Astronomy Chapter #10: Jupiter Quiz Study Guide

B.

How is Europa special compared to the rest of the solar system? A. This exotic moon is the most geologically active body in the Solar System. B. Slightly smaller than our Moon, it is the smoothest body in the Solar System. C. It is the Solar System's largest moon, even larger than the planet Mercury. D. It is about the size of Mercury, yet only about a third of its mass.

C.

How is Ganymede special compared to the rest of the solar system? A. This exotic moon is the most geologically active body in the Solar System. B. Slightly smaller than our Moon, it is the smoothest body in the Solar System. C. It is the Solar System's largest moon, even larger than the planet Mercury. D. It is about the size of Mercury, yet only about a third of its mass.

A.

How is Io special compared to the rest of the solar system? A. This exotic moon is the most geologically active body in the Solar System. B. Slightly smaller than our Moon, it is the smoothest body in the Solar System. C. It is the Solar System's largest moon, even larger than the planet Mercury. D. It is about the size of Mercury, yet only about a third of its mass.

Ultramafic Lava

Lavas on Io are likely _____________, enriched in magnesium and iron. _____________ flows are not produced on Earth today. However, ancient _____________ deposits have been found.

Great Red Spot

A very prominent red-orange oval is observed in Jupiter's southern hemisphere and has long been called the ___________. It is a huge storm that has been persistent for at least three centuries. The secret for such a long lived storm on Jupiter is likely the lack of a solid surface. On Earth, friction between winds and land masses can dissipate hurricanes, on Jupiter this cannot happen. Winds in this giant vortex can reach speeds of about 680 km/h (420 miles/hour), which is faster than any terrestrial wind storm ever recorded. Many powerful thunderstorms have been detected close to the __________. The _______________ is located between two high speed wind streams that flow in opposite directions. Innumerable other vortices form in this interface. Some are eventually incorporated into larger ones. The atmospheric turbulence is powered both by solar energy and the internal heat of the planet.

Liquid Metallic Hydrogen

About 7,000 km (4,300 mi) below the cloud cover, where the pressure reaches about 4 million times the Earth's atmospheric pressure, liquid hydrogen is converted into ______________. The importance of this substance is described in the next section. A form of hydrogen that has properties of both a liquid and a metal. Hydrogen compressed to such a density that it behaves like a liquid metal That which is responsible for Jupiter's magnetic field.

B.

Although there is no surface in the depths of Jupiter beyond its atmosphere, as temperature and pressure increase to a significant point, hydrogen becomes liquid. As one continues to venture through this massive Jovian planet, once you reach a point at about 7,000 km (4,300 mi) below the cloud cover where the pressures reaches about 4 million times the Earth's atmospheric pressure, liquid hydrogen is converted into liquid metallic hydrogen. The planet's core is about the size of Earth and it is composed of rock, iron, and nickel. It's temperature is about 20,000 degrees Celsius, which is a few times hotter than the Sun's surface. A. False B. True

Radiation Belts

An enormous quantity of charged particles (from the solar wind around Jupiter and its magnetosphere) get trapped in _________, areas filled with severe levels of radiation that have the alarming strength, potency, an capability of killing a human being in mere minutes.

Jupiter

Below the thin atmospheric layer of __________ lies an ocean of liquid hydrogen. At even greater depths a liquid metallic hydrogen layer, stirred by the fast rotation, produces a dynamo effect that generates a powerful magnetic field. _________'s dynamic atmosphere displays three cloud layers, a circulation pattern of belts and zones, and huge storms such as the Great Red Spot. ________'s rings are composed of very small particles and are rocky, not icy.

A.

Because it is generated by electric currents that flow in a layer of ______________. This material is a very good conductor of electricity. Jupiter's rapid rotation stirs the ______________, creating a powerful Dynamo and hence a strong magnetic field. A. liquid metallic hydrogen B. liquid hydrogen

A.

