Question 1

What do long period comets tell us about the structure of the Oort Cloud?

Accepted Answer

Long- period comets have aphelions far beyond the orbit of Neptune, and come at random inclinations to the ecliptic, as if from a spherical distribution.

Question 2

Streaks of light made when small debris hits our atmosphere are called

Accepted Answer

A)  asteroids. 
B)  meteoroids. 
C)  comets. 
D)  meteors. 
E)  meteorites. 
A)  asteroids. 
B)  meteoroids. 
C)  comets. 
D)  meteors. 
E)  meteorites. D

Question 3

Observationally contrast the discoveries of most comets and asteroids.

Accepted Answer

Comets are typically first noted as the Sun's heat drives off gases, forming their coma and making them look fuzzy. Their cometary nature is then confirmed by observations of their orbital motion. Asteroids look like "little stars," and thus must be found via their motion, either with them appearing as streaks on the time exposures, or analysis of digital images over time.

Question 4

The asteroids moving in the orbit of Jupiter, but 60 degrees ahead or behind it, are called the .

Accepted Answer

Trojans or

Question 5

The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already found hundreds of exoplanet candidates.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already...

Question 6

Describe the orbits of the Kuiper Belt bodies.

Accepted Answer

They are close to th

Question 7

The Trojan asteroids are found

Accepted Answer

A)  closer on average to the Sun than is the Earth. 
B)  sixty degrees ahead or behind Jupiter, sharing its orbit about the Sun. 
C)  beyond Neptune, with orbits similar to Pluto's. 
D)  orbiting around the Kuiper Belt body Hector. 
E)  with the others, between Mars and Jupiter; their red color gives them their name. 
A)  closer on average to the Sun than is the Earth. 
B)  sixty degrees ahead or behind Jupiter, sharing its orbit about the Sun. 
C)  beyond Neptune, with orbits similar to Pluto's. 
D)  orbiting around the Kuiper Belt body Hector. 
E)  with the others, between Mars and Jupiter; their red color gives them their name.

Question 8

Astronomers have not yet been able to detect planets outside our solar system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters"-extremely massive planets orbiting very close to their parent stars-do not look like our own solar system. Are they inconsistent with the condensation theory of solar system formation? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The existence of hot Jupiters is not at

Question 10

Some meteorites are believed to have come from Mars and the Moon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Density is defined as

Accepted Answer

A)  weight divided by the planet's radius. 
B)  size divided by weight. 
C)  mass per unit volume. 
D)  mass times weight. 
E)  weight per square inch. 
A)  weight divided by the planet's radius. 
B)  size divided by weight. 
C)  mass per unit volume. 
D)  mass times weight. 
E)  weight per square inch.

Question 12

Most astronomers now believe the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was caused by a large asteroid impacting the Yucatan peninsula area.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT icy in composition?

Accepted Answer

A)  comet nuclei 
B)  asteroids 
C)  the polar cap of Mars 
D)  Kuiper Belt Objects 
E)  most jovian satellites 
A)  comet nuclei 
B)  asteroids 
C)  the polar cap of Mars 
D)  Kuiper Belt Objects 
E)  most jovian satellites

Question 14

Explain how the Doppler effect has been used to detect invisible planets orbiting other Sun- like stars.

Accepted Answer

The planets are massive enough to pull t

Question 15

While Kuiper Belt bodies are often larger than any asteroid, we think their density will be lower due to presence of a lot of

Accepted Answer

A)  methane. 
B)  helium. 
C)  rock. 
D)  ice. 
E)  hydrogen. 
A)  methane. 
B)  helium. 
C)  rock. 
D)  ice. 
E)  hydrogen.

Question 16

Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids.

Accepted Answer

Comet orbits are high in eccentricity an

Question 17

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn 
B)  Jupiter 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Earth 
E)  Venus 
A)  Saturn 
B)  Jupiter 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Earth 
E)  Venus

Question 18

The planets are large bodies in the outer solar system with compositions like the Sun's.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The planets are large bodies in the...

Question 19

Pluto is more similar to the jovian planet's icy moons than to any of the other planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Explain the effect angular momentum has on a gas cloud as it contracts.

