Question 1

The effects of orbital resonances are seen dramatically in the structure of the rings of Saturn.Describe and explain these effects.

Accepted Answer

A ring particle with an orbital period t

Question 2

Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's atmosphere is:

Accepted Answer

A)  more calm with fewer disturbances or storms. 
B)  more uniform with no significant variation in color in the lower cloud levels. 
C)  more violent with larger storm phenomena easily viewed from Earth. 
D)  much thicker causing the visibility of the lower layers to be reduced. 
E)  more colorful with variations in color easily viewed from Earth. 
A)  more calm with fewer disturbances or storms. 
B)  more uniform with no significant variation in color in the lower cloud levels. 
C)  more violent with larger storm phenomena easily viewed from Earth. 
D)  much thicker causing the visibility of the lower layers to be reduced. 
E)  more colorful with variations in color easily viewed from Earth.

Question 3

While Galileo saw Saturn as a changing oval,the real nature of the rings was discovered by:

Accepted Answer

A)  Halley. 
B)  Newton. 
C)  Lowell. 
D)  Huygens. 
E)  Cassini. 
A)  Halley. 
B)  Newton. 
C)  Lowell. 
D)  Huygens. 
E)  Cassini.

Question 4

At Titan,the weather is driven by phase changes of ________ gas into liquid or solid forms.

Accepted Answer

The answer of At Titan,the weather is driven by phase...

Question 5

Compare the rotations and oblateness of Jupiter and Saturn.

Accepted Answer

Jupiter and Saturn both rotate

Question 6

The lakes on Titan are almost pure methane.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

What is a planet's Roche limit?

Accepted Answer

The distance from a

Question 8

Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's east-west zonal (band)flow is ________.

Accepted Answer

more stabl

Question 9

Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's upper atmosphere is notably lacking in the element ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's upper atmosphere is notably...

Question 10

Why was it thought that Titan may have oceans of methane?

Accepted Answer

A)  Titan's atmosphere contains traces of methane. Similarly, Earth's atmosphere contains traces of water vapor. So, scientist thought Titan should have methane oceans. 
B)  The atmospheric pressure at Titan's surface and its surface temperature are such that methane should be liquid on Titan's surface. 
C)  The abundance of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere of Titan, led scientists to believe that Titan had an abundance of methane on its surface. 
D)  Titan's atmosphere is like Earth's (mostly nitrogen), but its temperature is too low for water to be in the liquid phase. The only other possible liquid was methane. 
E)  Since Saturn has methane ice in its atmosphere, methane should be abundant in this region of the solar system. The sheer abundance of methane in the region led scientists to hypothesize methane oceans on Titan. 
A)  Titan's atmosphere contains traces of methane. Similarly, Earth's atmosphere contains traces of water vapor. So, scientist thought Titan should have methane oceans. 
B)  The atmospheric pressure at Titan's surface and its surface temperature are such that methane should be liquid on Titan's surface. 
C)  The abundance of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere of Titan, led scientists to believe that Titan had an abundance of methane on its surface. 
D)  Titan's atmosphere is like Earth's (mostly nitrogen), but its temperature is too low for water to be in the liquid phase. The only other possible liquid was methane. 
E)  Since Saturn has methane ice in its atmosphere, methane should be abundant in this region of the solar system. The sheer abundance of methane in the region led scientists to hypothesize methane oceans on Titan.

Question 11

Saturn's two shepherd moons herd the particles in the F ring.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

What did the Voyager mission discover about the Cassini Division?

Accepted Answer

A)  It actually contains one or more moons. 
B)  It contains several ringlets. 
C)  It is completely filled with a ring of very dark material. 
D)  The spokes originate from it. 
E)  It is actually completely empty of all ring material. 
A)  It actually contains one or more moons. 
B)  It contains several ringlets. 
C)  It is completely filled with a ring of very dark material. 
D)  The spokes originate from it. 
E)  It is actually completely empty of all ring material.

Question 13

Describe the consequences of orbital resonances between the moons of Saturn and the particles that make up that planet's ring system.

