Chap 8 and 11 Questions (one or two are questionable--see asterisks)

38) What was the primary role of dust in the formation of the solar system? Either - The Sun formed from a vast spinning cloud consisting only of dust.; Dust formed the rings around Uranus, Neptune, and Jupiter.; Dust veiled the process by which our solar system formed.; Dust provided the radioactive elements that initially heated the Sun.; or Dust acted as condensation nuclei platforms to which other particles could attach and form larger particles of matter.

Dust acted as condensation nuclei; platforms to which other particles could attach and form larger particles of matter.

40) The Oort Cloud is believed to have been formed by: Either - debris from an icy planet that broke apart early in the solar system's history.; moons that escaped from the jovian planets.; debris from impacts of planetesimals, asteroids and comets with the jovian planets.; planetesimals that were flung far from the Sun in gravitational encounters with the jovian planets.; or icy bodies formed between stars that have been captured by our solar system's gravity.

planetesimals that were flung far from the Sun in gravitational encounters with the jovian planets. "as Jupiter coalesced and migrated to its present position, its gravitational influence is thought to have scattered many icy objects out to their present position in the Oort cloud."

21) Which of the characteristics below describes the terrestrial planets? Either - large and gaseous, widely spaced through the outer solar system, having rings, possessing weak magnetic fields, or small, dark and icy

possessing weak magnetic fields

6) According to Kepler's third law, the square of the planet's period in years is: Either - proportional to the cube of its semimajor axis in A.U; inversely proportional to its mass in kilograms.; equal to the fourth power of its average temperature in degrees Kelvin.; equal to its perihelion distance from the Sun in A.U.; or equal to the square of its aphelion distance in A.U.

proportional to the cube of its semi-major axis in A.U. It means that if you know the period of a planet's orbit, how long it takes the planet to go around the Sun; then you can determine that planet's distance from the Sun, which is the semi-major axis of the planet's orbit.

74) The major impact in the Yucatan wiped out the dinosaurs: Either less than 2 million years ago. , about 65 million years ago. , about 450 million years ago. , about 36 million years ago., or about 200 million years ago.

about 65 million years ago.

39) The moons of the jovian planets formed by which two processes? Either - collisions and differentiation, capture and collisions, differentiation and capture, accretion and collisions, or accretion and capture

accretion and capture

22) The jovian planets: Either - all have rings around their equators., all spin slower than the Earth., have satellite systems with less than 4 moons., all lie less than 5 AU from the Sun., or are all much more dense than any of the terrestrials planets.

all have rings around their equators

73) The body which wiped out the dinosaurs was about: as big as a 747., as big as an SUV., as big as one of Mars' moons., a few hundred meters across., or as big as our Moon.

as big as one of Mars' moons

51) Before it arrived in orbit about Eros, the NEAR spacecraft also flew past: Either asteroid Mathilde., Venus., Mars., Comet Halley., or Comet Wild.

asteroid Mathilde

32) The Kuiper Belt objects have orbits that: Either - carry them thousands of A.U. beyond the Sun., stay sixty degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter., cross the orbit of Mars at perihelion., cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion., or stay out just beyond Neptune and close to the ecliptic.

stay out just beyond Neptune and close to the ecliptic

63) The tail of a comet always points: Either in the direction of the comet's motion., toward the Sun and disappears at perihelion., away from the Sun and becomes longest and brightest at perihelion., away from the Sun and disappears at perihelion., or toward Earth and never varies.

away from the Sun and becomes longest and brightest at perihelion

47) The Trojan asteroids have orbits that: Either cross the orbit of Mars, but not Earth, at perihelion., are, on average, closer to the Sun than we are., stay out beyond Neptune., cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion., or stay sixty degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter.

stay sixty degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter.