Accepted Answer

Angular momentum must be conserved. As t

What do long period comets tell us about the structure of the Oort Cloud?

Streaks of light made when small debris hits our atmosphere are called

Observationally contrast the discoveries of most comets and asteroids.

The asteroids moving in the orbit of Jupiter, but 60 degrees ahead or behind it, are called the .

The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already found hundreds of exoplanet candidates.

Describe the orbits of the Kuiper Belt bodies.

The Trojan asteroids are found

Astronomers have not yet been able to detect planets outside our solar system.

Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters"-extremely massive planets orbiting very close to their parent stars-do not look like our own solar system. Are they inconsistent with the condensation theory of solar system formation? Explain.

Some meteorites are believed to have come from Mars and the Moon.

Density is defined as

Most astronomers now believe the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was caused by a large asteroid impacting the Yucatan peninsula area.

Which of the following is NOT icy in composition?

Explain how the Doppler effect has been used to detect invisible planets orbiting other Sun- like stars.

While Kuiper Belt bodies are often larger than any asteroid, we think their density will be lower due to presence of a lot of

Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids.

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

The planets are large bodies in the outer solar system with compositions like the Sun's.

Pluto is more similar to the jovian planet's icy moons than to any of the other planets.

Explain the effect angular momentum has on a gas cloud as it contracts.

Charting the Heavens: the Foundations of Astronomy

The Copernican Revolution: the Birth of Modern Science

Light and Matter: the Inner Workings of the Cosmos

Telescopes: the Tools of Astronomy

Earth and Its Moon: Our Cosmic Backyard

The Terrestrial Planets: a Study in Contrasts

The Jovian Planets: Giants of the Solar System

Moons, Rings, and Plutoids: Small Worlds Among Giants

The Sun: Our Parent Star

Measuring the Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence

The Interstellar Medium: Star Formation in the Milky Way

Stellar Evolution: the Lives and Deaths of Stars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy: a Spiral in Space

Normal and Active Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe

Hubbles Law and Dark Matter: the Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos

Cosmology: the Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe: Are We Alone

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Exam 5: The Solar System: Interplanetary Matter and the Birth of the Planets

What do long period comets tell us about the structure of the Oort Cloud?

Streaks of light made when small debris hits our atmosphere are called

Observationally contrast the discoveries of most comets and asteroids.

The asteroids moving in the orbit of Jupiter, but 60 degrees ahead or behind it, are called the .

The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already found hundreds of exoplanet candidates.

Describe the orbits of the Kuiper Belt bodies.

The Trojan asteroids are found

Astronomers have not yet been able to detect planets outside our solar system.

Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters"-extremely massive planets orbiting very close to their parent stars-do not look like our own solar system. Are they inconsistent with the condensation theory of solar system formation? Explain.

Some meteorites are believed to have come from Mars and the Moon.

Density is defined as

Most astronomers now believe the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was caused by a large asteroid impacting the Yucatan peninsula area.

Which of the following is NOT icy in composition?

Explain how the Doppler effect has been used to detect invisible planets orbiting other Sun- like stars.

While Kuiper Belt bodies are often larger than any asteroid, we think their density will be lower due to presence of a lot of

Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids.

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

The planets are large bodies in the outer solar system with compositions like the Sun's.

Pluto is more similar to the jovian planet's icy moons than to any of the other planets.

Explain the effect angular momentum has on a gas cloud as it contracts.

Charting the Heavens: the Foundations of Astronomy

The Copernican Revolution: the Birth of Modern Science

Light and Matter: the Inner Workings of the Cosmos

Telescopes: the Tools of Astronomy

Earth and Its Moon: Our Cosmic Backyard

The Terrestrial Planets: a Study in Contrasts

The Jovian Planets: Giants of the Solar System

Moons, Rings, and Plutoids: Small Worlds Among Giants

The Sun: Our Parent Star

Measuring the Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence

The Interstellar Medium: Star Formation in the Milky Way

Stellar Evolution: the Lives and Deaths of Stars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy: a Spiral in Space

Normal and Active Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe

Hubbles Law and Dark Matter: the Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos

Cosmology: the Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe: Are We Alone

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