Accepted Answer

Particles that would have orbital period

Question 14

Which of the following played the most important role in the ring's formation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn's differential rotation 
B)  Saturn's Roche limit 
C)  Saturn's distance from the Sun 
D)  debris from volcanoes on Mimas 
E)  tidal resonance with Titan 
A)  Saturn's differential rotation 
B)  Saturn's Roche limit 
C)  Saturn's distance from the Sun 
D)  debris from volcanoes on Mimas 
E)  tidal resonance with Titan

Question 15

The most abundant element in Saturn's atmosphere is

Accepted Answer

A)  ammonia. 
B)  hydrogen. 
C)  helium. 
D)  methane. 
E)  nitrogen. 
A)  ammonia. 
B)  hydrogen. 
C)  helium. 
D)  methane. 
E)  nitrogen.

Question 16

What did the Voyager mission discover about the main rings of Saturn?

Accepted Answer

A)  There are hundreds of small moons in the ring system. 
B)  They were less dense than the rings of Jupiter. 
C)  There are several small moons inside the inner-most ring. 
D)  The ring system is much thicker than originally believed. 
E)  They are composed of tens of thousands of narrow ringlets. 
A)  There are hundreds of small moons in the ring system. 
B)  They were less dense than the rings of Jupiter. 
C)  There are several small moons inside the inner-most ring. 
D)  The ring system is much thicker than originally believed. 
E)  They are composed of tens of thousands of narrow ringlets.

Question 17

Although it is almost the same size as Jupiter,Saturn's gravity is about 2.5 times less,because of Saturn's lower mass and density.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Why do Saturn's rings exist?

Accepted Answer

The material in the rings lies

Question 19

The wind speeds found in the bands and zones of Saturn,compared to those on Jupiter,are about:

Accepted Answer

A)  3 times faster. 
B)  2 times faster. 
C)  the same. 
D)  2 times slower. 
E)  3 times slower. 
A)  3 times faster. 
B)  2 times faster. 
C)  the same. 
D)  2 times slower. 
E)  3 times slower.

Question 20

One hemisphere of Encedalus has a much younger crust than the other,which is heavily cratered.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 12: Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons

The effects of orbital resonances are seen dramatically in the structure of the rings of Saturn.Describe and explain these effects.

Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's atmosphere is:

While Galileo saw Saturn as a changing oval,the real nature of the rings was discovered by:

At Titan,the weather is driven by phase changes of ________ gas into liquid or solid forms.

Compare the rotations and oblateness of Jupiter and Saturn.

The lakes on Titan are almost pure methane.

What is a planet's Roche limit?

Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's east-west zonal (band)flow is ________.

Compared to Jupiter,Saturn's upper atmosphere is notably lacking in the element ________.

Why was it thought that Titan may have oceans of methane?

Saturn's two shepherd moons herd the particles in the F ring.

What did the Voyager mission discover about the Cassini Division?

Describe the consequences of orbital resonances between the moons of Saturn and the particles that make up that planet's ring system.

Which of the following played the most important role in the ring's formation?

The most abundant element in Saturn's atmosphere is

What did the Voyager mission discover about the main rings of Saturn?

Although it is almost the same size as Jupiter,Saturn's gravity is about 2.5 times less,because of Saturn's lower mass and density.

Why do Saturn's rings exist?

The wind speeds found in the bands and zones of Saturn,compared to those on Jupiter,are about:

One hemisphere of Encedalus has a much younger crust than the other,which is heavily cratered.

Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy

The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science

Radiation: Information from the Cosmos

Spectroscopy: The Inner Workings of Atoms

Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy

The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models

Earth: Our Home in Space

The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered Worlds

Venus: Earth's Sister Planet

Mars: A Near Miss for Life?

Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System

Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System

Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin

Exoplanets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Own

The Sun: Our Parent Star

The Stars: Giants,Dwarfs,and the Main Sequence

The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust among the Stars

Star Formation: A Traumatic Birth

Stellar Evolution: The Life and Death of a Star

Stellar Explosions: Novae,Supernovae,and the Formation of the Elements

Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy: A Spiral in Space

Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe

Galaxies and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos

Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe

The Early Universe: Toward the Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

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