24) In composition, asteroids and meteoroids are most like: Either - comets., the moons of Jupiter., jovian planets., terrestrial planets., or Kuiper Belt objects.

terrestrial planets

4) Which of these observations of Galileo refuted Ptolemy's epicycles? Is either - the visibility of many more stars with the telescope , the revolution of Jupiter's moons around it, the craters on the Moon, the complete cycle of Venus' phases, or the rotation of sunspots across the Sun's surface

the complete cycle of Venus' phases

70) Iron meteorites are believed to come from: either the core of a dense M-type asteroid, now broken up., Mars, hence their reddish color., a broken up cometary nucleus, hence their shiny appearance., deep space, far beyond the solar system, hence their unique crystal patterns., or the crust of a differentiated type C asteroid, now broken up.

the core of a dense M-type asteroid, now broken up.

71) Carbonaceous meteorites are believed to come from: either coal formed on Mars, then blown into space by asteroid impacts., the core of a differentiated type M asteroid, now broken up., a broken up cometary nucleus, dark like Comet Halley's nucleus., deep space, far beyond the solar system, hence their very low density., or the crust of a differentiated C type asteroid, now broken up.

the crust of a differentiated C type asteroid, now broken up

72) Meteor shower debris is believed to come from: either the crust of a differentiated type C asteroid, now broken up., deep space, far beyond the solar system, deflected by the gravity of another star., the core of a differentiated type M asteroid, now broken up., the disintegration of a short period comet over many returns to the Sun., or the asteroid belt when Mars deflects it toward us annually.

the disintegration of a short period comet over many returns to the Sun.

23) Most asteroids are found: Either - beyond the orbit of Neptune., orbiting the jovian planets in captured, retrograde orbits., between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter., in the orbit of Jupiter, but 60 degrees ahead of or behind it., or between the Earth and Sun.

between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

57) The Apollo and Aten asteroids have orbits that: Either - cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion., cross the orbit of Mars, but not the Earth, at perihelion., stay out beyond Neptune., stay sixty degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter., or remain between Mars and Jupiter, in the main belt.

cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion.

52) The Amor asteroids have orbits that: Either stay sixty degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter., stay closer to the Sun, on average, than we do., cross the orbit of Mars, but not Earth, at perihelion., cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion., or stay out beyond Neptune.

cross the orbit of Mars, but not Earth, at perihelion

13) The last quarter phase of the Moon: Either - rises at sunset., sets at sunrise., sets at sunset., crosses the meridian at sunrise., or rises at sunrise.

crosses the meridian at sunrise

75) The first hint of the role of asteroids in extinction of the dinosaurs came from: either finding that no volcanic eruptions were linked to their disappearance. , finding a layer of worldwide iridium enriched dust. , finding that dinosaurs were warm-blooded and smart. , finding the huge crater in the Yucatan. , or finding dinosaur fossils with meteorites imbedded in them.

finding a layer of worldwide iridium enriched dust.

46) What are Dactyl, Gaspra, Mathilde, Eros, and Ida? They are either the first four bodies found in the Kuiper Belt after Pluto; newly discovered retrograde moons of Jupiter; four asteroids that have been explored by spacecraft; the four largest main belt asteroids, and the first to be discovered; or newly discovered small moons of Saturn

four asteroids that have been explored by spacecraft

35) What is the process of accretion? Is either - the process by which the solar nebula became heated during its collapse, the separation of materials in a protoplanet by density, with dense material in core the breakup of large objects by violent collisions with other similar-sized objects, the period of time during which the Sun swept away all the excess material in the solar nebula, or growth of an object by the accumulation of matter

growth of an object by the accumulation of matter

5) Tycho Brahe's contribution to Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion was: Either - his observations of Jupiter's moons., his detailed and accurate observations of the planet's position., the correct explanation of lunar phases., a mathematical explanation of epicycles., or a precise lunar calendar.

his detailed and accurate observations of the planet's position.

9) According to Copernicus, retrograde motion for Venus must occur around: Either - quadrature, when the planet is 90 degrees away from the Sun; superior conjunction, when the planet is on the far side of the Sun.; opposition, when the planet lies opposite the Sun in the sky.; greatest elongation, when the planet is farthest from the Sun.; or inferior conjunction, when it passes between us and the Sun.

inferior conjunction, when it passes between us and the Sun.

