Astronomy Exam #2
Which planet experiences the shortest day?
Jupiter
Jovian planets
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Earth
Largest terrestrial planet
Comets
The smaller objects in the solar system composed mainly of ices (frozen gases) that usually orbit far from the Sun are called
Humans first walked on the Moon in
1965
The majority of the moons orbiting the Jovian planets are irregular moons orbiting in retrograde manner, or have orbits of high inclination or eccentricity.
True
Planet with an oddly behaving magnetic field
Uranus
The planet that orbits the sun on its side
Uranus
Planet that rotates backwards
Venus
Which planet is most similar to Earth in size?
Venus
Venus
closest in size to Earth, does not have satellites, the atmospheric pressure on the surface is 90 times larger than Earth's
Mercury
closest planet to the sun, smallest planet in our solar system, has a magnetic field, no moons; liquid iron core makes up 75% of its radius
Most meteor showers occur when the Earth's path
crosses a comet's path
During the process of differentiation
heavier materials sink to the centers of molten planets
In general, the further planets are from the Sun, the cooler they are. What other factor can have a significant influence on a planet's surface temperature?
it's atmosphere (whether it has one and how thick it is)
Jupiter
largest planet in our solar system, greatest number of moons, key feature is a big red spot; axis is hardly tilted so it has no season variation
objective lens
lens of a telescope that brings distant object closer and and represents the light gathering power
The region around the Earth where charged particles are trapped and spiral around is called the
magnetosphere
Carbon dioxide
makes up the atmosphere of Mars and Venus
One way to determine how long Jupiter takes to rotate is to watch the giant storms in its atmosphere go around. A more fundamental way to measure the rotation is to
measure how the changes in the planet's radio waves, which are controlled by its magnetic field
nitrogen
primary constituent of Earth's atmosphere
All planets (without exception)
revolve around the Sun in the same direction
dwarf planets do not have
satellites
Charon
size of which is the largest fraction of its parent planet
mesosphere
the layer of Earth's atmosphere immediately above the stratosphere; where meteors burn up
Why does Mars have a reddish color when we see its surface from afar?
the material of Mars' surface contains a lot of iron oxide, the same chemistry that makes rusting metals look reddish
troposphere
the place where we have spent most of our life
differentiation
the process by which gravity helps separate a planet's interior into layers of different composition and density
Which planet would have the fastest wind speed at its equator?
Neptune
Stratosphere
where the ozone layer is located
How do the densities of the jovian and terrestrial planets compare?
All the terrestrials are more dense than the Jovians
The only planet not named for Greek or Roman gods or goddesses
Earth
The Earth's magnetosphere is the same shape and size on the sides facing toward and away from the Sun.
False
Planets from smallest to largest
Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter
Hydrogen
Most common element in giant planets
The jovian planet that has the longest year (period of revolution) is
Neptune
Neil Armstrong
The first human being to step out onto the surface of another world
Pluto
The first trans-Neptunian (beyond Neptune) object astronomers found (in 1930) is called
Maria
The large, roughly circular, dark, and somewhat younger regions of the Moon are
Olympus Mons
The largest mountain/volcano in our solar system
The Sun
The most massive object in the system, a medium-sized star that provides energy and gravitational force to govern the orbits of surrounding bodies
Van Allen Belt
a region of charged particles trapped in the Earth's magnetosphere
Why does Saturn appear yellow?
ammonia crystals in the upper atmosphere
Ceres
asteroid that is also a dwarf planet; first dwarf planet discovered
concave lens
causes parallel rays of light to diverge as they pass through
Jupiter's core
dense, rocky core
hydrogen
element that can act like a metal when it's under tremendous pressure and is probably responsible for Jupiter and Saturn's magnetism
Neptune
fastest wind speeds at equator
oxygen
gives rise to the green and red colors seen in auroras
Planets and moons in our solar system are named after
gods and goddesses from Greek mythology
99% of Jupiter's atmosphere
hydrogen and helium
Valles Marineris
on mars and the largest canyon in the solar system
Titan
one of the largest moons in our solar system, orbits around Saturn
climate
overall weather in an area over a long period of time
Concave
parallel rays of light diverge as they pass through this type of lens
Vesta
part of this asteroid landed on Earth
The total mass of an asteroid belt is less than
the Moon
What two things affect a planet's temperature?
the atmosphere of a planet and its distance from the sun
Shoemaker-Levy 9
the comet that struck Jupiter in 1994
focal length
the distance from the center of a lens to the focal point
Explorer I
the first U.S. space craft; discovered Van Allen belts
What gives rise to Earth's magnetic field?
the flow of liquid iron in the Earth's core
The Oort Cloud
the spherical cloud of comets and some larger icy bodies surrounding the outer solar system
coma
the temporary atmosphere of a comet
Two most important functions of a telescope
to enhance objects that are far away and to collect and focus light
Layers of Earth's Atmosphere
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere