Question 1

Why is the innermost Galilean moon Io made mostly of rock while the outermost Galilean moon, Callisto made of a mixture of ice and rock?

Accepted Answer

A)  Io formed close to Jupiter where the temperatures were too high for ices to form 
B)  Callisto was captured as it wandered in from the Kuiper Belt 
C)  Io once had ice on its surface which was vaporized away by volcanism 
D)  Callisto experience many impact by icy comets which built up a layer of ice on its surface 
A)  Io formed close to Jupiter where the temperatures were too high for ices to form 
B)  Callisto was captured as it wandered in from the Kuiper Belt 
C)  Io once had ice on its surface which was vaporized away by volcanism 
D)  Callisto experience many impact by icy comets which built up a layer of ice on its surface

Question 2

Life in the subsurface ocean of Europa will most likely consist of

Accepted Answer

A)  creatures similar to seals and penguins which enter the ocean through holes in the icy crust 
B)  plants on the ocean floor 
C)  simple single-celled organisms 
D)  fish and other complex aquatic organisms 
A)  creatures similar to seals and penguins which enter the ocean through holes in the icy crust 
B)  plants on the ocean floor 
C)  simple single-celled organisms 
D)  fish and other complex aquatic organisms

Question 3

Europa is most likely made of

Accepted Answer

A)  pure water ice 
B)  rock and water ice 
C)  rock and iron 
D)  pure rock 
A)  pure water ice 
B)  rock and water ice 
C)  rock and iron 
D)  pure rock

Question 4

Which of the three key environmental requirements for life might Europa possess?

Accepted Answer

A)  a source of elements and molecules from which to build living organisms 
B)  a source of energy for metabolism and growth 
C)  a liquid medium for transporting the molecules of life 
D)  all of these 
A)  a source of elements and molecules from which to build living organisms 
B)  a source of energy for metabolism and growth 
C)  a liquid medium for transporting the molecules of life 
D)  all of these

Question 5

In addition to being the second-largest moon in the solar system, Saturn's moon Titan, is

Accepted Answer

A)  the only moon to have its own internal magnetic field 
B)  the only moon to have its own atmosphere 
C)  more geologically active than the Earth 
D)  the only moon to show evidence for a subsurface ocean of water 
A)  the only moon to have its own internal magnetic field 
B)  the only moon to have its own atmosphere 
C)  more geologically active than the Earth 
D)  the only moon to show evidence for a subsurface ocean of water

Question 6

Features called "Tiger Stripes" are found on the surface of which Jovian moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Europa 
B)  Ganymede 
C)  Enceladus 
D)  Triton 
A)  Europa 
B)  Ganymede 
C)  Enceladus 
D)  Triton

Question 7

The lack of large impact craters on the surface of Europa is consistent with

Accepted Answer

A)  active volcanism that is constantly resurfacing the crust 
B)  the surface being covered with an ocean of liquid water 
C)  the crust being so thick and hard that impacts leave no marks on the surface 
D)  a subsurface ocean of water because large impacts will break the thin crust causing water and slushy ice below to flood out and resurface the crust 
A)  active volcanism that is constantly resurfacing the crust 
B)  the surface being covered with an ocean of liquid water 
C)  the crust being so thick and hard that impacts leave no marks on the surface 
D)  a subsurface ocean of water because large impacts will break the thin crust causing water and slushy ice below to flood out and resurface the crust

Question 8

Jovian moons are typically made of

Accepted Answer

A)  solid ice 
B)  ice and rock 
C)  rock and iron 
D)  solid rock 
A)  solid ice 
B)  ice and rock 
C)  rock and iron 
D)  solid rock

Question 9

Which of the four Galilean moons is least likely to harbor life beneath its surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  Europa 
B)  Io 
C)  Callisto 
D)  Ganymede 
A)  Europa 
B)  Io 
C)  Callisto 
D)  Ganymede

Question 10

The first Jovian moons were discovered by

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo 
B)  Tycho 
C)  Huygens 
D)  Cassini 
A)  Galileo 
B)  Tycho 
C)  Huygens 
D)  Cassini

Question 11

Chemical disequilibrium inevitably exists near deep-sea volcanic vents, because

Accepted Answer

A)  there are unequal concentrations of minerals and water 
B)  the high-temperature vent water causes water molecules to break down into hydrogen and oxygen 
C)  mixing between the high-temperature vent water and the surrounding low-temperature ocean water creates conditions in which minerals and water will undergo chemical reactions 
D)  the high pressures existing at the ocean floor cause chemical reactions between minerals and water 
A)  there are unequal concentrations of minerals and water 
B)  the high-temperature vent water causes water molecules to break down into hydrogen and oxygen 
C)  mixing between the high-temperature vent water and the surrounding low-temperature ocean water creates conditions in which minerals and water will undergo chemical reactions 
D)  the high pressures existing at the ocean floor cause chemical reactions between minerals and water

Question 12

Saturn's icy moon Enceladus

Accepted Answer

A)  has an ancient, heavily cratered surface reminiscent of the Moon 
B)  is small and irregular in shape like an asteroid 
C)  has a smooth, icy surface criss-crossed with dark cracks 
D)  has fountains of ice particles and water vapor spraying out from its surface 
A)  has an ancient, heavily cratered surface reminiscent of the Moon 
B)  is small and irregular in shape like an asteroid 
C)  has a smooth, icy surface criss-crossed with dark cracks 
D)  has fountains of ice particles and water vapor spraying out from its surface

Question 13

Calculate the tidal force in Newtons that Jupiter exerts on Io (per kilogram) and compare that force to the effect of Io's own gravity. (Useful data: MJᵤpᵢtₑᵣ = 1.899 10²⁷ kilograms, rIₒ = 3.642 10⁶ meters, the average Jupiter-Io distance is 4.216 10⁸ meters, and MIₒ = 8.932 10²² kilograms)

Accepted Answer

A)  18.0 N 
B)  32.5 N 
C)  12.1 N 
D)  99.6 N 
A)  18.0 N 
B)  32.5 N 
C)  12.1 N 
D)  99.6 N

Question 14

The Hubble Space Telescope has recently strengthened the case for a subsurface ocean on Ganymede by observing

Accepted Answer

A)  changes in time of auroras surrounding the moon 
B)  a thin atmosphere of water vapor above the surface 
C)  salts on its surface 
D)  jets of water erupting from the surface 
A)  changes in time of auroras surrounding the moon 
B)  a thin atmosphere of water vapor above the surface 
C)  salts on its surface 
D)  jets of water erupting from the surface

Question 15

In the subsurface ocean beneath Europa's icy crust, if life exists, it most likely originated

Accepted Answer

A)  close to volcanic vents on its ocean floor 
B)  on the surface and then migrated down into the ocean 
C)  just below the surface of its thin icy crust where sunlight is still able to penetrate 
D)  via panspermia from impacts 
A)  close to volcanic vents on its ocean floor 
B)  on the surface and then migrated down into the ocean 
C)  just below the surface of its thin icy crust where sunlight is still able to penetrate 
D)  via panspermia from impacts

Question 16

Even though Jupiter's moon Io is similar in size to our geologically dead Moon, it is more geologically active than the Earth. How can this be?

Accepted Answer

A)  because Io orbits very close to Jupiter, it still has a lot of heat trapped inside from its formation 
B)  Io is tidally heated by tidal forces exerted by the outer Galilean moons, which flex and distort its interior 
C)  Io has much more radioactive decay occurring inside it than does the Earth 
D)  Io is tidally heated due to its elliptical orbit, which causes the large tidal forces exerted by Jupiter to constantly change, flexing and distorting its interior 
A)  because Io orbits very close to Jupiter, it still has a lot of heat trapped inside from its formation 
B)  Io is tidally heated by tidal forces exerted by the outer Galilean moons, which flex and distort its interior 
C)  Io has much more radioactive decay occurring inside it than does the Earth 
D)  Io is tidally heated due to its elliptical orbit, which causes the large tidal forces exerted by Jupiter to constantly change, flexing and distorting its interior

Question 17

Like our own moon, many Jovian moons exhibit what is called synchronous rotation. This means that they rotate at the same rate

Accepted Answer

A)  that their host planet rotates 
B)  as all other moons around the host planet 
C)  that the host planet orbits about the Sun 
D)  that they orbit their host planet 
A)  that their host planet rotates 
B)  as all other moons around the host planet 
C)  that the host planet orbits about the Sun 
D)  that they orbit their host planet

Question 18

What is the relationship between density and distance for the four Galilean moons of Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A)  density increases with increasing distance 
B)  density remains constant with distance 
C)  density first decreases and then increases with distance 
D)  density decreases with distance 
A)  density increases with increasing distance 
B)  density remains constant with distance 
C)  density first decreases and then increases with distance 
D)  density decreases with distance

Question 19

A mission that NASA is planning to launch between 2022 and 2025 will be able to confirm the presence of a subsurface ocean on Europa by using a

Accepted Answer

A)  spectrometer to detect the spectral signature of liquid water at and beneath the surface 
B)  camera to observe the formation and breakup of icebergs on the surface 
C)  projectile to break the thin icy crust to reveal the water below 
D)  laser altimeter to detect the regular bulging of the thin icy crust on top of the ocean due to tidal forces 
A)  spectrometer to detect the spectral signature of liquid water at and beneath the surface 
B)  camera to observe the formation and breakup of icebergs on the surface 
C)  projectile to break the thin icy crust to reveal the water below 
D)  laser altimeter to detect the regular bulging of the thin icy crust on top of the ocean due to tidal forces

Question 20

From a chemical energy standpoint, the basic requirement for life is a situation in which chemicals naturally exist in a state of

Accepted Answer

A)  instability 
B)  disequilibrium 
C)  equilibrium 
D)  stability 
A)  instability 
B)  disequilibrium 
C)  equilibrium 
D)  stability

Why is the innermost Galilean moon Io made mostly of rock while the outermost Galilean moon, Callisto made of a mixture of ice and rock?

Life in the subsurface ocean of Europa will most likely consist of

Europa is most likely made of

Which of the three key environmental requirements for life might Europa possess?

In addition to being the second-largest moon in the solar system, Saturn's moon Titan, is

Features called "Tiger Stripes" are found on the surface of which Jovian moon?

The lack of large impact craters on the surface of Europa is consistent with

Jovian moons are typically made of

Which of the four Galilean moons is least likely to harbor life beneath its surface?

The first Jovian moons were discovered by

Chemical disequilibrium inevitably exists near deep-sea volcanic vents, because

Saturn's icy moon Enceladus

The Hubble Space Telescope has recently strengthened the case for a subsurface ocean on Ganymede by observing

In the subsurface ocean beneath Europa's icy crust, if life exists, it most likely originated

Even though Jupiter's moon Io is similar in size to our geologically dead Moon, it is more geologically active than the Earth. How can this be?

Like our own moon, many Jovian moons exhibit what is called synchronous rotation. This means that they rotate at the same rate

What is the relationship between density and distance for the four Galilean moons of Jupiter?

A mission that NASA is planning to launch between 2022 and 2025 will be able to confirm the presence of a subsurface ocean on Europa by using a

From a chemical energy standpoint, the basic requirement for life is a situation in which chemicals naturally exist in a state of

A Universe of Life

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

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Exam 9: Life on Jovian Moons

Why is the innermost Galilean moon Io made mostly of rock while the outermost Galilean moon, Callisto made of a mixture of ice and rock?

Life in the subsurface ocean of Europa will most likely consist of

Europa is most likely made of

Which of the three key environmental requirements for life might Europa possess?

In addition to being the second-largest moon in the solar system, Saturn's moon Titan, is

Features called "Tiger Stripes" are found on the surface of which Jovian moon?

The lack of large impact craters on the surface of Europa is consistent with

Jovian moons are typically made of

Which of the four Galilean moons is least likely to harbor life beneath its surface?

The first Jovian moons were discovered by

Chemical disequilibrium inevitably exists near deep-sea volcanic vents, because

Saturn's icy moon Enceladus

The Hubble Space Telescope has recently strengthened the case for a subsurface ocean on Ganymede by observing

In the subsurface ocean beneath Europa's icy crust, if life exists, it most likely originated

Even though Jupiter's moon Io is similar in size to our geologically dead Moon, it is more geologically active than the Earth. How can this be?

Like our own moon, many Jovian moons exhibit what is called synchronous rotation. This means that they rotate at the same rate

What is the relationship between density and distance for the four Galilean moons of Jupiter?

A mission that NASA is planning to launch between 2022 and 2025 will be able to confirm the presence of a subsurface ocean on Europa by using a

From a chemical energy standpoint, the basic requirement for life is a situation in which chemicals naturally exist in a state of

A Universe of Life

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters