Chapter 15: The Solar System
The density of Jupiter is...
25% that of the density of Earth
The mass of the Sun is how much larger than all of the other planets, moons, asteroids, and other bodies in the solar system?
700 times larger
The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is though to be what?
A high-pressure region with high, cold clouds.
What separates the terrestrial planets from the giant planets?
Asteroid belt
Why does the sun rise in the west on Venus?
Because Venus rotates in the opposite direction of its revolution.
Why does Venus shine?
Because it is covered with clouds that reflect sunlight.
The best of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter is probably...
Clumps of matter that condensed from the accretion disk but never got together as a planet.
Saturn's rings are thought to be...
Composed of thousands of particles of various sizes.
Callisto, Europa, Ganymede, and Io are...
Galilean moons
Which of the following is most likely found on Jupiter?
Hydrogen
What is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
What planet still has its original atmosphere?
Jupiter
Short-period comets have orbital periods of?
Less than 200 years.
The day on which planet is about the same time period as a day on Earth?
Mars
The planet that has the shortest "year" among the eight planets is?
Mercury
The planet that is not a giant is?
Mercury
The planet that was named after the mythical Roman messenger of speed is?
Mercury
What is the outermost planet?
Neptune
What planets are considered "twins"?
Neptune and Uranus
What is the area of the solar system where long-period comets originate?
Oort cloud
The planet with the lowest average density, which is the less than that of liquid water, is?
Saturn
Jupiter radiates twice as much energy as it receives from the Sun because of?
Slow gravitational compression of the planet.
What type of planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars?
Terrestrial planets
The only moon in the solar system with a substantial atmosphere is?
Titan
How many moons orbit Mars?
Two
Which of the following planets would be mostly composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane and have a density of less than 2g/cm^3?
Uranus
A day on which planet is longer than a year on that planet?
Venus
What is the "sister" planet to Earth?
Venus
What planet is called the morning star and the evening star, depending on its position with respect to the Sun?
Venus
The distance from Earth to the Sun is called a (an)?
astronomical unit
What feature on Mars was considered by some to be evidence of life on Mars?
channels or canals
The small body with a composition and structure closest to the materials that condensed from the accretion disk is a (an)?
comet
What phase does Venus appear to be the brightest?
crescent phase
Planets in our solar system are classified according to what characteristics?
density, size, and nature of the atmosphere
Meteorites are classified into what groups?
iron, stony, and stony-iron
A shooting star is a (an)?
meteor
A small body from space that falls on the surface of Earth is a?
meteorite
Remnants of comets and asteroids found in space are called?
meteoroids
What is the most widely accepted theory on the origin of the solar system?
protoplanet nebular
The metallic hydrogen that surrounds the core of Jupiter is what?
under tremendous pressure, a liquid, and a conductor of electric currents.
Mars has distinct surface feature-related regions. What are those regions?
volcanic, systems of canyons, plateaus near the poles.
