiple sources verifies that Mars is the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Earth has many famous volcanoes such as Mount Fuji, Mount Etna, and Mauna Loa, but none called Arsia Mons, so option A is incorrect. Jupiter is a gas giant without a solid crust hosting such named volcanic mountains, and the volcanic activity observed is mainly on its moon Io, which still does not use this specific name, so option C is wrong. Since Mars neatly fits the description, the answer is not None of the above, so option D is also incorrect. Therefore, only Mars matches the actual location of Arsia Mons.
Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to confuse volcanoes on Mars with volcanic activity on the moons of Jupiter or Saturn. Another error is to focus only on the famous Olympus Mons and forget that there are other named Martian volcanoes with similar Latin style names. To avoid confusion, remember that whenever you see Mons as part of a planetary mountain name, especially with names like Olympus, Arsia, or Ascraeus, you are very likely dealing with Martian geography.
Final Answer:
The large volcano called Arsia Mons is located on the planet Mars.
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