Astro Unit 5

Which of the following is a similarity between the cloud layers on Saturn and the cloud layers on Jupiter? Both face irregular occurrence of storms. Both form at the same temperature. Both have the same thickness. Both have an equal high pressure variance.

Both form at the same temperature. Correct. The cloud layers on Saturn form at the same temperature as the cloud layers on Jupiter, but they are deeper in Saturn's hazy atmosphere.

Which of the following is the largest object in the asteroid belt? Ceres Io Europa Titan

Ceres Correct. Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt.

Which of the following is a relatively large moon of Pluto? Charon Titan Europa Triton

Charon Correct. Pluto has five known moons. Four are quite small, but Charon is relatively large, with half of Pluto's diameter.

Which of the following helps astronomers conclude that the moon Miranda is no longer active? Observing the intensity of an existing magnetic field Counting craters on its ovoids The average composition of its interior Its diameter and density

Counting craters on its ovoids Correct. By counting the craters on the ovoids of Miranda, astronomers conclude that the entire surface of Miranda is old, and the moon is no longer active.

Which of the following is a Kuiper Belt Object that is quite large and has about the same diameter as Pluto but is 27% more massive? Io Titan Eris Nereid

Eris Correct. Some of the Kuiper Belt Objects are quite large, and one, named Eris, has about the same diameter as Pluto but is 27% more massive.

Which of the following statements is true of Uranus when compared with Jupiter or Saturn? Like Jupiter and Saturn, it rotates on its side, with its equator inclined about 25 degrees to its orbit. Like Jupiter and Saturn, it radiates about the same amount of energy that it receives from the Sun. It has much less heat flowing out of its interior than Jupiter or Saturn. The composition of liquid metallic hydrogen in Uranus is similar to that of Jupiter and Saturn.

It has much less heat flowing out of its interior than Jupiter or Saturn. Correct. Infrared measurements show that Uranus is radiating about the same amount of energy that it receives from the Sun, meaning it has much less heat flowing out of its interior than Jupiter or Saturn (or Neptune).

hich of the following statements is true of Jupiter's interior? The rocky core at Jupiter's center contains light-weight elements. High pressure creates a sudden boundary between liquid and gas. It is four times colder than the Sun's surface. It is composed of a material that is a very good conductor of electricity.

It is composed of a material that is a very good conductor of electricity. Correct. Under very high pressure, liquid hydrogen becomes liquid metallic hydrogen—a material that is a very good conductor of electricity. Most of Jupiter's interior is composed of this material.

Which of the following statements is true of Charon, Pluto's moon? It is responsible for tidal heating. Its motion is retrograde. Its orbital period is 21 days. It is made up of 60 percent water.

Its motion is retrograde. Correct. Charon orbits Pluto in an orbit inclined 118 degrees to the plane of Pluto's orbit around the Sun, which means Charon's motion is retrograde.

Which of the following is the largest of the Jovian planets? Saturn Neptune Jupiter Uranus

Jupiter Correct. Jupiter is the largest of the Jovian planets, more than 11 times the diameter of Earth. Saturn is slightly smaller, and Uranus and Neptune are quite a bit smaller than Jupiter.

Jupiter's center appears to have a rocky core. In this context, the term rocky core refers to: the number of light-weight elements in Jupiter. Jupiter's temperature. the properties of the material present in Jupiter. Jupiter's chemical composition.

Jupiter's chemical composition. Correct. At Jupiter's center, a so-called rocky core contains heavier elements, such as iron, nickel, silicon, and so on. The term rocky core refers to the chemical composition, not to the properties of the material.

_____ is one of the Jovian planets. Mars Pluto Saturn Mercury

Saturn Correct. The outermost planets in our Solar System are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They are often called the "Jovian planets," meaning they resemble Jupiter.

Which of the following statements is true of Kuiper Belt Objects? They are associated with the Jovian planets. Most of them are composed of liquid helium. They are found in regions surrounding Jupiter's orbit. Some of them have moons of their own.

Some of them have moons of their own. Correct. Sedna, Orcus, and Quaoar are Kuiper Belt Objects that are half the size of Pluto or larger. Some of these objects have moons of their own.

_____ is one of the gap in the rings of Saturn that are caused by resonances with moons. The Cassini Division Enceladus The Great Red Spot Galileo's paradox

The Cassini Division Correct. Some gaps in the rings of Saturn, such as the Cassini Division, are caused by resonances with moons. A particle in the Cassini Division orbits Saturn twice for each orbit of the moon Mimas.

Which of the following statements is true of the rings of Jupiter? They must be continuously resupplied with new dust. They look bright when illuminated from front. They must be made of icy material. They look light and bluish.

They must be continuously resupplied with new dust. Correct. Dust is destroyed by the intense radiation around Jupiter that grinds the dust specks down to nothing in a century or so. The rings of Jupiter must be continuously resupplied with new dust.

In the context of Jupiter's rings, which of the following happens if a moon comes inside the Roche limit? Internal heat is generated to break the moon's crust, producing a grooved terrain. Tidal forces overcome the moon's gravity. Raw material for the moon is coalesced. The continuous blast of micrometeorites condenses the ice on the moon's surface.

Tidal forces overcome the moon's gravity. Correct. If a moon comes inside the Roche limit, tidal forces overcome the moon's gravity and pull the moon apart.

In the context of the discovery of Neptune, the existence and location of Neptune were calculated from irregularities in the motion of _____. Pluto Earth Mercury Uranus

Uranus Correct. A British astronomer and a French astronomer independently calculated the existence and location of Neptune from irregularities in the motion of Uranus.

_____ is one of the ice giants of the Solar System. Pluto Uranus Saturn Mercury

Uranus Correct. Uranus and Neptune are sometimes called the ice giants because they are rich in water in both solid and liquid forms

In the context of the rings of Saturn, the F ring is clumpy and sometimes appears braided because: resonances with moons remove the gaps in the ring. straying particles are gravitationally pulled out of the ring. of two shepherd satellites. shepherd satellites are absent.

f two shepherd satellites. Correct. The F ring is clumpy and sometimes appears braided because of two shepherd satellites.

Methane absorbs blue photons better than red and scatters red photons better than blue, giving Neptune a green color and Uranus a blue color. false true

false Correct. Methane absorbs red photons better than blue and scatters blue photons better than red, giving Neptune a blue color and Uranus a green-blue color.

Photos of Jupiter's rings show that they are very bright when they are scattering light backward. false true

false Correct. Photos of Jupiter's rings show that they are very bright when illuminated from behind—in other words, they are scattering light forward. Large particles do not scatter light forward: A ring filled with basketball-size particles would look dark when illuminated from behind

The rings of Uranus are easily visible from Earth. false true

false Correct. The rings of Uranus are dark and faint, contain little dust, are confined by shepherd satellites, and must be continuously resupplied with material from the moons. They are not easily visible from Earth.

Uranus and Neptune are referred to as the gas giants. false true

false Correct. Uranus and Neptune are sometimes called the ice giants because they are rich in water in both solid and liquid forms.

Neptune may have more atmospheric activity than Uranus because it: lacks an inclined magnetic field. contains 1.5 times less methane. has minimal cloud formations. has more heat flowing out of its interior.

has more heat flowing out of its interior. Correct. Neptune may have more atmospheric activity than Uranus because it has more heat flowing out of its interior, for reasons that are unclear.

The flattening of a spherical body, usually caused by rotation, is referred to as oblateness waning occultation collimation

oblateness Correct. The flattening of a spherical body, usually caused by rotation, is referred to as oblateness.

Kuiper Belt Objects that are caught in a 3:2 orbital resonance with Neptune are referred to as _____. plutinos ovoli aurorae ovoids

plutinos Correct. Kuiper Belt Objects that are caught in a 3:2 orbital resonance with Neptune are referred to as plutinos.

In the context of the Jovian rings, moons: loosen, unbind, and release the rings. spread the rings outward. supply the rings with particles. prevent the alteration of the shapes of the rings.

supply the rings with particles. Correct. Dust is destroyed by the intense radiation around Jupiter that grinds the dust specks down to nothing in a century or so.

The grooved terrain found on Ganymede is believed to be: systems of faults in the brittle crust. formed with long cracks in its icy crust. flow channels or liquid methane. caused by meteor impacts.

systems of faults in the brittle crust. Correct. Ganymede has some younger, brighter grooved terrain believed to be systems of faults in the brittle crust. Some sets of grooves overlap other sets of grooves, suggesting extended episodes of geological activity.

Pluto is no longer considered a planet. true false

true Correct. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted to remove Pluto from the list of planets. Pluto is a very small, icy world: It isn't Jovian, and it isn't Terrestrial

The rings of Saturn must be replenished now and then by impacts on Saturn's moons or other processes. true false

true Correct. The ring particles of Saturn you observe now can't be as old as Saturn. The rings must be replenished now and then by impacts on Saturn's moons or other processes.

Uranus never grew massive enough to capture large amounts of gas from the solar nebula as Jupiter and Saturn did, so it has much less hydrogen and helium. true false

true Correct. Uranus never grew massive enough to capture large amounts of gas from the solar nebula as Jupiter and Saturn did, so it has much less hydrogen and helium