Question 1

On what basis did Herschel think he had found a comet?

Accepted Answer

A)  The object appeared as a small greenish disk in his telescope. 
B)  It appeared to be moving slightly night by night. 
C)  No star appeared in that position on his charts. 
D)  It was not a point of light, like a star should appear. 
E)  All of the above are correct. 
A)  The object appeared as a small greenish disk in his telescope. 
B)  It appeared to be moving slightly night by night. 
C)  No star appeared in that position on his charts. 
D)  It was not a point of light, like a star should appear. 
E)  All of the above are correct. E

Question 2

Studying the magnetospheres of the jovians has allowed us to measure their:

Accepted Answer

A)  rotation rates. 
B)  orbital period. 
C)  orbital radius. 
D)  gravity. 
E)  ring system diameters. 
A)  rotation rates. 
B)  orbital period. 
C)  orbital radius. 
D)  gravity. 
E)  ring system diameters. A

Question 3

Uranus was discovered by accident,and mistaken for a comet at first.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

Hubble Space Telescope photos have shown us:

Accepted Answer

A)  Uranus weather has produced more prominent patterns as equinox approaches. 
B)  the Great Dark Spot of Neptune vanished in 1995. 
C)  the rings of Uranus show up better in infrared than in visible light. 
D)  Neptune still has more activity than Uranus, despite its distance from the Sun. 
E)  All of the above are correct. 
A)  Uranus weather has produced more prominent patterns as equinox approaches. 
B)  the Great Dark Spot of Neptune vanished in 1995. 
C)  the rings of Uranus show up better in infrared than in visible light. 
D)  Neptune still has more activity than Uranus, despite its distance from the Sun. 
E)  All of the above are correct.

Question 5

What could explain the darker appearance of moons and rings in the outer solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  They shine by the diminished light at that great distance from the Sun. 
B)  They are made of small, sooty particles and radiation darkening with loss of volatile bright ices. 
C)  They are composed of basaltic eject from the volcanism on Ariel and Triton. 
D)  They are made of water ice that reflects light much more poorly at the very low temperatures of these moons. 
E)  They are composed of mostly rocky material, like S type asteroids. 
A)  They shine by the diminished light at that great distance from the Sun. 
B)  They are made of small, sooty particles and radiation darkening with loss of volatile bright ices. 
C)  They are composed of basaltic eject from the volcanism on Ariel and Triton. 
D)  They are made of water ice that reflects light much more poorly at the very low temperatures of these moons. 
E)  They are composed of mostly rocky material, like S type asteroids.

Question 6

Compared to the other rings,those of ________ are the most irregular,with clumps of material and ring arcs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to the other rings,those of ________...

Question 7

Discuss the seasons of Uranus.

Accepted Answer

Flopped over with a 98 degree tilt,Uranu

Question 8

Uranus' large axial tilt is thought to be the result of:

Accepted Answer

A)  the same orbital irregularities that led to the discovery of Neptune. 
B)  a single collision or impact event early in the solar system's history. 
C)  the captures of one or more of Uranus' moons. 
D)  giant planet migration. 
E)  multiple catastrophic events, such as glancing collisions. 
A)  the same orbital irregularities that led to the discovery of Neptune. 
B)  a single collision or impact event early in the solar system's history. 
C)  the captures of one or more of Uranus' moons. 
D)  giant planet migration. 
E)  multiple catastrophic events, such as glancing collisions.

Question 9

From Voyager 2,Neptune's clouds appeared much more active than did Uranus',surprising since Neptune is smaller,colder,and farther from the Sun.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Neptune has a highly tilted rotation axis,much like Uranus,and very unlike Saturn's.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

The only spacecraft to have visited Uranus and Neptune was:

Accepted Answer

A)  Pioneer 10. 
B)  Pioneer 11. 
C)  Voyager 1. 
D)  Voyager 2. 
E)  Cassini. 
A)  Pioneer 10. 
B)  Pioneer 11. 
C)  Voyager 1. 
D)  Voyager 2. 
E)  Cassini.

Question 12

________ looked very bland in Voyager 2 photos in 1986,but as equinox approached in the 1990s,its disk showed belts,zones,and storms.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________ looked very bland in Voyager 2...

Question 13

Neptune has a larger fraction of methane in its atmosphere than Uranus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Our most detailed knowledge of Uranus and Neptune comes from:

Accepted Answer

A)  spacecraft exploration. 
B)  the Hubble Space telescope. 
C)  ground based visual telescopes. 
D)  ground based radio telescopes. 
E)  manned missions. 
A)  spacecraft exploration. 
B)  the Hubble Space telescope. 
C)  ground based visual telescopes. 
D)  ground based radio telescopes. 
E)  manned missions.

Question 15

The masses of Neptune and Uranus were first determined by:

Accepted Answer

A)  observations of their motions around the Sun. 
B)  observations of their magnetic fields. 
C)  their densities divided by their volumes. 
D)  observations of the motions of their satellites. 
E)  their compositions. 
A)  observations of their motions around the Sun. 
B)  observations of their magnetic fields. 
C)  their densities divided by their volumes. 
D)  observations of the motions of their satellites. 
E)  their compositions.

Question 16

Uranus and Neptune are very similar in size and mass.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

The cantaloupe-like terrain of Triton is tectonic in origin,much like the grooved terrain of Ganymede and Enceladus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Bands in Uranus' atmosphere,similar to those seen on the other jovian planets,

Accepted Answer

A)  form due to Uranus' rapid rotation. 
B)  do not exist due to Uranus' large axial tilt. 
C)  do not exist because Uranus is too small. 
D)  are formed by interactions with Uranus' moons and rings. 
E)  are driven by Uranus' internal energy source. 
A)  form due to Uranus' rapid rotation. 
B)  do not exist due to Uranus' large axial tilt. 
C)  do not exist because Uranus is too small. 
D)  are formed by interactions with Uranus' moons and rings. 
E)  are driven by Uranus' internal energy source.

Question 19

Compared with the other jovian planets,Neptune is:

Accepted Answer

A)  much larger and featureless. 
B)  small with features similar to Jupiter. 
C)  small and featureless. 
D)  much larger with features similar to Saturn. 
E)  average, but featureless. 
A)  much larger and featureless. 
B)  small with features similar to Jupiter. 
C)  small and featureless. 
D)  much larger with features similar to Saturn. 
E)  average, but featureless.

Question 20

How were the rings of Uranus discovered? How have they since been imaged from Earth better?

Accepted Answer

Uranus passed in front of a star,and the

Exam 13: Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System

On what basis did Herschel think he had found a comet?

Studying the magnetospheres of the jovians has allowed us to measure their:

Uranus was discovered by accident,and mistaken for a comet at first.

Hubble Space Telescope photos have shown us:

What could explain the darker appearance of moons and rings in the outer solar system?

Compared to the other rings,those of ________ are the most irregular,with clumps of material and ring arcs.

Discuss the seasons of Uranus.

Uranus' large axial tilt is thought to be the result of:

From Voyager 2,Neptune's clouds appeared much more active than did Uranus',surprising since Neptune is smaller,colder,and farther from the Sun.

Neptune has a highly tilted rotation axis,much like Uranus,and very unlike Saturn's.

The only spacecraft to have visited Uranus and Neptune was:

________ looked very bland in Voyager 2 photos in 1986,but as equinox approached in the 1990s,its disk showed belts,zones,and storms.

Neptune has a larger fraction of methane in its atmosphere than Uranus.

Our most detailed knowledge of Uranus and Neptune comes from:

The masses of Neptune and Uranus were first determined by:

Uranus and Neptune are very similar in size and mass.

The cantaloupe-like terrain of Triton is tectonic in origin,much like the grooved terrain of Ganymede and Enceladus.

Bands in Uranus' atmosphere,similar to those seen on the other jovian planets,

Compared with the other jovian planets,Neptune is:

How were the rings of Uranus discovered? How have they since been imaged from Earth better?

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

Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons

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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