Astro Test 2
A planet is in orbit around the Sun with a semi major axis of 2 AU. What is its orbital period? Use P2=a3. A) 2.8 years B) 8 years C) 55 years D) 1.1 years E) 24.2 years
A) 2.8 years
What is Jupiter like below the top cloud layers? A) It's gaseous on the outside, then liquid hydrogen, then more dense metallic hydrogen, possibly surrounding a solid core B) A rocky core under a thick atmosphere C) It is made of peanut butter D) A rocky core under a thin atmosphere E) It's pure atmosphere
A) It's gaseous on the outside, then liquid hydrogen, then more dense metallic hydrogen, possibly surrounding a solid core
Among the following planets, which rotates most rapidly? A) Jupiter B) Mars C) Mercury D) Earth E) Venus
A) Jupiter
What is the closest planet to the Sun? A) Mercury B) Uranus C) Venus D) Mars E) Neptune
A) Mercury
Which of the following is TRUE? A) Mercury rotates exactly one and a half times for every one revolution around the Sun. B) The average surface temperature of Venus is about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. C) Mercury has a very thick atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide. D) Venus has no volcanos on its surface. E) The runaway greenhouse effect causes the present temperatures on Mars to exceed those on Earth.
A) Mercury rotates exactly one and a half times for every one revolution around the Sun.
Which of the following is true? A) Pluto has 5 moons, the largest of which is over half the diameter of Pluto. B) The Kuiper belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. C) Pluto is in the Oort cloud. D) Pluto is a gas giant. E) Pluto is ten times more massive than Earth's Moon.
A) Pluto has 5 moons, the largest of which is over half the diameter of Pluto.
Could there be a place where it would never be day on Mercury? A) There could be a crater that is always in shadow since there is water ice that survives. B) It is never daytime anywhere on Mercury. C) It is always daytime everywhere on Mercury since it is so close to the Sun. D) The dark side of Mercury never faces the Sun, so it would never have day. E) There definitely could not be such a place since everywhere would receive direct sunlight in its own daytime.
A) There could be a crater that is always in shadow since there is water ice that survives.
Which of the following is FALSE? A) Uranus has exactly two moons. B) Saturn has a density less than the density of water. C) The spin axis of Saturn is tilted at about the same angle as the Earth's spin axis. D) Uranus has faint, dark rings made of carbon. E) Triton is the largest moon of Neptune.
A) Uranus has exactly two moons.
Which of the following does Kepler's Second Law support? A) When a planet is closer to the Sun, its speed is greater than when it is farther away. B) When a planet is closer to the Sun, its speed is less than when it is farther away. C) Planets move at constant speed in their orbit around the Sun. D) A planet's speed in its orbit is directly proportional to its distance from the Sun. E) None of the above.
A) When a planet is closer to the Sun, its speed is greater than when it is farther away.
Neptune is blue, much like Uranus. Are they made of the same substances? A) Yes, the composition is similar. Methane gives it a blue color. B) No, the blue color is from liquid water, like on Earth. Neptune is denser than Uranus; it should have an ocean. C) The blue color is from water and ammonia ices. D) No, this planet is just hydrogen and helium. E) Neptune is actually orangish like Saturn and not blue like Uranus
A) Yes, the composition is similar. Methane gives it a blue color.
Which objects come into the Solar System from the Oort cloud? A) long period comets B) Jovian planets C) asteroids D) dwarf planets E) short period comets
A) long period comets
Density is A) mass / volume B) weight / mass C) weight x volume D) mass x volume E) weight x mass
A) mass / volume
Where in the Solar System might be the best for extreme ice sports? A) moons of Uranus and Neptune B) poles of Venus C) moons of Mars D) the Moon E) shadowed craters of Mercury
A) moons of Uranus and Neptune
The density of water is 1 gram per cubic cm. What about the density of most gases? A) much less than 1 gram per cubic cm B) several grams per cubic cm C) about 810 grams per cubic cm D) much more than 50 grams per cubic cm E) 1 gram per cubic cm
A) much less than 1 gram per cubic cm
Because of the temperatures in the protoplanetary disk, A) rocks and metals froze in both the inner and outer regions, and ices and H and He gases froze only in the outer region B) rocks and metals froze in the inner region only, and ices froze in the outer region only C) no planets would ever form there D) rocks and metals froze in both the inner and outer regions, and ices froze only in the outer region E) rocks, metals, and ices (hydrogen compounds) froze in the inner region only
A) rocks and metals froze in both the inner and outer regions, and ices and H and He gases froze only in the outer region
The material in a meteorite is : A) roughly as old as the Solar System. B) a few thousand years old. C) mostly gases and vapors from the Sun. D) a few decades old. E) unknown since scientists have never been able to collect one.
A) roughly as old as the Solar System.
The planets in our solar system are thought to have come from: A) the same cloud of gas and dust in which the Sun formed B) the Sun (they were flung out of the fastspinning young sun) C) emissions from alien spacecraft D) clumps of rocky material that exist between the stars E) a cloud of gas in the Orion nebula
A) the same cloud of gas and dust in which the Sun formed
When would an observer on Mars see a gibbous phase of Venus? A) when Venus is close to passing behind the Sun or has just emerged from behind the Sun B) when Venus is directly in front of the Sun C) when Venus is behind the Sun D) never E) when Venus is approaching the point in front of the Sun or has just passed in front of the Sun
A) when Venus is close to passing being the Sun or has just emerged from behind the Sun
Which of the following is a truthful description of the physical appearance of a comet? A) Comets streak across the sky in seconds. B) Comets develop a tail only when they get closer to the Sun in their orbit. C) Comets emerge from the Sun. D) The brightness of comets stay the same throughout their life. E) All comets are short period comets.
B) Comets develop a tail only when they get closer to the Sun in their orbit.
There's a Kuiper belt and an Oort cloud. Both have comets. What's the difference? A) Comets from the Kuiper belt have different compositions than those from the Oort cloud. B) Comets from the Oort cloud have longer periods. C) There is no difference. The comets from both are the same. D) Comets from the Kuiper belt have longer periods E) The comets from the Oort cloud are made of strawberry jam and those from the Kuiper belt are made of grape jelly.
B) Comets from the Oort cloud have longer periods
Among the following planets, which rotates most slowly? A) Neptune B) Earth C) Jupiter D) Uranus E) Saturn
B) Earth
Which of the following statement is TRUE? A) Methane gives Jupiter its reddish/orange color. B) Io, Earth, and Triton have active volcanoes. C) Mars has more moons than Neptune does. D) Mercury and the Moon have thick atmospheres. E) The Great Red Spot is a hurricane on Uranus, one hundred times the size of the Earth.
B) Io, Earth, and Triton have active volcanoes
What chemical compound that permeates the surface of Mars gives the Martian soil its distinctive color? A) Water. B) Iron Oxide. C) Copper Carbonate. D) Methane. E) ZInc Oxide
B) Iron Oxide.
How does Jupiter's radius compare to that of Earth? A) Earth's radius is 20 times that of Jupiter B) Jupiter's radius is 11 times that of Earth C) Jupiter's radius is 300,000 time that of Earth D) Jupiter's radius is 300 times that of Earth E) Jupiter and Earth have the same radius.
B) Jupiter's radius is 11 times that of Earth
Which two Terrestrial planets have the least amount of atmosphere? A) Mars and Earth B) Mercury and Mars C) Venus and Earth D) Mercury and Earth E) Mars and Venus
B) Mercury and Mars
Which planets have a rocky, relatively dense composition? A) Jupiter, Saturn, Earth, and Mars B) Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars C) Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn D) Uranus, Neptune, Earth, and Mars E) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
B) Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Of the following objects, which is the largest? A) Pluto B) Neptune C) Venus D) Earth E) Mars
B) Neptune
Could astronauts survive on the surface of Titan without a space suit; maybe just an oxygen mask or something? A) No, the pressure would be too great. B) No, it's far too cold. C) No, the atmosphere isn't thick enough D) No, there's a runaway greenhouse effect like Venus. E) Yes.
B) No, it's far too cold.
What was Kepler's First Law? A) Planets revolve around the sun in circular orbits with Sun in the center. B) Planets revolve around the sun in elliptical orbits with Sun at one focus of the ellipse. C) Not all planets revolve around the Sun. D) The Earth is stationary, and the Sun and other planets revolve around it. E) None of the above.
B) Planets revolve around the sun in elliptical orbits with Sun at one focus of the ellipse.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of jovian planets? A) They all have many moons B) They have a higher density than terrestrial planets C) They have deep atmospheres made of hydrogen, helium, and hydrogen compounds D) They are larger than terrestrial planets E) They are farther from the Sun and farther apart from each other than the terrestrial planets
B) They have a higher density than terrestrial planets
Is there anything beyond the Kuiper belt? A) Yes, there is a place where rainbow colored unicorns fly free. B) Yes, there is an enormous, diffuse cloud of about a trillion comets C) Yes, there are additional planets D) Yes, there is another asteroid belt beyond the Kuiper Belt E) No, the Kuiper Belt defines the edge of the solar system
B) Yes, there is an enormous, diffuse cloud of about a trillion comets
How does the density of Venus compare to the density of Mercury? A) The density of Mercury cannot be measured. B) about the same, rocky/metallic C) The density of Venus cannot be measured. D) much more, heavy metals E) much less, gaseous
B) about the same, rocky/metallic
Phobos and Deimos are A) dwarf planets B) just 0.3% of the size of Mars C) the same size as Mars D) twice as big as Mars E) half as big as Mars
B) just 0.3% of the size of Mars
What is an Astronomical Unit? A) the unit of period B) the distance between the Earth and the Sun C) the distance between Jupiter and Io D) the number of days it takes Earth to orbit the Sun E) the distance between Earth and Mars
B) the distance between the Earth and the Sun
How long is a day on Mercury? A) the same as a day on Earth B) 1/4 as long as a day on Earth C) 176 times as long as a day on Earth D) 0.05 times as long as a day on Earth E) 0.11 times as long as a day on Earth
C) 176 times as long as a day on Earth
When did the KT event (asteroid collision) cause the extinction of the dinosaurs? A) 65,000 years ago B) 45 billion years ago C) 65 million years ago D) 4500 years ago E) 4.5 billion years ago
C) 65 million years ago
What is a dwarf planet? A) A dwarf planet is any object orbiting the Sun that is large enough to be round but not one of the 4 jovian planets. B) A dwarf planet is any object orbiting the Sun that is not one of the 9 planets. C) A dwarf planet is any object orbiting the Sun that is large enough to be round but not one of the 8 planets. D) A dwarf planet is any object orbiting the Sun that is not one of the 4 jovian planets. E) A dwarf planet is any object orbiting the Sun that is not one of the 8 planets.
C) A dwarf planet is any object orbiting the Sun that is large enough to be round but not one of the 8 planets.
Uranus and its rings are tipped over on its side, almost at a right angle. What could have caused something like that? A) Uranus migrated to its current position and orientation early in its formation. B) All of the planets are tilted that much. This is not unusual. C) A large collision early in its formation could have tipped it over D) Its rotation follows its magnetic field. E) It formed that way
C) A large collision early in its formation could have tipped it over
Which of the following is TRUE? A) Travelling at 3 times the speed of light (if we could) it would take only 2 days to travel from Earth to Mars. B) The Moon is about a thousand times further away from Earth than the diameter of the Earth. C) Compared to the distance from Earth to Mars, the distance from Earth to the Moon is very small. D) Mars is about five times further away from Earth than Earth's Moon is. E) The Earth's Moon is about half the distance between Earth and Mars.
C) Compared to the distance from Earth to Mars, the distance from Earth to the Moon is very small.
