Question 1

A spacecraft has captured and brought material to Earth from a comet.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The greatest number of asteroids are found

Accepted Answer

A) between 4 and 5 AU from the sun. 
B) between 3 and 4 AU from the sun. 
C) between 1 and 2 AU from the sun. 
D) between 2 and 3 AU from the sun. 
A) between 4 and 5 AU from the sun. 
B) between 3 and 4 AU from the sun. 
C) between 1 and 2 AU from the sun. 
D) between 2 and 3 AU from the sun.

Question 3

Which statement is not thought to be true of all comets in our solar system?

Accepted Answer

A) All comets are leftover planetesimals that originally condensed beyond the frost line in the solar nebula. 
B) All comets are icy in composition. 
C) Comets always have tails. 
D) All comets orbit the Sun. 
A) All comets are leftover planetesimals that originally condensed beyond the frost line in the solar nebula. 
B) All comets are icy in composition. 
C) Comets always have tails. 
D) All comets orbit the Sun.

Question 4

Meteorites can come from

Accepted Answer

A) the Moon. 
B) the crusts and mantles of asteroids. 
C) Mars. 
D) the cores of asteroids. 
E) all of the above 
A) the Moon. 
B) the crusts and mantles of asteroids. 
C) Mars. 
D) the cores of asteroids. 
E) all of the above

Question 5

What do asteroids and comets have in common?

Accepted Answer

A) Most are unchanged since their formation in the solar nebula. 
B) They have similar densities. 
C) They have a similar range of orbital inclinations. 
D) They have similar orbital radii. 
E) They have nothing in common with each other. 
A) Most are unchanged since their formation in the solar nebula. 
B) They have similar densities. 
C) They have a similar range of orbital inclinations. 
D) They have similar orbital radii. 
E) They have nothing in common with each other.

Question 6

If the hypothesis tracing the extinction of the dinosaurs to an impact is correct, the dinosaurs died off largely because .

Accepted Answer

A) the impact caused massive earthquakes worldwide 
B) radiation from iridium in the asteroid caused the dinosaurs to die of cancer 
C) of injuries suffered from direct hits of pieces of the asteroid or comet 
D) of global climate effects initiated by dust and smoke that entered the atmosphere after the impact 
A) the impact caused massive earthquakes worldwide 
B) radiation from iridium in the asteroid caused the dinosaurs to die of cancer 
C) of injuries suffered from direct hits of pieces of the asteroid or comet 
D) of global climate effects initiated by dust and smoke that entered the atmosphere after the impact

Question 7

Why aren't small asteroids spherical in shape?

Accepted Answer

A) Large asteroids became spherical because many small collisions chipped off pieces until only a sphere was left; this did not occur with small asteroids. 
B) Small asteroids have odd shapes because they were all chipped off larger objects. 
C) The strength of gravity on small asteroids is less than the strength of the rock. 
D) Large asteroids were once molten and therefore became spherical, but small asteroids were never molten. 
A) Large asteroids became spherical because many small collisions chipped off pieces until only a sphere was left; this did not occur with small asteroids. 
B) Small asteroids have odd shapes because they were all chipped off larger objects. 
C) The strength of gravity on small asteroids is less than the strength of the rock. 
D) Large asteroids were once molten and therefore became spherical, but small asteroids were never molten.

Question 8

Where are the Trojan asteroids located?

Accepted Answer

A) along Jupiter's orbit, 60° ahead of and behind Jupiter 
B) on orbits that cross Earth's orbit 
C) in the center of the asteroid belt 
D) on orbits that cross Mars's orbit 
E) surrounding Jupiter 
A) along Jupiter's orbit, 60° ahead of and behind Jupiter 
B) on orbits that cross Earth's orbit 
C) in the center of the asteroid belt 
D) on orbits that cross Mars's orbit 
E) surrounding Jupiter

Question 9

The discovery of Eris .

Accepted Answer

A) was not surprising, because other Kuiper belt objects approaching the size of Pluto had already been discovered 
B) was not surprising, because the existence of a massive "Planet X" had been predicted nearly a century ago 
C) was surprising, due to its "backwards" orbit around the Sun 
D) was surprising, since we thought we knew about all large objects in the solar system 
A) was not surprising, because other Kuiper belt objects approaching the size of Pluto had already been discovered 
B) was not surprising, because the existence of a massive "Planet X" had been predicted nearly a century ago 
C) was surprising, due to its "backwards" orbit around the Sun 
D) was surprising, since we thought we knew about all large objects in the solar system

Question 10

Why do asteroids and comets differ in composition?

Accepted Answer

A) Asteroids formed inside the frost line, while comets formed outside. 
B) Asteroids are much larger than comets. 
C) Asteroids and comets formed at different times. 
D) Comets are much larger than asteroids. 
E) Comets formed from the jovian nebula, while asteroids did not. 
A) Asteroids formed inside the frost line, while comets formed outside. 
B) Asteroids are much larger than comets. 
C) Asteroids and comets formed at different times. 
D) Comets are much larger than asteroids. 
E) Comets formed from the jovian nebula, while asteroids did not.

A spacecraft has captured and brought material to Earth from a comet.

The greatest number of asteroids are found

Which statement is not thought to be true of all comets in our solar system?

Meteorites can come from

What do asteroids and comets have in common?

If the hypothesis tracing the extinction of the dinosaurs to an impact is correct, the dinosaurs died off largely because .

Why aren't small asteroids spherical in shape?

Where are the Trojan asteroids located?

The discovery of Eris .

Why do asteroids and comets differ in composition?

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

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Exam 9: Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

A spacecraft has captured and brought material to Earth from a comet.

The greatest number of asteroids are found

Which statement is not thought to be true of all comets in our solar system?

Meteorites can come from

What do asteroids and comets have in common?

If the hypothesis tracing the extinction of the dinosaurs to an impact is correct, the dinosaurs died off largely because .

Why aren't small asteroids spherical in shape?

Where are the Trojan asteroids located?

The discovery of Eris .

Why do asteroids and comets differ in composition?

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters