chapter 9
Why were scientists surprised to find active geology on Enceladus?
Because of its small size
Tidal heating is stronger for Io than for Europa because ________.
Io is closer to Jupiter
Even though Jupiter's moon Io is similar in size to our geologically dead Moon, it is more geologically active than the Earth. How can this be?
Io is tidally heated due to its elliptical orbit, which causes the large tidal forces exerted by Jupiter to constantly change, flexing and distorting its interior
Which statement about synchronous rotation is true?
It is a natural consequence of tidal forces acting on a moon.
Why do the moons of Saturn have large amounts of methane and ammonia ice, but the moons of Jupiter do not?
It was too warm for these ices to condense at Jupiter's distance in the solar nebula.
How do the possibilities for life on Ganymede and Callisto compare to those on Europa?
Life seems less likely because these moons have less energy available for life.
Imagine another star system with a planet of the same mass as Jupiter orbited by a moon with the same size and orbit as Io. If this moon is not geologically active like Io, then which of the following is probably true?
The planet does not have other large moons sharing an orbital resonance with this moon
Why would it be surprising to find large fish-like organisms with rapid metabolism on Europa?
There does not seem to be enough energy available to support this type of metabolism.
Based on what we know about the terrestrial worlds, why is it surprising to find geological activity on jovian moons?
They are too small.
Triton, the largest moon of Neptune was probably once
a Kuiper Belt Object
What is the origin of the nitrogen in Titan's atmosphere?
breakdown of ammonia (NH3) by ultraviolet light from the Sun
From a chemical energy standpoint, the basic requirement for life is a situation in which chemicals naturally exist in a state of
disequilibrium
The fact that many of the larger Jovian moons orbit nearly in the equatorial plane of their host world, moving in the same direction as their planet's spin, suggest that they
formed from a rotating disk of gas and dust like a miniature solar system
Chemical disequilibrium is likely to be present in all the following places except ________.
icy boulders in the rings of Saturn
The Jovian moons Ganymede and Titan are
larger than Mercury but smaller than the Earth
Scientists are currently planning a mission that should tell us definitively whether there is an ocean on Europa. This mission will do that in the cheapest way possible, which is to ________.
measure how much Europa's surface bulges up and down as it rotates
Life in the subsurface ocean of Europa will most likely consist of
simple single-celled organisms
Suppose you had the misfortune of finding yourself outside on Titan without a spacesuit. Which would probably kill you first
the cold temperature
In addition to being the second-largest moon in the solar system, Saturn's moon Titan, is
the only moon to have its own atmosphere
Titan shares all of the following geological features with Earth except ________.
volcanoes erupting with molten rock