Below the thin atmospheric layer of Jupiter lies an ocean of liquid _____________. At even greater depths a liquid _______________ layer, stirred by the fast rotation, produces a dynamo effect that generates a powerful _______________. A. Hydrogen, Metallic Hydrogen, Magnetic Field B. Oxygen, Uranium, Gravitational Field

B.

Europa has an extremely ______ oxygen atmosphere that is likely the result of collisions between particles from Jupiter's magnetosphere and the icy surface. These collisions break water molecules into oxygen and lighter hydrogen with the latter easily escaping into space. A. Thick B. Thin

C.

Europa's subsurface ocean lies below the ________ crust and is though to contain more water than all terrestrial oceans combined. A. 10 to 100 km B. 6 to 60 mi C. Both (They are the exact same distances and equal to one another) D. Neither

D.

How is Callisto special compared to the rest of the solar system? A. This exotic moon is the most geologically active body in the Solar System. B. Slightly smaller than our Moon, it is the smoothest body in the Solar System. C. It is the Solar System's largest moon, even larger than the planet Mercury. D. It is about the size of Mercury, yet only about a third of its mass.

B.

Ganymede has its own magnetic field because of tidal friction heating its interior enough to produce a molten core. Motions of this molten material act as a dynamo and generate its own magnetic field. A. False B. True

Io Torus

Giant plumes observed in Io can reach heights of up to 500 km (310 mi). Some of this material is ejected fast enough to escape into space to form the __________, a doughnut shaped region of plasma around Jupiter at Io's orbit.

A.

Ice rafts similar to others found in Earth's Arctic and Antarctic regions during spring are found on Europa, which suggests an underlying liquid or soft ice layer that allows the ice blocks to move around. Another piece of evidence for the existence of an ocean underneath Europa's surface are the magnetic field measurements made by the Galileo spacecraft. Jupiter's magnetic field induces electric currents within Europa, as the moon moves along its orbit. These currents generate a weak, but detectable, magnetic field. The detection of such a field is evidence of the existence of an electrically conducting fluid beneath the surface, which could possibly be a salty underground water ocean. A. True B. False

Retrograde Orbits

In addition to the four Galilean moons, Jupiter has at least 67 other small satellites. Unlike the Galilean moons, many of these have ____________ (they orbit Jupiter in the opposite direction of the planet's rotation), which are very inclined with respect to Jupiter's equatorial plane. These are thought to be captured asteroids or Kuiper Belt objects.

A.

In addition to the four Galilean moons, Jupiter has at least _______ other smaller satellites or moons. A. 67 B. 71

B.

Io has about _____ active volcanoes. These volcanoes and geysers eject about _____ tons of matter per year. Most of this material falls back to Io, quickly erasing craters and "repaving" the surface. A. 100, 30 trillion B. 300, 10 trillion

Tidal Heating

Io's intense volcanic activity is driven by _____________. The heating of a planet or satellite because of friction caused by tides. As Io revolves around Jupiter, the gravitational tugs of the other Galilean Moons cause slight variations in the distance between Jupiter and Io (it affects the eccentricity of Io's orbit). These variations result in tidal stresses that squeeze and flex the moon generating heat through friction.

A.

Io's surface displays a variety of dramatic colors due to sulfur compounds expelled by volcanic activity. ___________'s color is bright yellow. However, when it is heated and then cooled rapidly it can form a variety of sulfur compounds that assume a range of colors such as orange, red, and black. The white coloration probably comes from ____________ snowflakes. ___________ when ejected out into space and falls back to the surface as white snow. A. Sulfur, sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) B. Chlorine, chlorine dioxide (ClO2), chlorine dioxide (ClO2)

A.

Jupiter emits more light (in the form of infrared radiation) than it receives from the Sun due to the extra heat that likely comes from an overall slight contraction. A. True B. False

Galilean Moons

Jupiter has four larger moons, (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto), known as the ___________. Io, the innermost under- goes strong tidal heating and is the most geologically active body of the Solar System. Europa's subsurface water ocean raises interesting speculations about the possibility of life.

A.

Jupiter is somewhat oblate or flattened (its equatorial diameter is larger than that of its poles) and not a perfect sphere because it has a __________ core. If Jupiter's core were _________, it would be flattened less by rotation. A. small solid, larger B. large liquid, smaller

B.

Jupiter's atmosphere has a large proportion of light elements, like Hydrogen and Helium because of the planet's gravitational field that is strong enough to hold an atmosphere that is rich in such light elements. Jupiter's atmospheric composition is about _________. A. 75% Helium, 24% Hydrogen, and 1% of other elements. B. 75% Hydrogen, 24% Helium, and 1% of other elements.

D.

Jupiter's dynamic atmosphere displays ____________. A. three cloud layers B. a circulation pattern of belts and zones C. huge storms such as the Great Red Spot D. All of the above E. None of the above

Synchronous Rotation

Jupiter's gravitational field forces these satellites (moons) into a ______________. They take the same time to spin once around their respective axes, as to complete an orbit around Jupiter. The state at which an astronomical body's rotational period and orbital period are equal

B.

Jupiter's magnetic field is more than _____ times stronger than Earth's. A. fifteen B. ten

Dynamo

Jupiter's magnetic field is more than ten times stronger than Earth's. It is generated by electric currents that flow in a layer of liquid metallic hydrogen. This material is a very good conductor of electricity. Jupiter's rapid rotation stirs the liquid metallic hydrogen, creating a powerful ___________, generator of electricity and/or energy, and hence a strong magnetic field.

Magnetosphere

Jupiter's magnetic field is so intense that it surrounds the planet with a ___________ (a cavity in the solar wind created by a planet's magnetic field) large enough to contain many of its moons.

Belts

Jupiter's upper layer displays breathtaking beauty with multicolored stripes dotted with brown and white ovals, which reflect the turbulence of swirling storms. The dark reddish stripes are called __________ while the whitish bands are called zones. Jupiter's alternating bands are parallel to the equator and can flow in different directions. ______ and Zones have different colors and varying cloud height and thickness.

Zones

Jupiter's upper layer displays breathtaking beauty with multicolored stripes dotted with brown and white ovals, which reflect the turbulence of swirling storms. The dark reddish stripes are called belts while the whitish bands are called _________. Jupiter's alternating bands are parallel to the equator and can flow in different directions. Belts and _______ have different colors and varying cloud height and thickness.

E.

List the ways Jupiter's rings are different than Saturn's prominent rings. A. Unlike the rings of Saturn, which are icy, Jupiter's rings are rocky. Most of its particles are microscopic, as small as particles in cigarette smoke. These dust-like particles reflect little light, which makes the, much darker compared to Saturn's ring components. B. Likewise there is much less material in Jupiter's rings - less than a hundred thousandth the amount of material in Saturn's rings. Saturn's rings are thin (10 m to 1 km thick), but more massive (3 x 10^19 kg) and Jupiter's rings are are more poofed up (as thick as 300 km), but have less material (10^11 to 10^16 kg) so they are less visible. If Saturn's rings were the thickness of a single piece of paper, Jupiter's is about a 600 page book. C. The rings orbit close to the planet, where tidal forces would not allow a reasonable size moon to form. If a moon came that close to the planet, Jupiter's gravity would tear it apart. D. The ring structure is short lived. However, its material is constantly being replenished by meteoroids impacting the smaller moons that orbit close to the rings. E. All of the above F. None of the above

D.

Planetary scientists have found evidence that ________ may harbor a subsurface salty ocean A. Callisto B. Europa C. Ganymede D. All of the above E. None of the above

Plasma

Some of Io's material is ejected fast enough to escape into space to form the Io torus, a doughnut shaped region of _________, charged particles, around Jupiter at Io's orbit.

A.

The constant high dose of radiation that comes from Jupiter's magnetosphere, which effectively sterilizes the moon (Europa) with a few feet below the surface. A. True B. False

B.

The Galileo spacecraft discovered lightning discharges much stronger than those on Earth. A surprising discovery was that the amount of water detected was less than half of what was expected from models. One possible explanation is that the probe entered a hot dry spot. Another interesting result from the probe was that Jupiter seems to have a higher proportion of heavier elements than the Sun. These may be the results of impacts with meteoroids and comets, which accumulate heavier elements over time. A. False B. True

( )

The Roche limit - the distance within which a celestial body, like a comet, held together only by its own gravity, will disintegrate due to the tidal forces of a larger body - is mathematically described as: dR = R x (2.44 rp / rc)1/3 where dR is the Roche distance in km R is the radius of the planet in km rp is the density of the planet rc is the density of the comet Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 broke apart before colliding with Jupiter in July 1994. Find the Roche distance for Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 around Jupiter where: rp = 1.34 g/cm3 R = 69,900 km and rc = 0.5 g/cm3. Do the work on paper and after you determined your own answer, look for the correct answer in the finals review powerpoint on google docs. This is a free point.

A.

The two _______ Galilean moons, _________ formed with a greater proportion of ice than the two ________ moons, and therefore with lower overall densities. Io and Europa formed close to Jupiter, where the planet's heat evaporated any ice grains. Ganymede and Callisto formed farther away from Jupiter where ice grains can form and have greater protection from Jupiter's heat and it's magnetosphere. A. outer, Ganymede and Callisto, inner B. inner, Io and Europa, outer

C. (Much lower average densities.)

The two outermost Galilean moons differ from the innermost ones by having: a) Much higher average densities b) Same densities but younger less cratered surfaces. c) Much lower average densities. d) Same densities but older heavily cratered surfaces.

Jovian Planets

The ______________ are giant low density worlds that exhibit ring systems and a diversity of satellites. These four giants are also known as the ______________, since Jupiter is the largest and most massive of the group having more than 2.5 times the mass of all the other planets combined. The _____________ are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, somewhat similar in composition to our Sun, but in vastly smaller amounts. All the giant planets are surrounded by a variety of moons, tiny moonlets and ring systems. They are relatively fast rotators (with rotation period less than 17.5 hours) and have turbulent and complex atmospheres. Like the Sun, they exhibit differential rotation. In the case of Jupiter, the equator rotates about 5 minutes faster (9 hours 50.5 min) compared to the polar regions (9 hours 55.7min). Unlike the terrestrial planets, the outer planets are not made of rocks and do not have a solid sur- face that we could land on with a spacecraft. These giant planets are composed of low density ices, liquids and gases, and a small dense rocky core, hence their overall density is low. Even though Jupiter's volume is about 1,300 that of Earth, it is only 318 times as massive. They are giant gaseous planets beyond the asteroid belt and the inner solar system of terrestrial, rocky planets, into the region known as the outer solar system.

C.

The different kinds of terrains found on Ganymede are.... A. A dark terrain, ancient, and heavily cratered B. A bright terrain, younger, and less cratered. C. Both D. Neither

B.

The images that the Voyager 1 spacecraft took of Io and transmitted to Earth revealed eight volcanic eruptions in this small world! Small bodies lose their internal heat much faster compared to larger planets. Nonetheless, this small moon turned out to be more active than even our home planet Earth. However, a small group of planetary scientists actually predicted that this extremely volcanic environment would be the exact fit for Io's environment. About a week before the a Voyager encounter, these scientists predicted that Io would have active volcanoes based on their models of the thermal influence of Jupiter and Io's orbital interactions. A. False B. True

A.

The planet's core is about the size of Earth and it is composed of __________. It's temperature is about _________ degrees Celsius, which is a few times hotter than the Sun's surface. A. rock, iron, and nickel; 20,000 B. rock, ice, and uranium; 25,000

Oblateness

The property possessed by a rounded shape that is flattened at the poles. A measure of flattening at the poles of a planet or other celestial body. The flattening of a spherical body, usually caused by rotation. A measure of the "flatness" of a planet.