26) The smallest sort of interplanetary matter is called: Either - an asteroid., a comet., a meteoroid., a Kuiper Belt Object., or interplanetary dust.

interplanetary dust

36) Conservation of angular momentum means that a spinning body tends to: Either - gravitationally collapse., keep spinning., slow down., fly apart., or wobble into an eccentric orbit.

keep spinning.

56) Vesta's density is: Either lower than typical asteroids, around 1400 kg/m3., about the same as the densest meteorites, around 5000 kg/m3., about the same as other asteroids, around 2100-2900 kg/m3., about the same as a typical comet, around 100 kg/m3., or more than the density of other asteroids, but less than the density of a terrestrial planet, around 3500 kg/m3.

more than the density of other asteroids, but less than the density of a terrestrial planet, around 3500 kg/m3. ****

64) What part of a comet has only been seen by a space probe? Either the - meteoroid trail, dust tail, nucleus, ion tail, or coma

nucleus

8) The place in a planet's orbit that is closest to the Sun is called: Either - perihelion., vernal equinox., aphelion., crossing the ecliptic., or None of these; a planet's distance from the Sun never changes.

perihelion

43) About what percent of all asteroids are S-type asteroids? Either 75% , 15% , 50% , 5% , or 10%

%15

69) One of the best known craters on Earth is the Barringer Crater in Arizona. It was formed by: either the impact of an asteroid whose mass was around 200,000 tons., a large volcanic eruption., testing of nuclear bombs during the Cold War., the impact of a comet whose mass was around 25 tons., or the same impact thought to have contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

the impact of an asteroid whose mass was around 200,000 tons*** The real size is an estimate of 20 tons because because supposedly the mass half vaporized in the atmosphere and half on impact. See wikipedia on this.

55) Based on observations by the Dawn spacecraft, scientists have concluded that Vesta might be: Either one of the dwarf planets in our solar system., one of the remnants of the planet that broke up to form the asteroid belt., a planetesimal leftover from the solar system's formation., a fragment of Mars., or the only remaining protoplanet in our solar system.

the only remaining protoplanet in our solar system.

60) The Oort Cloud is thought to be: a cloud of debris that occasionally encounters the Earth, causing a meteor shower., the cloud of gas and dust from which our solar system formed., the material in the ecliptic plane that creates the zodiacal light., a cloud of asteroids moving between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter., or the spherical cloud of comets and some larger icy bodies surrounding the outer solar system.

the spherical cloud of comets and some larger icy bodies surrounding the outer solar system.

2) Scientists today do not accept the Ptolemaic model because: Either - it had no explanation for retrograde motion.; the work of Tycho and Kepler showed the heliocentric model was more accurate.; it was too complicated, compared to Copernicus' heliocentric model.; it has been shown that Ptolemy faked his data.; or it is ancient history.

the work of Tycho and Kepler showed the heliocentric model was more accurate. (Though it was Copernicus' heliocentric model that is/was a lot less complicated)

65) Halley's Comet last passed Earth in 1986. It will be due back in: either 2048., 2086., 2012., 2061., or the twenty-third century.

2061

44) About what percent of all asteroids are C-type asteroids? Either 5% , 50% , 10% , 75% , or 15%

75%

16) Which of these bodies has the lowest density? Either - a comet, Saturn, a Kuiper Belt object, Jupiter, or an asteroid

A comet.

7) Kepler's second law implies what about planetary motion? Either - A planet moves at a constant speed during its orbit of the Sun., A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun., A planet moves faster when it is farther from the Sun., This law implies nothing about a planet's motion., or A planet moves slower when it is closer to the Sun.

A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun.

59) What are comets made of? Either methane, ammonia, and water ice; metallic dust particles; silicates and rocky dust; dark colored complex hydrocarbons; or All of the above.

ALL OF THE ABOVE.

33) What happens when a solar nebula contracts? Either - It heats up., It spins faster., It flattens out., All of the above., or None of the above.

All of the above

18) How do the densities of the jovian and terrestrial planets compare? Either - More massive jovians all have high densities, compared to the tiny terrestrials., The closer a planet lies to the Sun, the less its density., Made from the same solar nebula, they are all similar., All terrestrials are more dense than any of the jovians., or No real pattern here; densities vary greatly and are very individual to each world.

All terrestrials are more dense than any of the jovians.

58) Which of the following objects never collide with the Earth? Either long period comets, Apollo asteroids, Aten asteroids, short period comets, or Amor asteroids

Amor asteroids

27) Which of the following is NOT icy in composition? Either - comet nuclei, most Jovian satellites, asteroids, Kuiper Belt Objects, or the polar cap of Mars

Asteroids

29) Which of these spacecraft went into orbit about Saturn in July 2004? Either - Voyager 2, Galileo, New Horizons, NEAR-Shoemaker, or Cassini

Cassini

14) The largest asteroid, and probably the only one to be a spherical "world," is: Either - Ceres. , Vesta. , Ida. , Gaspra. , or Eros.

Ceres

49) The three largest asteroids are: Either Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta.; Halley, Hale-Bopp, and Hyakutake.; Pluto, Sedna, and Quaoar.; Deimos, Phobos, and Athos.; or Ida, Gaspra, and Mathilde.

Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta

15) What is true about solar system densities? Either - The asteroids all have about the same density., Saturn has the same density as water., The denser planets lie closer to the Sun., Planetary density increases with increasing distance from the Sun., or In differentiated bodies, the denser materials lie near their surfaces.

The denser planets lie closer to the Sun.

34) In light of modern solar system theory, why do the orbits of the planets all lie in the same plane? Either - The angular momentum of the solar system was kept to a minimum this way., This happened purely by chance., The early solar nebula flattened into a disk., Comets would have wiped out any not in this protected plane. , or The Sun's gravity forced them into these orbits.

The early solar nebula flattened into a disk.

37) What factor caused different planets to form out of different types of material? Either - The angular momentum of the solar nebula pushed the heavy elements towards the outer regions of the nebula.; The variation in temperature throughout the solar nebula - the higher the temperature, the lower the percentage of light elements in the forming planet.; The angular momentum of the forming planet - faster rotating planets lost the lightest elements.; The quantity of dust particles in the solar nebula - more dust caused some planets to contain heavier elements.; or The innate variation of chemical composition of the original nebula - the outer parts of the nebula contained a greater abundance of heavy elements.

The variation in temperature throughout the solar nebula - the higher the temperature, the lower the percentage of light elements in the forming planet.

48) Which asteroid did Dawn visit first and which is second in its planned mission? Either Gaspra, Ida ; Pallas, Ceres; Mathilde, Eros; Vesta, Ceres; or Ida, Dactyl

Vesta, Ceres

31) The "Grand Tour" of all four jovians was conducted by: Either - Pioneer 11., Voyager 1 and 2 both., Voyager 2., Cassini., or Galileo.

Voyager 2

11) If new moon fell on March 2nd, what is the Moon's phase on March 14th? Either - waning crescent, waxing gibbous, full, waxing crescent, or first quarter

Waxing Gibbous.

28) A meteorite is: Either - an irregularly shaped body, mostly found orbiting between Mars and Jupiter., an icy body with a long tail extending from it., a streak of light in the atmosphere., a chunk of space debris orbiting the Earth., or a chunk of space debris that has struck the ground.

a chunk of space debris that has struck the ground

45) What is the typical size of most known asteroids? Either larger than the Moon, a few kilometers, a few hundred kilometers, a few meters, or larger than the Earth

a few kilometers

61) The nucleus, or main solid body, of a comet has a typical size of: Either a few centimeters., a few thousand kilometers., a few hundred kilometers., a few kilometers., or a few meters.

a few kilometers.

53) Dactyl was photographed by the Galileo spacecraft. It is: Either a moon of Halley's Comet., an Earth-crossing asteroid., a moon of the asteroid Ida., one of the larger asteroids found in the asteroid belt., or one of the small moons of Jupiter, thought to be a captured asteroid.

a moon of the asteroid Ida.

50) On its way to Jupiter, Galileo also gave us close-ups of: Either Mars and Venus., Mathilde and Eros., Mercury and Venus., Gaspra and Ida, or Ceres and Vesta.

