Chapter 18 Quiz

What gives Saturn's rings their beautiful structure?

the gravitational influence of Saturn's moons on the ring particles

What is our current best hypothesis as to how the whole Uranian system came to have such a large inclination?

A large impact during the latter stages of planet building tipped Uranus on its side.

What evidence do we have that the surface of Europa is young and active?

Europa has very few impact craters and the icy crust of Europa is highly reflective.

Why would you expect Io to have more impact craters than Callisto?

Io is closer to Jupiter, so it's subject to more potentially impacting objects.

Why do some astronomers think Pluto is a member of the Kuiper belt rather than a planet?

Its location Its size and mass Its composition

What evidence do we have that Jupiter is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium rather than rock?

Jupiter has hydrogen and helium lines in its spectrum. The density of Jupiter is 1.3 grams per cubic centimeter. Jupiter's equatorial diameter is about 6% larger than its polar diameter.

How do the differences in the interiors of Saturn and Jupiter affect the planets' magnetic fields?

Jupiter's is stronger than Saturn's.

With respect to how Neptune is different from Uranus, and how its rings and moons formed and evolved, select all of the correct statements from the following list.

Neptune's largest moon, Triton, has a retrograde orbit, which suggests that it was captured. Triton has a thin atmosphere and may be geologically active. Neptune's position was predicted before it was discovered. Neptune is similar to Uranus as far as size, mass, composition, and interior structure.

There is a very slight belt-zone circulation on Uranus that can only be seen with computer enhancement. Why is this surprising?

Since Uranus is "on its side," it was not expected to have belt-zone circulation like the other Jovian planets.

With respect to the outer planets, select all of of the correct statements from the list.

Pluto's characteristics do not fit in with the other outer planets'. Being rich in hydrogen, the large outer planets are low in density. The outer planets (except Pluto) are larger than Earth. All Jovian planets have rings and moon systems.

With respect to Saturn and its differences with Jupiter, select all of the correct statements from the following list.

Smaller moons "shepherd" particles in the ring system, or keep them in their rings. Being twice as far from the sun, Saturn is much colder than Jupiter, making its atmosphere much less active. Saturn's rings are made mostly of ice particles. Although it has the most extensive one, Saturn is not the only planet with a ring system. Some ring particles are small moons that were pulled apart by tidal forces.

With respect to Jupiter's family of moons, select all of the correct statements from the following list.

Some of Jupiter's smaller moons are probably captured asteroids. Ganymede probably was geologically active in the past. Volcanic activity has been observed on lo. Callisto's old, cratered surface tells us that it has never been geologically active.

What evidence supports the model of Jupiter's Galilean satellites forming in a mini accretion disk around Jupiter?

The density trend of these four moons is highest close to Jupiter and decreases with distance and the two inner moons are much smaller than the two outer moons of this group.

Which of the following is true about the interior of Jupiter?

The heavy-element core is hotter than the surface of the sun.

Ice vs. Gas Giants. Compare the statistics listed and shown in the celestial profiles and find data comparisons that explain why Jupiter and Saturn are considered gas giants and why Uranus and Neptune are considered ice giants. Which of the following is incorrect?

The interior of Saturn has metallic hydrogen but twice the content.

Jupiter's ring appears dark in back-scattered light, yet appears bright in forward-scattered light. What does this tell us about the particles that make up Jupiter's ring?

The particles' average diameter is a few micrometers and are most likely dust.

What evidence is there that Neptune's moon Triton is geologically active?

There are few craters and there are cracks in the ice.

What does the color of Uranus and Neptune tell you about their composition?

There is an abundance of methane in their atmospheres.

With respect to the evolution of Jupiter's moon and ring systems, and how Jupiter is different than Earth, select all of the correct statements from the following list.

There is water in Jupiter's atmosphere. Jupiter has a small solid core, a deep liquid mantle, and a gaseous atmosphere. Jupiter has over 10 times the diameter and over 300 times the mass of Earth.

How can Titan have a nitrogen-methane atmosphere with a surface pressure 1.5 times that of Earth's atmosphere, whereas the larger and more massive Ganymede has no atmosphere at all?

Titan is farther from the sun and thus colder than Ganymede.

With respect to the moons of Saturn, select all of the correct statements from the following list.

Titan is the only solar system moon with a substantial atmosphere. Some of Saturn's moons may have been captured asteroids or Kuiper belt objects. All of Saturn's moons are a mixture of rock and ice. Smaller moons of Saturn have cracks and smooth areas that suggest past geologic activity.

What evidence is there that Pluto and Charon are made of rock and ice?

their densities

What energy source drives the weather that we see on Jupiter?

thermal energy escaping from Jupiter's interior that is still hot from formation