Question 1

What are the light-colored bands on Jupiter called?

Accepted Answer

A)  belts 
B)  streams 
C)  plumes 
D)  zones 
A)  belts 
B)  streams 
C)  plumes 
D)  zones

Question 2

As seen by an observer floating above the clouds of Uranus, where would the Sun be located in midsummer in the northern hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  directly over a line of latitude 25° south of the equator 
B)  directly over a line of latitude 25° north of the equator 
C)  almost directly above the equator 
D)  almost directly above its north pole 
A)  directly over a line of latitude 25° south of the equator 
B)  directly over a line of latitude 25° north of the equator 
C)  almost directly above the equator 
D)  almost directly above its north pole

Question 3

The rotation axis of which planet is tilted at 98° from the vertical to its orbit?

Accepted Answer

A)  Neptune 
B)  Earth 
C)  Venus 
D)  Uranus 
A)  Neptune 
B)  Earth 
C)  Venus 
D)  Uranus

Question 4

Scarps are long lines of cliffs believed to have formed when the surface of the body cooled and shrank. They have been observed on all of these EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury. 
B)  Earth. 
C)  the Moon. 
D)  Rhea. 
A)  Mercury. 
B)  Earth. 
C)  the Moon. 
D)  Rhea.

Question 5

Much of the surface of Europa resembles

Accepted Answer

A)  the maria of the Moon. 
B)  the lunar highlands. 
C)  the oceans of Earth. 
D)  Earth's polar regions. 
A)  the maria of the Moon. 
B)  the lunar highlands. 
C)  the oceans of Earth. 
D)  Earth's polar regions.

Question 6

The physical structure of Saturn's rings is

Accepted Answer

A)  a thin solid ring structured from ice and rock. 
B)  a sequence of many thousands of separate ringlets consisting of ice particles and ice-coated rock. 
C)  hot, ionized gas from the planet's magnetosphere. 
D)  a thin but extensive gas cloud over the equator. 
A)  a thin solid ring structured from ice and rock. 
B)  a sequence of many thousands of separate ringlets consisting of ice particles and ice-coated rock. 
C)  hot, ionized gas from the planet's magnetosphere. 
D)  a thin but extensive gas cloud over the equator.

Question 7

The spacecraft that photographed Neptune on a 1989 flyby mission was

Accepted Answer

A)  Viking. 
B)  Voyager 2. 
C)  Magellan. 
D)  Galileo. 
A)  Viking. 
B)  Voyager 2. 
C)  Magellan. 
D)  Galileo.

Question 8

Why was the Galileo spacecraft NOT just left floating in space when its mission ended?

Accepted Answer

A)  The last part of the mission was a final probe of Jupiter's atmosphere. 
B)  It was feared that Galileo might someday crash on Europa and contaminate its oceans with biological organisms from Earth. 
C)  It was feared that the new Cassini spacecraft might crash into it. 
D)  Galileo carried a nuclear reactor, and the spacecraft was destroyed to prevent possible radioactive contamination. 
A)  The last part of the mission was a final probe of Jupiter's atmosphere. 
B)  It was feared that Galileo might someday crash on Europa and contaminate its oceans with biological organisms from Earth. 
C)  It was feared that the new Cassini spacecraft might crash into it. 
D)  Galileo carried a nuclear reactor, and the spacecraft was destroyed to prevent possible radioactive contamination.

Question 9

Which of the Galilean moons of Jupiter appear(s) to have experienced tectonic activity in the past?

Accepted Answer

A)  Io only 
B)  Europa and Ganymede 
C)  Europa and Callisto 
D)  all four 
A)  Io only 
B)  Europa and Ganymede 
C)  Europa and Callisto 
D)  all four

Question 10

The overall interior structure of the Jovian planets is expected to be

Accepted Answer

A)  three-layered: a rocky core covered by liquid metallic hydrogen and a thin gaseous hydrogen/helium atmosphere. 
B)  four-layered: a rocky core, a semifluid ice layer that may overlap with the rocky core, a liquid mantle of hydrogen, and a gaseous hydrogen and helium atmosphere. 
C)  two-layered: a large, solid, rocky core surrounded by an extensive gaseous atmosphere. 
D)  four-layered: a solid inner core, a liquid iron outer core, a semifluid rocky mantle, and a solid crust. 
A)  three-layered: a rocky core covered by liquid metallic hydrogen and a thin gaseous hydrogen/helium atmosphere. 
B)  four-layered: a rocky core, a semifluid ice layer that may overlap with the rocky core, a liquid mantle of hydrogen, and a gaseous hydrogen and helium atmosphere. 
C)  two-layered: a large, solid, rocky core surrounded by an extensive gaseous atmosphere. 
D)  four-layered: a solid inner core, a liquid iron outer core, a semifluid rocky mantle, and a solid crust.

Question 11

Jupiter's core consists of rocky material like that from which the terrestrial planets formed. How does Jupiter's core compare with Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  It constitutes the bulk of Jupiter's mass, even though its radius is only a few percent of Jupiter's. 
B)  It is considerably larger in mass than Earth but only a small fraction of Jupiter's total mass. 
C)  Because most of the terrestrial materials were in the inner part of the solar nebula, Jupiter's core is smaller than Earth in both size and mass. 
D)  Because of Jupiter's enormous rate of spin, the core is not spherical. So, the size is difficult to compare to Earth, but the core's mass appears to be smaller than Earth's mass. 
A)  It constitutes the bulk of Jupiter's mass, even though its radius is only a few percent of Jupiter's. 
B)  It is considerably larger in mass than Earth but only a small fraction of Jupiter's total mass. 
C)  Because most of the terrestrial materials were in the inner part of the solar nebula, Jupiter's core is smaller than Earth in both size and mass. 
D)  Because of Jupiter's enormous rate of spin, the core is not spherical. So, the size is difficult to compare to Earth, but the core's mass appears to be smaller than Earth's mass.

Question 12

What is the physical appearance of Jupiter as seen from Earth or a spacecraft?

Accepted Answer

A)  uniform bluish color with a high-level haze 
B)  solid ice surface, showing some craters that have been highly modified by ice flow 
C)  densely cratered surface with one large impact basin 
D)  series of dark belts and light zones parallel to the equator 
A)  uniform bluish color with a high-level haze 
B)  solid ice surface, showing some craters that have been highly modified by ice flow 
C)  densely cratered surface with one large impact basin 
D)  series of dark belts and light zones parallel to the equator

Question 13

Most if not all of Jupiter's outermost "moons" appear to be

Accepted Answer

A)  relatively small rocks or icy debris left over after the formation of the rest of the Jovian moons. 
B)  spherical, about the same size as and similar to Earth's Moon or Mercury. 
C)  loosely bound collections of fine dust grains held together by electrical forces similar to static electricity on Earth. 
D)  small planetesimals captured by Jupiter. 
A)  relatively small rocks or icy debris left over after the formation of the rest of the Jovian moons. 
B)  spherical, about the same size as and similar to Earth's Moon or Mercury. 
C)  loosely bound collections of fine dust grains held together by electrical forces similar to static electricity on Earth. 
D)  small planetesimals captured by Jupiter.

Question 14

Which of these phrases describes the surface of Europa, one of the giant moons of Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A)  entirely ice, with fractures and ridges going in every direction 
B)  entirely ice, with light and dark areas containing many impact craters and parallel ridges up to about a kilometer high 
C)  rocky and densely cratered, except for a few large, dark, relatively uncratered plains 
D)  The surface of Io is hidden below a dense layer of clouds, so its properties are unknown. 
A)  entirely ice, with fractures and ridges going in every direction 
B)  entirely ice, with light and dark areas containing many impact craters and parallel ridges up to about a kilometer high 
C)  rocky and densely cratered, except for a few large, dark, relatively uncratered plains 
D)  The surface of Io is hidden below a dense layer of clouds, so its properties are unknown.

Question 15

The material that composes the rings of Jupiter

Accepted Answer

A)  consists mostly of boulder-size rocks. 
B)  remains constant over time. 
C)  is continually being ejected from the rings and being replenished from material from the Jovian moons. 
D)  is a very thin solid sheet that orbits the planet as a single object. 
A)  consists mostly of boulder-size rocks. 
B)  remains constant over time. 
C)  is continually being ejected from the rings and being replenished from material from the Jovian moons. 
D)  is a very thin solid sheet that orbits the planet as a single object.

Question 16

How much more massive would Jupiter need to be to generate energy by nuclear fusion in its interior?

Accepted Answer

A)  1000 times more massive 
B)  It already generates energy by nuclear fusion. 
C)  only about twice as massive; it is almost a star 
D)  75 times more massive 
A)  1000 times more massive 
B)  It already generates energy by nuclear fusion. 
C)  only about twice as massive; it is almost a star 
D)  75 times more massive

Question 17

What is the Kelvin-Helmholtz mechanism?

