Formation of Solar System

___________ has a large moon, Triton, that almost certainly once orbited the Sun independently. _______ has a famous storm known as the Great Red Spot. _______ has an axis tilt that gives it very extreme seasons. ________ generates energy deep in its core through the fusion of hydrogen into helium _______ has a single moon that is surprisingly large compared to its planet. _________was studied up close in 2015 by the New Horizons spacecraft. _______ is similar in size to Pluto and also considered a dwarf planet. _______ has a surface hot enough to melt lead as a result of an extremely strong greenhouse effect. ________ has a greater difference in temperature between its day and night sides than any other world. ______________ is orbited by at least two geologically active moons: Titan and Enceladus. ________ has no surface liquid water today, but shows clear evidence of such water in the distant past.

Neptune Jupiter Uranus The Sun Earth Pluto Eris Venus Mercury Saturn Mars

1. __________has a rotational axis that is tilted so much it lies nearly in the plane of its orbit. 2. ______is the planet with the highest average surface temperature. 3. The planet that orbits closest to the Sun is ________- 4. The only rocky planet to have more than one moon is ________ 5. ___________is the jovian planet that orbits closest to the Sun. 6. Most of the surface of ____is covered with liquid water. 7. _________is about 30 times as far from the Sun as our own planet. 8. The planet with the lowest average density is _________

Uranus Venus Mercury Mars Jupiter Earth Neptune Saturn

Based on what the nebular theory tells us about the formation of our own solar system, what does the theory predict for the possibility of other planetary systems? Planetary systems should be common. Other planetary systems should be identical to our own. Planetary systems should be very rare. Most stars should have one or two planets, but not more.

a

Compared to the distance between Earth and Mars, the distance between Jupiter and Saturn is ________. much larger much smaller just slightly less about the same

a

How is Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2, important in understanding the Sun? The Sun generates its energy by converting 4 million tons of mass to energy each second. The Sun has a magnetic field strong enough to influence the atmospheres of the planets. This equation represents how difficult science is, so understanding the Sun is difficult as well. The Sun's surface temperature is about 6,000° Celsius.

a

In what way is Pluto more like a comet than a planet? It is made mostly of rock and ice. It has a moon. It sometimes enters the inner solar system. It has a long tail.

a

The terrestrial planets are made almost entirely of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. According to modern science, where did these elements come from? They were produced by stars that lived and died before our solar system was born. They were produced in the core of the Sun. They were made by chemical reactions in interstellar gas. They have been present in the universe since its birth.

a

When did the objects that we now see as asteroids and comets form in the solar system? After solid particles condensed from the gas but before the planets finished forming. After the planets finished forming. After the cloud flattened into a disk but before solid particles condensed from the gas. Before the cloud flattened into a disk.

a

Which jovian planet does not have rings? All the jovian planets have rings. Neptune Jupiter Mars Uranus

a

Which of the following observations indicates that Mars had a warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past? There are dried-up riverbeds on Mars. Mars has two small moons. Mars has polar caps made of "dry ice." There is a very deep and long canyon that extends across Mars. Mars lacks atmospheric ozone.

a

Which of the following statements about our Sun is not true? The Sun's diameter is about 5 times that of Earth. The Sun is a star. The Sun contains more than 99% of all the mass in our solar system. The Sun is made mostly of hydrogen and helium.

a

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). Planets fall into two major categories (terrestrial and jovian). Several exceptions to the general trends stand out. Swarms of asteroids and comets populate the solar system. Large bodies in the solar system have orderly motions.

a

Which planet has the highest average surface temperature, and why? Venus, because of its dense carbon dioxide atmosphere Earth, because of its greenhouse effect Jupiter, because it is so big Mars, because of its red color Mercury, because it is closest to the Sun

a

Part C Part complete 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? Select all that apply. View Available Hint(s) Jovian planets have more moons than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets orbit farther from the Sun than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets are made most of metal, rock, and helium. Jovian planets are larger in size than terrestrial planets. Jovian planets are larger in mass than terrestrial planets.

a b d e

What are four key features of our solar system that any theory of solar system formation must be able to explain? Select exactly four responses. There are vast numbers of asteroids and comets. There are a few notable "exceptions to the rules." The solar nebula collapsed due to gravity. Planets fall into two major categories. There are clear patterns to the rotation and orbits of large bodies in the solar system. The Sun generates energy through fusion of hydrogen into helium.

a b d e

In essence, the solar nebular theory states that ________. nebulae are clouds of gas and dust in space our solar system formed from the collapse of an interstellar cloud of gas and dust the planets each formed from the collapse of its own separate nebula The nebular theory is a discarded idea that imagined planets forming as a result of a near-collision between our Sun and another star.

b

In the context of studying major bodies of our solar system, what category of object does our Moon best fit? large comet terrestrial world small asteroid jovian moon jovian planet

b

In what way is Venus most similar to Earth? Both planets have warm days and cool nights. Both planets are nearly the same size. Both planets have very similar atmospheres. Both planets have similar surface geology.

b

The jovian planets in our solar system are _________. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune Pluto and Eris Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto

b

The planet in our solar system with the highest average surface temperature is ________. Neptune Venus Earth Mercury

b

Which is the densest planet in the solar system? Venus Earth Mercury Mars Jupiter

b

Which of the following lists the planets of our solar system in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun? Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus

b

Which planet (besides Earth) has been visited by the largest number of robotic spacecraft? Saturn Mars Jupiter Venus

b

Which planet has the most extreme temperature difference between day and night? Earth Mercury Jupiter Mars Venus

b

Consider the first major feature (orderly motions). Which of the following correctly describe patterns of motion in our solar system? Select all that apply. The outer planets are so large that they nearly collide with each other on each orbit. All the planets orbit the Sun in nearly the same plane. Major moons generally have polar orbits, meaning orbits that take them over the north and south poles of the planet they orbit. Planets have nearly circular orbits. The Sun and most of the planets rotate in the same direction that the planets orbit. Inner planets orbit the Sun in the opposite direction from the outer planets.

b c d

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? Check all that apply. View Available Hint(s) Pluto is in the outer solar system but is ice-rich in composition. 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. Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, is even larger than Earth's moon. Our Moon has a diameter more than 1/4 the diameter of Earth.

b c e

Considering only the tilt of their axis, which planet listed below would have the most extreme seasons? Mars Earth Uranus Jupiter

c

We expect a scientific theory to be able to make predictions that can be tested. Which of the following is a prediction of the nebular theory that has been verified by observations? Planetary orbits should lie in approximately the same plane as the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy. Large planets should have at least some moons that are larger than the smallest planets. Many stars should have planets. Earth-size planets should have fairly large moons.

c

What can we conclude from the fact that Neptune's large moon Triton orbits in a direction opposite to the direction in which Neptune rotates? Triton must have formed as the result of a giant impact. Triton must have formed in place around Neptune. Triton must have been captured by Neptune. Triton must be made mostly of ice. Triton must be more dense than Neptune.

c

Where does nuclear fusion occur in the Sun? on the surface anywhere below the surface in its core just above the visible surface all of the above

c

Which moons are sometimes called the Galilean moons? the moons that orbit their planet "backward" compared to their planet's rotation, such as Neptune's moon Triton the moons orbiting Uranus, which was once named "planet Galileo" the four largest moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto the two largest moons in the solar system: Ganymede and Titan

c

Which of the following is not a major difference between the terrestrial and jovian planets in our solar system? Terrestrial planets orbit much closer to the Sun than jovian planets. Jovian planets have rings, and terrestrial planets do not. Terrestrial planets contain large quantities of ice, and jovian planets do not. Terrestrial planets are higher in average density than jovian planets.

c

Which of the following statements about the recently-discovered object Eris is not true? It lies well beyond Pluto and Neptune. It orbits the Sun in the same direction as the other planets. It is thought to be the first example ever discovered of a new class of objects. It has at least one moon.

c

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 __________. Select all that apply. View Available Hint(s) the Doppler belt the comet belt the Oort cloud the Kuiper belt the asteroid belt the solar corona

c d e

In what part of the solar system is Pluto found? the asteroid belt the terrestrial planet region the Oort cloud the Kuiper belt

d

Mars has two moons that are most similar in character to ________. particles in the rings of Saturn Earth's Moon comets small asteroids

d

The "giant impact hypothesis" refers to the idea that ___________. large craters on the Moon were formed by large impacts. the planets formed when another star nearly collided with our Sun. dinosaur extinction was caused by the impact of an asteroid. our Moon formed when a Mars-size object collided with the young Earth.

d

What percentage of the solar nebula's mass consisted of hydrogen and helium gases? 0.5 percent 100 percent 5 percent 98 percent 50 percent

d

Where are most of the known asteroids found? in the Oort cloud between the orbits of the terrestrial planets in the Kuiper belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter between the orbits of the jovian planets

d

Which of the following statements was true beyond the frost line (but not interior to it)? It was so warm that only metal and rock could condense from the gas. This was the only region that flattened into a disk. No object as small as a terrestrial planet could form. It was cold enough for hydrogen compounds to condense into ices.

d

Which object, other than Earth, has visible water on its surface? Mercury Venus Mars the Moon none of the above

e

Which of the following is furthest from the Sun? Eris a comet in the Kuiper belt an asteroid in the asteroid belt Pluto a comet in the Oort cloud

e

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the outer planets? They are primarily made of hydrogen, helium, and hydrogen compounds. Their orbits are separated by relatively large distances. They have thick atmospheres. They have rings. They have relatively high densities.

e

Which of the following is thought to explain many of the "exceptions to the rules" of our solar system? the heavy bombardment the solar nebula conservation of angular momentum the frost line giant impacts

e