A meteor shower can occur when : A) shooting stars reach stable orbits around the Earth and orbit for some time B) Earth passes through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter C) Earth's orbit crosses a trail of debris left behind from a comet D) dwarf planets interact with comets and shoot in toward the Sun E) many stars pass near the Sun at the same time and shoot through the sky
C) Earth's orbit crosses a trail of debris left behind from a comet
What object is shown in this image? A) Venus B) Jupiter C) Mercury D) Uranus E) Mars
C) Mercury
Why is the day on Mercury so long? A) Mercury orbits the Sun slowly B) The day on Mercury is actually very short as compared to Earth C) Mercury rotates slowly D) Mercury orbits the Sun rapidly E) Mercury rotates rapidly
C) Mercury rotates slowly
What evidence do we have that suggests Mars was once much wetter than it is today? A) The lack of a dense atmosphere. B) Mars is farther away from the Sun compared to Earth. C) Outflow channels on the Martian surface and evidence for subsurface water ice. D) Plenty of extinct volcanoes in the southern hemisphere of the planet. E) Many Martians still own umbrellas.
C) Outflow channels on the Martian surface and evidence for subsurface water ice.
Which of the following is TRUE? A) At times Pluto passes closer to the Sun than Jupiter does. B) Pluto is about half the size of Uranus. C) Pluto is in the Kuiper belt. D) Pluto's density is less than the density of water. E) Pluto is a gas giant planet.
C) Pluto is in the Kuiper belt.
Why do the orbits of the planets all lie in nearly the same plane? A) Collisions between planetesimals destroyed all planets that would have been elsewhere. B) The Sun's gravity forced them into these orbits. C) The early solar nebula flattened into a disk. D) This happened purely by chance. E) The angular momentum of the solar system was kept to a minimum this way. Table for Individual Question Feedback
C) The early solar nebula flattened into a disk.
Traveling at the same speed, which would be the shortest trip? A) a trip from Uranus to Neptune B) a trip from Saturn to Uranus C) a trip from Earth to Venus D) a trip from Jupiter to Saturn E) a trip from Mars to Jupiter
C) a trip from Earth to Venus
Volcanos on Venus: A) are not common, with only two apparent on its whole surface B) were never important in the planet's geological history C) produce very large lava flows that cover at least 85% of the planet's surface D) produce melted cheese instead of lava E) are much less active than volcanos on Earth and Mars
C) produce very large lava flows that cover at least 85% of the planet's surface
The life forms proposed by Sagan and Salpeter to exist in Jupiter's atmosphere are called: A) methane, ammonia, and hydrogen B) flyers, swimmers, and quadrupods C) sinkers, floaters, and hunters D) crabs, salamanders, and alligators E) amoeba, algae, and veronoids
C) sinkers, floaters, and hunters
What would the density of Mercury be most like? A) heavy solids like Gold and Uranium B) liquids C) solids like aluminum and iron D) solid ice E) gases
C) solids like aluminum and iron
What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? A) a big comet came and smashed the dinosaurs B) volcanic eruptions C) the dust and smoke thrown up from an asteroid impact D) humans destroyed them E) the same collision in which the Moon formed
C) the dust and smoke thrown up from an asteroid impact
A planet in orbit around the Sun has an orbital period of 7 years. What is the semi-major axis of its orbit? Use P2=a3. A) 21 AU B) 14 AU C) 0.36 AU D) 3.6 AU E) 49 AU
D) 3.6 AU
How did Kepler himself originally state this second law? A) The speed of a planet in its orbit is directly proportional to its distance from the Sun. B) The speed of a planet in its orbit is inversely proportional to its distance from the Sun. C) All planets move at a constant speed in their orbit around the Sun. D) A line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time. E) None of the above
D) A line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time.
From what was described, where are aurorae likely to be seen most frequently? A) Equally likely anywhere on Earth B) They can only be seen from Earth orbit, not on the surface C) At locations along the equator D) At locations near the poles E) They cannot be seen either from Earth's orbit, nor anywhere on the surface
D) At locations near the poles
Which moon of Jupiter is believed to have a liquid ocean beneath a layer of ice? A) Titan B) Callisto C) Ganymede D) Europa E) Io
D) Europa
Saturn is made of: A) Nitrogen and Oxygen like Earth's atmosphere. B) Water and Ammonia ices. C) Nickel and Iron like the cores of rocky planets. D) Hydrogen and Helium like Jupiter E) Green cheese
D) Hydrogen and Helium like Jupiter
Where do mountains on Earth come from? A) The Earth formed by an irregular processes and that is just the way that it was shaped when the molten rock cooled into place. B) Rain of debris from meteorites and comets falls in some places more than others, and builds up into mountains. C) The Moon's gravity pulls some layers up into mountain ranges. D) In some locations, plates of rock on the planet's surface press together and the plates rise together. E) The Earth is made of molten rock and metals, and regions with opposite electrical charges attract each other and form peaks.
D) In some locations, plates of rock on the planet's surface press together and the plates rise together
Which planet has a temperature of 800 degrees Fahrenheit on the side facing the Sun and -290 degrees Fahrenheit on the side opposite the A) Earth B) Jupiter C) Mars D) Mercury E) Venus
D) Mercury
Jupiter has about the overall density of: A) Osmium B) Gold C) Air D) Milk E) Silver
D) Milk
The Sun is at one focus of the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the Sun. What is at the other focus? A) The Moon. B) The Earth. C) Jupiter. D) Nothing. E) Mars
D) Nothing.
How did the seas on the Moon form? A) They are formed from earthquakes on the Moon. B) There are not any seas on the Moon. C) They are the dried out basins that were filled with liquid water 1-4 billion years ago. D) They are craters filled with lava 1-4 billion years ago. E) They are from meteors
D) They are craters filled with lava 1-4 billion years ago.
What is ozone? A) Two oxygen atoms bonded together into a single molecule (O2). B) A mixture of many chemical elements, including nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg), carbon (C), and silicon (Si), that block ultraviolet light. C) Carbon monoxide molecules (CO). D) Three oxygen atoms bonded together into a single molecule (O3). E) Single oxygen atoms in the atmosphere (O).
D) Three oxygen atoms bonded together into a single molecule (O3).
Of the following objects, which is the largest? A) Venus B) Earth C) Pluto D) Uranus E) Mars
D) Uranus
Which planet has a solid surface? A) Uranus B) Saturn C) Jupiter D) Venus E) Neptune
D) Venus
Why is Venus's day so long (a daynight cycle on Venus lasts for as long as 243 Earth day and night cycles)? A) It is not true that the day on Venus is so long. It is only about equal to one day and night cycle on Earth. B) No one knows the reason. C) Because Venus's year is longer than a year on Earth. D) Venus's rotation time is very long compared to the time it takes to go once around the Sun. E) Venus's rotation time is very short compared to the time it takes to go once around the Sun.
D) Venus's rotation time is very long compared to the time it takes to go once around the Sun
Compared to the density of the Earth, the Moon's density is: A) almost ten times more B) almost ten times less C) exactly the same D) a bit less E) a bit more
D) a bit less
Craters on Venus: A) never existed because of the influence of the Sun's gravity. B) are much larger in size than those on Earth, Moon, and Mars. C) are never apparent because of the large amounts of volcanic activity. D) are about the same in size and structure to those on Earth, Moon, and Mars. E) are much smaller in size than those on Earth, Moon, and Mars.
D) are about the same in size and structure to those on Earth, Moon, and Mars.
The Moon has a surface covered with: A) water ice B) liquid water C) fractured bedrock D) powdery dust and rocky debris E) maple syrup
D) powdery dust and rocky debris
Besides, the discovery that moons orbit Jupiter, what other discovery made by Galileo Galilei, with an early telescope, proved that the Earth is not at the center of the Universe? A) the discovery that the Earth is rotating B) the discovery of Pluto C) the discovery that the Moon orbits the Earth D) the phases of Venus E) the discovery of Neptune
D) the phases of Venus
Of the four Galilean moon which one is farthest from Jupiter? A) Ganymede B) Titan C) Io D) Europa E) Callisto
E) Callisto
Jupiter is primarily composed of: A) Nickel and Iron B) Chicken Noodle Soup C) Nitrogen and Oxygen D) Water and Ammonia ices E) Hydrogen and Helium
E) Hydrogen and Helium
What distinguishes a dwarf planet like Pluto from a regular planet? A) It must be much less dense than a regular planet. B) It must have at least one moon. C) It is an arbitrary distinction. D) It must be a certain size or smaller E) It has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit
E) It has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.
Of these choices, which planet has the most moons? A) Mars B) Earth C) Mercury D) Venus E) Saturn
E) Saturn
Which of the following is FALSE? A) All Terrestrial planets have densities much higher than the density of water B) The density of Mercury is greater than the density of Uranus. C) The density of Jupiter is 1.3 grams per cubic centimeter, similar to the density of milk. D) Venus has a density of 5.2 grams per cubic centimeter E) Saturn has a density of 4.8 grams per cubic centimeter, similar to metals like aluminum and iron
E) Saturn has a density of 4.8 grams per cubic centimeter, similar to metals like aluminum and iron
Which of the following is the cause of aurora? A) Rapid spinning of a planet that mixes up its magnetic field lines B) collisions of plates on Earth that float on the surface of denser fluid below C) Greenhouse gases that trap infrared radiation inside an atmosphere D) The ozone layer that prevents UV radiation from entering an atmosphere E) Solar wind particles that hit the atmosphere of a planet
E) Solar wind particles that hit the atmosphere of a planet
What are the rings of Saturn made of? A) The rings are solid sheets of ice B) The rings are made of pure diamonds C) The rings are solid sheets of metalrock D) The rings are made of billions particles of dust E) The rings are made of billions of icy particles that range in size from tiny grains to mountains.
E) The rings are made of billions of icy particles that range in size from tiny grains to mountains.
What object is shown in this image? A) Europa B) Miranda C) Callisto D) Io E) Titan
E) Titan
What would happen if the ozone layer were completely destroyed? A) Optical and infrared light would no longer get through the Earth's atmosphere, and plants couldn't grow. B) Radio waves would no longer get through the Earth's atmosphere and we would have difficulty with communications. C) X-rays and gamma rays would no longer get through the atmosphere. D) Meteorites would be able to fall through the atmosphere and would destroy life of all types. E) Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun would get through the atmosphere and cause damage to life.
E) Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun would get through the atmosphere and cause damage to life.
Which of the following planets rotates the slowest? A) Uranus B) Saturn C) Jupiter D) Neptune E) Venus
E) Venus
Which of the following is moving fastest in the orbit? A) Neptune at its aphelion (farthest point from Sun) B) Mars at its perihelion (closest point to Sun) C) Venus at its aphelion (farthest point from Sun) D) Mars at its aphelion (farthest point from Sun) E) Venus at its perihelion (closest point to Sun)
E) Venus at its perihelion (closest point to Sun)
Which objects orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits? A) Jovian planets B) Terrestrial planets C) meteors D) asteroids E) comets
E) comets
Asteroids are: A) all very small, less than a centimeter in diameter. B) rare objects only three exist in our Solar System. C) all found out beyond the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud. D) composed mostly of ice, both dry ice and water ice. E) found in high concentration in an asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
E) found in high concentration in an asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
When in the orbit is there a crescent Venus visible to an observer on Mars? A) when Venus is behind the Sun B) when Venus is directly in front of the Sun C) when Venus is close to passing behind the Sun or has just emerged from behind the Sun D) never E) when Venus is approaching the point in front of the Sun or has just passed in front of the Sun
E) when Venus is approaching the point in front of the Sun or has just passed in front of the Sun
How many Earth years does it take Uranus to orbit the Sun? a) 84 b) 1 c) 0.48 d) 2.4 e) 0.27
a) 84
Which of the following statement is TRUE? a) Io, Earth, and Triton have active volcanoes. b) Mercury and the Moon have thick atmospheres. c) Mars has more moons than Neptune does. d) The Great Red Spot is a hurricane on Uranus, one hundred times the size of the Earth. e) Methane gives Jupiter its reddish/orange color.
a) Io, Earth, and Triton have active volcanoes.
