Wentzel Earth and Space Chapter 8 Quiz

Which of the following is closest to the snow line in our Solar System? 4.5 AU 1.5 AU 2.1 AU 0.9 AU

4.5 AU

What is the most volcanically active world in the Solar System? Venus Io Earth Titan

Io

Which of the following bodies is closest in composition to the Sun? Saturn Jupiter Uranus Oort cloud

Jupiter

The Solar System planet with the LOWEST density is: Saturn. Uranus. Neptune. Jupiter.

Saturn.

What is the only moon in our Solar System to have a substantial atmosphere? Triton Titan Io Europa

Titan

The spectrum of an exoplanet reveals significant amounts of methane with smaller amounts of ammonia. Considering this information alone, to which planet in our Solar System might we expect the exoplanet to be similar? Uranus Earth Jupiter Saturn Mars

Uranus

Which of the giant planets contain significant amounts of water ice? Jupiter and Saturn Uranus and Neptune Saturn and Neptune all of the giant planets

Uranus and Neptune

The Cassini Division is: maintained through gravitational interactions with moons. evolving significantly over the course of a few decades. driven by magnetic anomalies. a result of tidally disrupted comets.

maintained through gravitational interactions with moons.

Which of the following is the most likely source of heat radiated by the ice and gas giants? solar radiation planet contraction falling rain nuclear fusion magnetic fields

planet contraction

The key physical process determining the structures of the giant planets is: fusion. pressure. magnetism. sunlight.

pressure.

Which of the following Solar System moons has geysers spouting liquid water? Enceladus Io Callisto Titan

Enceladus

Which of the following does not describe characteristics or effects of Jupiter? It has a strong tidal influence on its moons. It has distinct cloud layers varying in color. It has the largest mass of any object in the Solar System. It has benefited life on Earth by sweeping up Solar System debris. It has a ring system.

It has the largest mass of any object in the Solar System.

Earth does not show the patterns of belts and zones seen on Jupiter. What is the principal reason for this difference? Jupiter has more mass and hence stronger gravity than Earth has. Jupiter's rotation rate is higher than Earth's. Jupiter's magnetic field is stronger than Earth's. Jupiter is farther from the Sun than Earth is. Jupiter has more moons than Earth has.

Jupiter's rotation rate is higher than Earth's.

Picture the following five Solar System planets placed on the surface of a vast, deep, cosmic water ocean. Which would sink fastest? Saturn Mercury Jupiter Mars Uranus

Mercury

Careful observations of the orbit of Uranus demonstrated the existence of: Neptune. the Oort Cloud. the Kuiper Belt. Pluto.

Neptune.

Why were the rings of Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune not discovered until the 20th century? They have no shepherd moons. The planets are all at greater distances than Saturn. They have large magnetic fields. They have low albedos. They are composed of highly energetic particles that don't emit light.

They have low albedos.

Arrange the following planets by rotation period, longest to shortest. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Uranus Uranus, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Mercury Venus, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn Mars, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Saturn Saturn, Uranus, Mars, Mercury, Venus

Venus, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn

Which of Jupiter's Galilean moons contains a layer of liquid water? Callisto all of the above Europa Ganymede

all of the above

Jupiter and Saturn differ in their: densities. all of the above. atmospheric helium abundance. central pressure.

all of the above.

The Roche limit is the: maximum size of a main sequence star. maximum size of a white dwarf. distance at which tides destroy an orbiting object. inner edge of the Kuiper Belt.

distance at which tides destroy an orbiting object.

Neptune's moon Triton is unique among the large moons because it: has a high albedo. is geologically active. has an atmosphere. has a retrograde orbit.

has a retrograde orbit.

Which characteristic is not likely to be present in a moon that formed from the same protoplanetary nebula as its host planet? similar density highly inclined orbit similar composition prograde orbit prograde rotation

highly inclined orbit

Compared to the large moons around the other planets in the outer Solar System, Miranda is unique in its: atmosphere. highly inclined orbit relative to the ecliptic. volcanic activity. retrograde orbit.

highly inclined orbit relative to the ecliptic.

In which of the following environments are ice and gas giant planets most likely to harbor life? atmosphere of the planet subsurface ocean on one of the planet's moons None, since these planets orbit where it is too cold for life to exist. atmosphere of one of the planet's moons surface of the planet

subsurface ocean on one of the planet's moons

Uranus is unique among the Solar System planets because it has: the strongest storms. the most extreme seasonal variations. strong evidence for a giant impact affecting its rotation. the lowest density.

the most extreme seasonal variations.