Orbital Resonance

The three inner Galilean Moons perform a beautiful gravitational dance; they participate in a 1:2:4 __________. In other words, Ganymede revolves around Jupiter once, at the same time that Europa revolves twice and Io completes four orbits. Gravitational Tides on object during alignment which make orbit somewhat elliptical

A.

What are the three main cloud layers made of? A. Uppermost cloud layer: Crystals of Frozen Ammonia (NH3) Middle cloud layer: Ammonium Hydrosulfide (NH4SH) Deepest cloud layer: Clouds Hosting Water (H2O) B. Uppermost cloud layer: Clouds Hosting Water (H2O) Middle cloud layer: Ammonium Hydrosulfide (NH4SH) Deepest cloud layer: Crystals of Frozen Ammonia (NH3)

H.

What common characteristics do the Jovian Planets share? A. They are all giant gaseous planets nicknamed gas giants. B. They are all mainly composed of hydrogen and helium, somewhat similar in composition to our Sun, but in vastly smaller amounts. C. All the giant planets are surrounded by a variety of moons, tiny moonlets and ring systems. D. They are relatively fast rotators (with rotation period less than 17.5 hours). E. They have turbulent and complex atmospheres. F. Like the Sun, they exhibit differential rotation. G. These giant planets are composed of low density ices, liquids, and gases, and a small dense rocky core, hence their overall density is low. H. All of the above I. None of the above

B. (Ice blocks drifting into the ocean.)

What observational evidence supports the idea of a liquid ocean of water underneath the icy surface of Europa? A. Geysers spewing cryovolcanic material miles into the atmosphere. B. Ice blocks drifting into the ocean.

D.

Where did most of Jupiter's moons likely come from A. The Asteroid Belt B. The Kuiper Belt C. Neither D. Both, Either Or

D. (It is the largest storm ever observed in the giant planets.)

Which of the following is true about the Great Red Spot: a) It has been observed for more than 5 centuries. b) It rotates clockwise. c) It is stable and does not change in size or shape. d) It is the largest storm ever observed in the giant planets.

Io

____, the innermost of Jupiter's moons, undergoes strong tidal heating and is the most geologically active body of the Solar System. This exotic moon is the most geologically active body in the Solar System. When the Voyager 1 spacecraft flew past Io in 1979 it left planetary scientists completely puzzled and surprised. The images transmitted to Earth revealed eight volcanic eruptions in this small world! Small bodies loose their internal heat much faster compared to larger planets. Nonetheless, this small moon turned out to be more active than even our home planet Earth. While most scientists' expectations were to find a world similar to our Moon, heavily cratered and geologically dead, the exciting images actually confirmed the predictions of a small group of planetary scientists. About a week before the Voyager encounter, these scientists predicted that _____ would have active volcanoes based on their models of the thermal influence of Jupiter and ___'s orbital interactions. ____'s intense volcanic activity is driven by tidal heating. As _____ revolves around Jupiter, the gravitational tugs of the other Galilean Moons cause slight variations in the distance between Jupiter and __ (it affects the eccentricity of ____'s orbit). These variations result in tidal stresses that squeeze and flex the moon generating heat through friction. ___ has about 300 active volcanoes. These volcanoes and geysers eject about 10 trillion tons of matter per year. Most of this material falls back to ____, quickly erasing craters and 'repaving' the surface. Galileo's instruments also revealed that ___'s volcanoes seem to be hot compared to Earth's. Lavas on ___ are likely ultramafic lavas, enriched in magnesium and iron. Ultramafic lava flows are not produced on Earth today. However, ancient ultramafic lava deposits have been found. These were formed during Earth's earlier history when its interior was much hotter than now. Io's surface displays a variety of dramatic colors due to sulfur compounds expelled by volcanic activity. Sulfur's color is bright yellow. However, when it is heated and then cooled rapidly it can form a variety of sulfur compounds that assume a range of colors such as orange, red and black. The white coloration probably comes from sulfur dioxide (SO2) snowflakes. Hot SO2 crystallizes when ejected out into space and falls back to the surface as white snow. ___, the innermost of the Galilean moons, also seems to generate its own magnetic field. Even though it is a small world, similar in size to our Moon, currents in its molten interior make this satellite the smallest body in the Solar System to have a global magnetic field.

Europa

__________, the second innermost of Jupiter's moons, has a subsurface water ocean that raises interesting speculations about the possibility of life. lightly smaller than our Moon, ________ is the smoothest body in the Solar System. Its icy young surface is made of almost pure water ice and displays very few craters. Its cracked surface is the result of tidal stresses that alternatively stretch and compress the crust. In Earth's Arctic and Antarctic regions during spring, the ice breaks up forming ice blocks that drift into the ocean. Similar ice rafts are found on __________, which suggests an underlying liquid or soft ice layer that allows the ice blocks to move around. Another piece of evidence for the existence of an ocean underneath _________'s surface are the magnetic field measurements made by the Galileo spacecraft. Jupiter's magnetic field induces electric currents within ___________, as the moon moves along its orbit. These currents generate a weak, but detectable, magnetic field. The detection of such a field is evidence of the existence of an electrically conducting fluid beneath the surface, which could possibly be a salty underground water ocean. __________'s subsurface ocean lies below the 10 to 100 km (6 to 60 mi) crust and is thought to con- tain more water than all terrestrial oceans combined (Figure 10.14). This Galilean moon's density is closer to the densities of typical Earth rocks. Therefore planetary scientists estimate that the moon is composed mostly of rocky material with a thin icy crust. How much of this icy crust is liquid and how much is solid is still debated. _________ has an extremely thin oxygen atmosphere that is likely the result of collisions between particles from Jupiter's magnetosphere and the icy surface. These collisions break water molecules into oxygen and lighter hydrogen with the later easily escaping into space. Planetary scientists have entertained the notion that some kind of alien life could exist in _________'s subsurface ocean. One challenge for life on _________ is the constant high dose of radiation that comes from Jupiter's magnetosphere, which effectively sterilizes the moon within a few feet below the surface.

Ganymede

___________ is the Solar System's largest moon, even larger than the planet Mercury. One of the surprising discoveries of the Galileo spacecraft was the detection of __________'s own magnetic field. Tidal friction heats its interior enough to produce a molten layer. Motions of this molten material act as a dynamo and generate its own magnetic field. In addition _____________ seems to also have a much weaker induced varying magnetic field. A likely explanation for this induced field is the presence of a salty liquid water ocean deep underneath its surface. As _____________ orbits Jupiter, the planet's magnetic field induces electric currents in the salty ocean, which generates a weak varying field. This combines with the unvarying global magnetic field of ______________ which is generated through internal heat. Its surface displays two different kinds of terrains: a dark terrain, ancient and heavily cratered and a bright terrain, younger and less cratered. Younger craters expose fresh ice and are therefore brighter. Older craters tend to be darker due to reactions triggered by sunlight. ___________ has an extremely thin atmosphere composed of oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3).

Callisto

___________ is the outermost of the Galilean Moons. Even though it is about the size of Mercury, it is only about a third of its mass. The two outer Galilean Moons, Ganymede and ___________ formed with a greater proportion of ice than the two inner moons, and therefore with lower overall densities. Io and Europa formed close to Jupiter, where the planet's heat evaporated any ice grains. Hence the inner Galilean Moons are composed mainly of rocky material while the outer Galilean Moons' composition is roughly half ice, and half rock.

Tidal Friction

______________ heats its (Ganymede's) interior enough to produce a molten layer. Motions of this molten material act as a dynamo and generate its own magnetic field. Friction within or on an object that is caused by a tidal force.