Accepted Answer

A)  the tidal flexing that causes Io to be geologically active 
B)  A satellite in a nonequatorial orbit will have its orbit gradually shifted toward the equatorial plane. 
C)  the release of gravitational potential energy as heat when a body contracts 
D)  the shift of the spectral peak to longer wavelengths as a body cools off 
A)  the tidal flexing that causes Io to be geologically active 
B)  A satellite in a nonequatorial orbit will have its orbit gradually shifted toward the equatorial plane. 
C)  the release of gravitational potential energy as heat when a body contracts 
D)  the shift of the spectral peak to longer wavelengths as a body cools off

Question 18

Are the volcanoes of Io efficient replacers of the surface of this moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  No. The volcanoes emit only gases that dissipate into space. 
B)  No. The volcanoes emit solid material, mostly sulfur, but this material only coats the surface with about 12 mm per century. 
C)  Yes. The volcanoes emit enough so that the whole surface is covered with about 1 m of new material per century. 
D)  Yes. The volcanoes emit enough to coat the whole surface with about 1 m of new material per year. 
A)  No. The volcanoes emit only gases that dissipate into space. 
B)  No. The volcanoes emit solid material, mostly sulfur, but this material only coats the surface with about 12 mm per century. 
C)  Yes. The volcanoes emit enough so that the whole surface is covered with about 1 m of new material per century. 
D)  Yes. The volcanoes emit enough to coat the whole surface with about 1 m of new material per year.

Question 19

How many moons of Jupiter were seen by Galileo?

Accepted Answer

A)  none because he had no telescope and was unable to see them with the unaided eye 
B)  4, with his new telescope 
C)  28 
D)  only 1 
A)  none because he had no telescope and was unable to see them with the unaided eye 
B)  4, with his new telescope 
C)  28 
D)  only 1

Question 20

What is the Cassini division?

Accepted Answer

A)  boundary between the bright B ring and the faint C ring in Saturn's rings 
B)  layer of relatively clear air separating Saturn's upper cloud deck from the middle cloud deck 
C)  wide, dark gap between Saturn's A and B rings 
D)  division between the two dark equatorial belts of Jupiter 
A)  boundary between the bright B ring and the faint C ring in Saturn's rings 
B)  layer of relatively clear air separating Saturn's upper cloud deck from the middle cloud deck 
C)  wide, dark gap between Saturn's A and B rings 
D)  division between the two dark equatorial belts of Jupiter

What are the light-colored bands on Jupiter called?

As seen by an observer floating above the clouds of Uranus, where would the Sun be located in midsummer in the northern hemisphere?

The rotation axis of which planet is tilted at 98° from the vertical to its orbit?

Scarps are long lines of cliffs believed to have formed when the surface of the body cooled and shrank. They have been observed on all of these EXCEPT

Much of the surface of Europa resembles

The physical structure of Saturn's rings is

The spacecraft that photographed Neptune on a 1989 flyby mission was

Why was the Galileo spacecraft NOT just left floating in space when its mission ended?

Which of the Galilean moons of Jupiter appear(s) to have experienced tectonic activity in the past?

The overall interior structure of the Jovian planets is expected to be

Jupiter's core consists of rocky material like that from which the terrestrial planets formed. How does Jupiter's core compare with Earth?

What is the physical appearance of Jupiter as seen from Earth or a spacecraft?

Most if not all of Jupiter's outermost "moons" appear to be

Which of these phrases describes the surface of Europa, one of the giant moons of Jupiter?

The material that composes the rings of Jupiter

How much more massive would Jupiter need to be to generate energy by nuclear fusion in its interior?

What is the Kelvin-Helmholtz mechanism?

Are the volcanoes of Io efficient replacers of the surface of this moon?

How many moons of Jupiter were seen by Galileo?

What is the Cassini division?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 9: The Outer Planets

What are the light-colored bands on Jupiter called?

As seen by an observer floating above the clouds of Uranus, where would the Sun be located in midsummer in the northern hemisphere?

The rotation axis of which planet is tilted at 98° from the vertical to its orbit?

Scarps are long lines of cliffs believed to have formed when the surface of the body cooled and shrank. They have been observed on all of these EXCEPT

Much of the surface of Europa resembles

The physical structure of Saturn's rings is

The spacecraft that photographed Neptune on a 1989 flyby mission was

Why was the Galileo spacecraft NOT just left floating in space when its mission ended?

Which of the Galilean moons of Jupiter appear(s) to have experienced tectonic activity in the past?

The overall interior structure of the Jovian planets is expected to be

Jupiter's core consists of rocky material like that from which the terrestrial planets formed. How does Jupiter's core compare with Earth?

What is the physical appearance of Jupiter as seen from Earth or a spacecraft?

Most if not all of Jupiter's outermost "moons" appear to be

Which of these phrases describes the surface of Europa, one of the giant moons of Jupiter?

The material that composes the rings of Jupiter

How much more massive would Jupiter need to be to generate energy by nuclear fusion in its interior?

What is the Kelvin-Helmholtz mechanism?

Are the volcanoes of Io efficient replacers of the surface of this moon?

How many moons of Jupiter were seen by Galileo?

What is the Cassini division?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters