Chapter 7 Astronomy
Which of the following is not a real difference between asteroids and comets?
Asteroids orbit the Sun, whereas comets just float randomly around in the Oort cloud.
Venus has a higher average surface temperature than Mercury. Why?
Because its surface is heated by an extreme greenhouse effect.
In what way is Venus most similar to Earth?
Both planets are nearly the same size.
Why was it advantageous for the Voyager missions to consist of flybys rather than orbiters?
Each individual spacecraft was able to visit more than one planet
This famous photograph taken by the Voyager spacecraft shows _________.
Earth as viewed from the outskirts of the solar system
How is Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2, important in understanding the Sun?
It explains the fact that the Sun generates energy to shine by losing some 4 million tons of mass each day.
Why has NASA sent recent orbiters to Mars on trajectories that required them to skim through Mars's atmosphere before settling into their final orbits?
It saves money because the spacecraft uses atmospheric drag to slow down rather than needing to carry enough fuel to slow by firing rocket engines.
Imagine that an alien spaceship crashed onto Earth. Which statement would most likely be true?
It would crash in the ocean.
Now consider the second major feature (two types of planets). Which of the following statements are true for the terrestrial and jovian planets in our solar system?
Jovian planets are larger in size than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets orbit farther from the Sun than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets orbit farther from the Sun than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets have more moons than terrestrial planets.
The jovian planets in our solar system are __________.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Which of the following lists the planets of our solar system in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
The terrestrial planets in our solar system are __________.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Which of the following is not a major pattern of motion in the solar system?
Nearly all comets orbit the Sun in same direction and roughly the same plane.
All the following statements are true. Which of them are considered to be "exceptions" to the general trends described by the first three major features of the solar system?
Our Moon has a diameter more than 1/4 the diameter of Earth. Venus rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation of the other terrestrial planets. Uranus rotates with an axis tilt that lies nearly in the ecliptic plane
Which of the following is not a major difference between the terrestrial and jovian planets in our solar system?
Terrestrial planets contain large quantities of ice and jovian planets do not.
Consider the following statement: "Rocky asteroids are found primarily in the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt, while icy comets are found primarily in the Oort cloud." What's wrong with this statement?
The Kuiper belt contains icy comets, not rocky asteroids.
Consider the first major feature (orderly motions). Which of the following correctly describe patterns of motion in our solar system?
The Sun and most of the planets rotate in the same direction that the planets orbit. All the planets orbit the Sun in nearly the same plane. Planets have nearly circular orbits.
The following statements are all true. Which one counts as an "exception to the rule" in being unusual for our solar system?
The diameter of Earth's Moon is about 1/4 that of Earth.
Which one of the following is not one of the four major features of the solar system?
The solar system contains eight planets plus dwarf planets (such as Ceres, Pluto, and Eris).
In which of the following ways are Pluto and Eris more like comets than like any of the terrestrial or jovian planets?
They are made mostly of rock and ice.
Which planet listed has the most extreme seasons?
Uranus
Compared to the distance between Earth and Mars, the distance between Jupiter and Saturn is ______.
much larger
Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, that are most similar in character to ____________________.
small asteroids
In the context of studying major bodies of our solar system, what category of object does our Moon best fit?
terrestrial world
The solar system contains vast numbers of small bodies, which we call asteroids when they are rocky and comets when they are icy. These small bodies are concentrated in the region(s) of the solar system that we call __________.
the Kuiper belt the asteroid belt the Oort cloud