Gaspra and Ida

3) Which of these was NOT seen telescopically by Galileo? Either - Craters and mare on the Moon, Four moons around Jupiter, Sunspots, Stellar parallax, or Venus' phase cycle

Stellar parallax

10) Why is there a two day difference in the sidereal and synodic months? Either because - The Earth is closer to the Sun during the sidereal month; The sidereal day is four minutes shorter than the solar day, and it adds up.; The Earth is also revolving around the Sun, so the Moon must "catch up".; The Moon speeds up at perigee, and slows down at apogee., or The Moslem lunar year is only 354 days long, on average.

The Earth is also revolving around the Sun, so the Moon must "catch up".

19) In composition, mass, and density, Jupiter is most like: Either - a huge Kuiper belt Object., a large terrestrial planet., the Sun., a gigantic asteroid., or a huge comet.

The Sun. It's composed mostly of Hydrogen(H) and Helium (He).

30) Which spacecraft gave or is giving us our best information about Mercury? Either - Voyager I, Viking 2, Messenger, Pioneer 10, or Mariner 10

Mariner 10(earlier probe) or Messenger (more recent) ***

42) The NASA orbiter that ultimately landed on the surface of the asteroid Eros was: Either Giotto., Clementine., New Horizons., NEAR Shoemaker., or Stardust.

NEAR Shoemaker

17) The plane in which almost all planets orbit the Sun is called the: equant., equator of the solar system., galactic plane., node., or ecliptic.

Ecliptic

1) The Ptolemaic model of the universe: EITHER always kept Mars and Mercury between the Earth and Sun.; is the basis of our modern cosmology.; could not account for the stellar parallax observed by Hipparchus.; describes the orbits of the planets as being ellipses, not circles.; or explained and predicted the motions of the planets with deferents and epicycles.

Explained and predicted the motions of the planets with deferents and epicycles.

12) When the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky, its phase is: Either - first or third quarter., full., waxing or waning crescent., new., or waxing or waning gibbous.

Full Moon

54) Compared to Ida, Eros, and Gaspra, what was odd about Mathilde? Either It was less dense than water, indicating it was a comet nucleus, rather than an asteroid., It was less dense than rock, but more than ice, suggesting a porous structure., It was the same density as the Earth's Moon, indicating it had been knocked off our Moon., It had a small moon, so we could more accurately find its mass., or It was much denser, probably made of iron and nickel, a class M asteroid.

It was less dense than rock, but more than ice, suggesting a porous structure.

41) Why do researchers believe that asteroids in the asteroid belt are primal rocks that did not merge into a planet? Either - The total mass of the asteroids in the asteroid belt is much smaller than that of any terrestrial planet in our solar system., Jupiter's gravity could have prevented these objects merging into a single body., The differences in chemical compositions of the asteroids are too large for them to have originated in a single body., All of the above., or None of the above.

Jupiter's gravity could have prevented these objects merging into a single body. (I think)***

20) Which characteristic listed below describes the jovian planets? Either - close to the Sun, small masses, slow rotational period, low density, or solid surfaces

Low Density.

62) Long period comets are thought to reside mainly in the: Kirkwood gaps. , asteroid belt., Oort Cloud., Interstellar Medium., or Kuiper Belt.

OORT CLOUD

68) When it was determined that Sedna has a perihelion distance that is three times further out than Pluto and such an eccentric orbit that it has a period of thousands of years, it was placed in the: Oort Cloud., Kuiper Belt., Kirkwood Gap., Trojan Asteroids., or Rogue Comets.

Oort Cloud

67) Which of the following is definitely NOT a dwarf planet? Either Ceres, Pluto, Makemake, Pallas, or Haumea

PALLAS

66) When a formal definition of a planet in the solar system was adopted, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet. What characteristic of planets does NOT describe Pluto? Planets have cleared the neighborhood around their orbit., Planets orbit in or very near the ecliptic plane., Planets are approximately spherical., Planets orbit the Sun., or Planets orbit in ellipses with low eccentricity.

Planets orbit in ellipses with low eccentricity

25) The difference between a meteoroid and an asteroid is the object's: location in the solar system., composition., orbital period., size., or shape.

Size