Which planet looks the most like the Moon? a) Mercury b) Venus c) Neptune d) Uranus e) Mars
a) Mercury
Which of the following is moving fastest in the orbit? a) Venus at its perihelion (closest point to Sun) b) Venus at its aphelion (farthest point from Sun) c) Mars at its perihelion (closest point to Sun) d) Mars at its aphelion (farthest point from Sun) e) Neptune at its aphelion (farthest point from Sun)
a) Venus at its perihelion (closest point to Sun)
Which statement about the rotation of the Inner planets is true? a) Venus rotates in the opposite direction from the three others. b) All rotate in the same direction. c) The rotation periods of all of them are the same, i.e. 1 Earth day. d) All have rotation periods of 365 Earth days. e) All have rotation periods about equal to their periods to orbit the Sun
a) Venus rotates in the opposite direction from the three others.
Meteors are a) asteroids or comet debris that passes into Earth's atmosphere and burns up b) a group of rocky objects between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn c) comets that are vaporized when they pass very close to the Sun d) comets that escape the Solar System without being vaporized by the Sun e) a group of rocky objects between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
a) asteroids or comet debris that passes into Earth's atmosphere and burns up
Which feature of Neptune is most responsible for its blue color? a) methane in its atmosphere b) auroral activity due to its strong magnetic field c) excess energy emitted by the interior d) winds blowing at speeds almost that of sound e) large oceans covering most of the surface
a) methane in its atmosphere
Venus is visible to us: a) only near sunrise or sunset. b) only during the several hours around midnight. c) only in the winter. d) only in the summer. e) only during its new phase
a) only near sunrise or sunset.
Which of the following is the largest distance? a) the distance from Jupiter to Saturn b) the distance from the Sun to the Earth c) the distance from the Earth to the Moon d) the distance from Earth to Mars e) the distance from Mercury to Venus
a) the distance from Jupiter to Saturn
Which of the following statements is TRUE? a) Neither Uranus or Neptune have ring systems. b) The planet Uranus is blue-green and virtually featureless. c) There is no evidence to suggest that either Jupiter or Saturn has a liquid metallic or rocky core beneath its gas layers. d) The Great Red Spot is a dust storm near the South polar cap of Mars. e) Jupiter's solid surface lies just below the cloud layers visible from Earth.
b) The planet Uranus is blue-green and virtually featureless
If you know the orbital period and the semimajor axis of the orbit of one of Saturn's moons, what could you determine? a) Saturn's radius b) Saturn's density c) the Sun's radius d) Saturn's mass e) the distance from Saturn to the Sun
d) Saturn's mass
The surface of Venus is hotter than the surface of Mercury because a) Venus is closer to the Sun than Mercury. b) Mercury's atmosphere prevents radiation from penetrating through to its surface. c) of the volcanic activity that occurs on Venus. d) Venus is more massive and is able to retain a thick atmosphere. e) Venus is smaller than Mercury so it does not require so much energy to heat it
d) Venus is more massive and is able to retain a thick atmosphere.
Which of the following objects have a dark/black sky even in the daytime? a) both Venus and Mars b) both Mercury and Mars c) both the Moon and Earth d) both the Moon and Mercury e) both Earth and Titan
d) both the Moon and Mercury
Which is NOT a characteristic of a comet? a) tails point away from the Sun b) tails become more prominent when comet is close to the Sun c) highly elliptical orbit d) most orbit the Sun in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter e) they move slowly across the sky
d) most orbit the Sun in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
A planet is in orbit around the Sun. The semimajor axis of the orbit is 5 Astronomical Units (AU). Use P 2 = a3 to calculate the period of the orbit in years. a) 5 years b) 0.2 years c) 135 years d) 125 years e) 11.2 years
e) 11.2 years
Which of the following is NOT required in order to classify a Solar System object as a planet (instead of a dwarf planet)? a) It must not be a moon around another object. b) It must be massive enough to be nearly round. c) It must orbit the Sun. d) It must clear the region around its orbit. e) It must be larger than all of the moons in the Solar System?
e) It must be larger than all of the moons in the Solar System?
Which is largest? a) Saturn's moon Mimas b) Mercury c) Saturn's moon Iapetus d) Pluto e) Jupiter's moon Ganymede
e) Jupiter's moon Ganymede
How do most craters on moons form? a) by volcanic activity b) running water c) by seismic activity (earthquakes) d) earthquakes e) impact of asteroids
e) impact of asteroids