Question 1

Several of the Jovian planets appear to be emitting more energy than they absorb from solar radiation.What is the reason for this?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rapid rotation is generating excess energy by friction between the planetary atmospheres and the interplanetary medium. 
B)  Excess energy comes from impact energy of meteoroids hitting the planetary atmospheres. 
C)  The solar wind deposits energy into the planetary atmospheres,and this energy is reradiated. 
D)  They are still cooling and contracting from their original formation. 
A)  Rapid rotation is generating excess energy by friction between the planetary atmospheres and the interplanetary medium. 
B)  Excess energy comes from impact energy of meteoroids hitting the planetary atmospheres. 
C)  The solar wind deposits energy into the planetary atmospheres,and this energy is reradiated. 
D)  They are still cooling and contracting from their original formation.

Question 2

Jupiter has lightning discharges in its atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

The Great Dark Spot on Neptune

Accepted Answer

A)  has been visible through telescopes as far back as 1665. 
B)  disappeared sometime between the Voyager 2 flyby and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
C)  was the short-lived result of a comet crash in 1995. 
D)  came into existence sometime between the Voyager 2 flyby and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
A)  has been visible through telescopes as far back as 1665. 
B)  disappeared sometime between the Voyager 2 flyby and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
C)  was the short-lived result of a comet crash in 1995. 
D)  came into existence sometime between the Voyager 2 flyby and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994.

Question 4

Who was the first to suggest that a thin,flattened ring surrounds Saturn?

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo Galilei 
B)  Christiaan Huygens 
C)  Isaac Newton 
D)  Albert Einstein 
A)  Galileo Galilei 
B)  Christiaan Huygens 
C)  Isaac Newton 
D)  Albert Einstein

Question 5

At what point in its orbit would Jupiter appear to be faintest when viewed from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  At conjunction 
B)  When the line from Earth to Jupiter is at a right angle to the line from Jupiter to the Sun 
C)  Its apparent brightness does not vary with orbital position because it has an almost circular orbit. 
D)  At opposition 
A)  At conjunction 
B)  When the line from Earth to Jupiter is at a right angle to the line from Jupiter to the Sun 
C)  Its apparent brightness does not vary with orbital position because it has an almost circular orbit. 
D)  At opposition

Question 6

Neptune's moon Triton has a very old surface with many craters from ancient impacts,similar to Earth's Moon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

How would "Interplanetary Travel" advertise a holiday to Neptune's satellite Triton?

Accepted Answer

A)  The largest number of volcanoes for your travel dollar anywhere in the solar system! 
B)  Hot and dry-never rains-beautiful sulfurous skies! 
C)  Skate on frozen nitrogen lakes all morning-bask beside nitrogen geysers in the afternoon! 
D)  Exquisite ethane lakes-hydrocarbons beyond your wildest dreams! 
A)  The largest number of volcanoes for your travel dollar anywhere in the solar system! 
B)  Hot and dry-never rains-beautiful sulfurous skies! 
C)  Skate on frozen nitrogen lakes all morning-bask beside nitrogen geysers in the afternoon! 
D)  Exquisite ethane lakes-hydrocarbons beyond your wildest dreams!

Question 8

Who first understood that the "ears" that Galileo saw on Saturn were in fact a wide,thin ring surrounding the planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  Christiaan Huygens 
B)  Gian Domenico Cassini 
C)  Isaac Newton 
D)  Johannes Kepler 
A)  Christiaan Huygens 
B)  Gian Domenico Cassini 
C)  Isaac Newton 
D)  Johannes Kepler

Question 9

How does the tilt of Uranus's rotational axis affect its atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

The fastest Uranian winds are found arou

Question 10

What characteristic of Neptune's rings is significantly different from the rings of Jupiter,Saturn,and Uranus?

Accepted Answer

A)  All are outside the Roche limit for Neptune. 
B)  They are highly elongated. 
C)  They have become fainter over just a few decades of observation. 
D)  They are in retrograde motion about the planet. 
A)  All are outside the Roche limit for Neptune. 
B)  They are highly elongated. 
C)  They have become fainter over just a few decades of observation. 
D)  They are in retrograde motion about the planet.

Question 11

Jupiter's Great Red Spot has

Accepted Answer

A)  remained virtually unchanged during the three and a half centuries it has been observed. 
B)  disappeared (for decades at a time)and then re-emerged several times in the past three and a half centuries. 
C)  changed color dramatically more than once,becoming white or brown. 
D)  changed its size significantly during the past three and a half centuries. 
A)  remained virtually unchanged during the three and a half centuries it has been observed. 
B)  disappeared (for decades at a time)and then re-emerged several times in the past three and a half centuries. 
C)  changed color dramatically more than once,becoming white or brown. 
D)  changed its size significantly during the past three and a half centuries.

Question 12

Rings of dust and icy particles are found around which planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  All planets that have moons associated with them 
B)  All four of the Jovian planets 
C)  All four of the terrestrial planets 
D)  Only Saturn 
A)  All planets that have moons associated with them 
B)  All four of the Jovian planets 
C)  All four of the terrestrial planets 
D)  Only Saturn

Question 13

Jupiter and Saturn are similar in that they

Accepted Answer

A)  are mostly made of ice and rock. 
B)  exhibit differential rotation. 
C)  have thermonuclear fusion occurring at their core. 
D)  All of the above 
A)  are mostly made of ice and rock. 
B)  exhibit differential rotation. 
C)  have thermonuclear fusion occurring at their core. 
D)  All of the above

Question 14

The existence of the Great Red Spot of Jupiter has been known since

Accepted Answer

A)  the 1600s. 
B)  the first flyby of a spacecraft,Pioneer 10,in December 1973. 
C)  the arrival at Jupiter of Voyager 1 with its imaging cameras in 1979. 
D)  first light at the 200-inch telescope on Mt.Palomar in 1948. 
A)  the 1600s. 
B)  the first flyby of a spacecraft,Pioneer 10,in December 1973. 
C)  the arrival at Jupiter of Voyager 1 with its imaging cameras in 1979. 
D)  first light at the 200-inch telescope on Mt.Palomar in 1948.

Question 15

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is probably a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  continent. 
B)  storm. 
C)  optical illusion. 
D)  hole in the clouds. 
A)  continent. 
B)  storm. 
C)  optical illusion. 
D)  hole in the clouds.

Question 16

Infrared images show that the dark-colored belts and light-colored zones are all the same temperature.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Who was the first reported person to view Saturn through a telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo Galilei 
B)  Christiaan Huygens 
C)  Isaac Newton 
D)  Albert Einstein 
A)  Galileo Galilei 
B)  Christiaan Huygens 
C)  Isaac Newton 
D)  Albert Einstein

Question 18

Which moon has an absence of large craters,extinct ice volcanoes,and a dimpled,wrinkled terrain that resembles the skin of a cantaloupe?

Accepted Answer

A)  Io 
B)  Europa 
C)  Triton 
D)  Ganymede 
A)  Io 
B)  Europa 
C)  Triton 
D)  Ganymede

Question 19

How do the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn compare? How are they similar and how are they different?

Accepted Answer

They have similar constituents,mainly hy

Question 20

The atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune consist mostly of

Accepted Answer

A)  methane,with small quantities of hydrogen and helium. 
B)  hydrogen and helium,with significant amounts of methane,ammonia,and water vapor. 
C)  carbon dioxide,with a small amount of nitrogen. 
D)  hydrogen and helium,with significant amounts of methane and water vapor but very little ammonia. 
A)  methane,with small quantities of hydrogen and helium. 
B)  hydrogen and helium,with significant amounts of methane,ammonia,and water vapor. 
C)  carbon dioxide,with a small amount of nitrogen. 
D)  hydrogen and helium,with significant amounts of methane and water vapor but very little ammonia.

Several of the Jovian planets appear to be emitting more energy than they absorb from solar radiation.What is the reason for this?

Jupiter has lightning discharges in its atmosphere.

The Great Dark Spot on Neptune

Who was the first to suggest that a thin,flattened ring surrounds Saturn?

At what point in its orbit would Jupiter appear to be faintest when viewed from Earth?

Neptune's moon Triton has a very old surface with many craters from ancient impacts,similar to Earth's Moon.

How would "Interplanetary Travel" advertise a holiday to Neptune's satellite Triton?

Who first understood that the "ears" that Galileo saw on Saturn were in fact a wide,thin ring surrounding the planet?

How does the tilt of Uranus's rotational axis affect its atmosphere?

What characteristic of Neptune's rings is significantly different from the rings of Jupiter,Saturn,and Uranus?

Jupiter's Great Red Spot has

Rings of dust and icy particles are found around which planets?

Jupiter and Saturn are similar in that they

The existence of the Great Red Spot of Jupiter has been known since

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is probably a(n)

Infrared images show that the dark-colored belts and light-colored zones are all the same temperature.

Who was the first reported person to view Saturn through a telescope?

Which moon has an absence of large craters,extinct ice volcanoes,and a dimpled,wrinkled terrain that resembles the skin of a cantaloupe?

How do the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn compare? How are they similar and how are they different?

The atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune consist mostly of

Predicting the Motions of the Stars, Sun, and Moon

Decoding the Hidden Messages in Starlight

Analyzing Scales and Motions of the Universe

Exploring Our Evolving Solar System

Uncovering Earths Systems

Exploring Terrestrial Surface Processes and Atmospheres

Looking for Life Beyond Earth

Probing the Dynamic Sun

Observing Properties of Distant Stars

Inferring Patterns in Star Life Cycles

Predicting the Violent End of the Largest Stars

Exploring Our Galaxy

Investigating Other Galaxies

Observing the Evolution of the Universe

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Exam 7: Observing the Dynamic Giant Planets

Several of the Jovian planets appear to be emitting more energy than they absorb from solar radiation.What is the reason for this?

Jupiter has lightning discharges in its atmosphere.

The Great Dark Spot on Neptune

Who was the first to suggest that a thin,flattened ring surrounds Saturn?

At what point in its orbit would Jupiter appear to be faintest when viewed from Earth?

Neptune's moon Triton has a very old surface with many craters from ancient impacts,similar to Earth's Moon.

How would "Interplanetary Travel" advertise a holiday to Neptune's satellite Triton?

Who first understood that the "ears" that Galileo saw on Saturn were in fact a wide,thin ring surrounding the planet?

How does the tilt of Uranus's rotational axis affect its atmosphere?

What characteristic of Neptune's rings is significantly different from the rings of Jupiter,Saturn,and Uranus?

Jupiter's Great Red Spot has

Rings of dust and icy particles are found around which planets?

Jupiter and Saturn are similar in that they

The existence of the Great Red Spot of Jupiter has been known since

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is probably a(n)

Infrared images show that the dark-colored belts and light-colored zones are all the same temperature.

Who was the first reported person to view Saturn through a telescope?

Which moon has an absence of large craters,extinct ice volcanoes,and a dimpled,wrinkled terrain that resembles the skin of a cantaloupe?

How do the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn compare? How are they similar and how are they different?

The atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune consist mostly of

Predicting the Motions of the Stars, Sun, and Moon

Decoding the Hidden Messages in Starlight

Analyzing Scales and Motions of the Universe

Exploring Our Evolving Solar System

Uncovering Earths Systems

Exploring Terrestrial Surface Processes and Atmospheres

Looking for Life Beyond Earth

Probing the Dynamic Sun

Observing Properties of Distant Stars

Inferring Patterns in Star Life Cycles

Predicting the Violent End of the Largest Stars

Exploring Our Galaxy

Investigating Other Galaxies

Observing the Evolution of the Universe

Filters