Question 1

What do models suggest make up the clouds on "hot Jupiters"?

Accepted Answer

A)  ammonia 
B)  methane 
C)  water 
D)  rock dust 
E)  sodium 
A)  ammonia 
B)  methane 
C)  water 
D)  rock dust 
E)  sodium

Question 2

The star Rho Cancri B has about the same mass as our Sun, and the planet discovered around it orbits somewhat closer than Mercury orbits our Sun. The mass of the planet is estimated to be 1.1 times the mass of Jupiter. Why, according to our theory of solar system formation, is it surprising to find a planet the size of Rho Cancri B's planet orbiting at this distance?

Accepted Answer

In the nebular theory, jovian

Question 3

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the inner planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are relatively smaller than the outer planets. 
B)  They all have solid, rocky surfaces. 
C)  Their orbits are relatively closely spaced. 
D)  They all have substantial atmospheres. 
E)  They have very few, if any, satellites. 
A)  They are relatively smaller than the outer planets. 
B)  They all have solid, rocky surfaces. 
C)  Their orbits are relatively closely spaced. 
D)  They all have substantial atmospheres. 
E)  They have very few, if any, satellites.

Question 4

According to our theory of solar system formation, what are asteroids and comets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Leftover planetesimals that never accreted into planets 
B)  The shattered remains of collisions between planets 
C)  Chunks of rock or ice that condensed after the planets and moons finished forming 
D)  Chunks of rock or ice that were expelled from planets by volcanoes 
A)  Leftover planetesimals that never accreted into planets 
B)  The shattered remains of collisions between planets 
C)  Chunks of rock or ice that condensed after the planets and moons finished forming 
D)  Chunks of rock or ice that were expelled from planets by volcanoes

Question 5

All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction (counterclockwise as viewed from above Earth's North Pole).

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

The transit method of planet detection works best for

Accepted Answer

A)  big planets in edge-on orbits around around small stars. 
B)  big planets in face-on orbits around small stars. 
C)  small planets in edge-on orbits around big stars. 
D)  small planets in face-on orbits around big stars. 
E)  Earth-like planets in any orbit. 
A)  big planets in edge-on orbits around around small stars. 
B)  big planets in face-on orbits around small stars. 
C)  small planets in edge-on orbits around big stars. 
D)  small planets in face-on orbits around big stars. 
E)  Earth-like planets in any orbit.

Question 7

All the planets in the solar system have at least one moon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

In what way is Venus most similar to Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both planets are nearly the same size. 
B)  Both planets have very similar atmospheres. 
C)  Both planets have similar surface geology. 
D)  Both planets have warm days and cool nights. 
A)  Both planets are nearly the same size. 
B)  Both planets have very similar atmospheres. 
C)  Both planets have similar surface geology. 
D)  Both planets have warm days and cool nights.

Question 9

Oceans cover more of Earth's surface than land.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Which of the following is not a major pattern of motion in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nearly all comets orbit the Sun in same direction and roughly the same plane. 
B)  Most of the solar system's large moons orbit in their planet's equatorial plane. 
C)  The Sun and most of the planets rotate in the same direction in which the planets orbit the Sun. 
D)  All of the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction-counterclockwise as viewed from above Earth's north pole. 
A)  Nearly all comets orbit the Sun in same direction and roughly the same plane. 
B)  Most of the solar system's large moons orbit in their planet's equatorial plane. 
C)  The Sun and most of the planets rotate in the same direction in which the planets orbit the Sun. 
D)  All of the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction-counterclockwise as viewed from above Earth's north pole.

Question 11

Which of the following lists the planets of our solar system in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune 
B)  Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus 
D)  Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune 
A)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune 
B)  Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus 
D)  Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Question 12

The nebular theory of the formation of the solar system successfully predicts all but one of the following. Which one does the theory not predict?

Accepted Answer

A)  Planets orbit around the Sun in nearly circular orbits in a flattened disk. 
B)  the compositional differences between the terrestrial and jovian planets 
C)  the equal number of terrestrial and jovian planets (with the exception of Pluto) 
D)  the presence of asteroids and comets 
E)  the craters on the Moon 
A)  Planets orbit around the Sun in nearly circular orbits in a flattened disk. 
B)  the compositional differences between the terrestrial and jovian planets 
C)  the equal number of terrestrial and jovian planets (with the exception of Pluto) 
D)  the presence of asteroids and comets 
E)  the craters on the Moon

Question 13

According to modern scientific dating techniques, approximately how old is the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  4.5 billion years 
B)  10,000 years 
C)  4.6 million years 
D)  14 billion years 
A)  4.5 billion years 
B)  10,000 years 
C)  4.6 million years 
D)  14 billion years

Question 14

You observe a star very similar to our own Sun in size and mass. This star moves very slightly back and forth in the sky once every 4 months, and you attribute this motion to the effect of an orbiting planet. What can you conclude about the orbiting planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  The planet must be closer to the star than Earth is to the Sun. 
B)  The planet must have a mass about the same as the mass of Jupiter. 
C)  The planet must be farther from the star than Neptune is from the Sun. 
D)  You do not have enough information to say anything at all about the planet. 
A)  The planet must be closer to the star than Earth is to the Sun. 
B)  The planet must have a mass about the same as the mass of Jupiter. 
C)  The planet must be farther from the star than Neptune is from the Sun. 
D)  You do not have enough information to say anything at all about the planet.

Question 15

What would happen to the planets in a solar system where the central star did not have a strong wind?

Accepted Answer

A)  One planet would grow to dominate all the others and gravitationally eject them out of the system. 
B)  All planets would continue to grow to large sizes but their orbits would be unchanged. 
C)  The gas in the solar nebula would create a drag on the planets and their orbits would migrate inwards. 
D)  The gas in the solar nebula would create a drag on the planets and their orbits would migrate outwards. 
E)  Nothing, the star does not affect the process of planet formation. 
A)  One planet would grow to dominate all the others and gravitationally eject them out of the system. 
B)  All planets would continue to grow to large sizes but their orbits would be unchanged. 
C)  The gas in the solar nebula would create a drag on the planets and their orbits would migrate inwards. 
D)  The gas in the solar nebula would create a drag on the planets and their orbits would migrate outwards. 
E)  Nothing, the star does not affect the process of planet formation.

Question 16

Which of the following methods uses the principle of orbital acceleration to detect planets around another star?

Accepted Answer

A)  Measuring the change of light of a star as the planet crosses in front of it 
B)  Taking a picture of the planet next to the star 
C)  Measuring a single Doppler shift of a star, one time 
D)  Measuring change in the Doppler shifts of a star over the course of many nights 
A)  Measuring the change of light of a star as the planet crosses in front of it 
B)  Taking a picture of the planet next to the star 
C)  Measuring a single Doppler shift of a star, one time 
D)  Measuring change in the Doppler shifts of a star over the course of many nights

Question 17

According to our present theory of solar system formation, why were solid planetesimals able to grow larger in the outer solar system than in the inner solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because only metal and rock could condense in the inner solar system, while ice also condensed in the outer solar system 
B)  Because the Sun's gravity was stronger in the outer solar system, allowing more solid material to collect 
C)  Because gas in the outer solar system contained a larger proportion of rock, metal, and hydrogen compounds than the gas in the inner solar system 
D)  Because only the outer planets captured hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula 
A)  Because only metal and rock could condense in the inner solar system, while ice also condensed in the outer solar system 
B)  Because the Sun's gravity was stronger in the outer solar system, allowing more solid material to collect 
C)  Because gas in the outer solar system contained a larger proportion of rock, metal, and hydrogen compounds than the gas in the inner solar system 
D)  Because only the outer planets captured hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula

Question 18

Which moons are sometimes called the Galilean moons?

Accepted Answer

A)  The four largest moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto 
B)  The two largest moons in the solar system: Ganymede and Titan 
C)  The moons that orbit their planet "backward" compared to their planet's rotation, such as Neptune's moon Triton 
D)  The moons orbiting Uranus, which was once named "planet Galileo" 
A)  The four largest moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto 
B)  The two largest moons in the solar system: Ganymede and Titan 
C)  The moons that orbit their planet "backward" compared to their planet's rotation, such as Neptune's moon Triton 
D)  The moons orbiting Uranus, which was once named "planet Galileo"

Question 19

What is the giant impact hypothesis for the origin of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Moon formed from material blasted out of the Earth's mantle and crust by the impact of a Mars-size object. 
B)  The Moon formed when two gigantic asteroids collided with one another. 
C)  The Moon originally was about the same size as Earth, but a giant impact blasted most of it away so that it ended up much smaller than Earth. 
D)  The Moon formed just like the Earth, from accretion in the solar nebula. 
A)  The Moon formed from material blasted out of the Earth's mantle and crust by the impact of a Mars-size object. 
B)  The Moon formed when two gigantic asteroids collided with one another. 
C)  The Moon originally was about the same size as Earth, but a giant impact blasted most of it away so that it ended up much smaller than Earth. 
D)  The Moon formed just like the Earth, from accretion in the solar nebula.

Question 20

What are the main constituents of the jovian planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  rocky minerals and water, as on Earth 
B)  hydrogen and helium 
C)  ammonia and methane 
D)  ammonia and water 
E)  nitrogen and methane 
A)  rocky minerals and water, as on Earth 
B)  hydrogen and helium 
C)  ammonia and methane 
D)  ammonia and water 
E)  nitrogen and methane

What do models suggest make up the clouds on "hot Jupiters"?

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the inner planets?

According to our theory of solar system formation, what are asteroids and comets?

All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction (counterclockwise as viewed from above Earth's North Pole).

The transit method of planet detection works best for

All the planets in the solar system have at least one moon.

In what way is Venus most similar to Earth?

Oceans cover more of Earth's surface than land.

Which of the following is not a major pattern of motion in the solar system?

Which of the following lists the planets of our solar system in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun?

The nebular theory of the formation of the solar system successfully predicts all but one of the following. Which one does the theory not predict?

According to modern scientific dating techniques, approximately how old is the solar system?

You observe a star very similar to our own Sun in size and mass. This star moves very slightly back and forth in the sky once every 4 months, and you attribute this motion to the effect of an orbiting planet. What can you conclude about the orbiting planet?

What would happen to the planets in a solar system where the central star did not have a strong wind?

Which of the following methods uses the principle of orbital acceleration to detect planets around another star?

According to our present theory of solar system formation, why were solid planetesimals able to grow larger in the outer solar system than in the inner solar system?

Which moons are sometimes called the Galilean moons?

What is the giant impact hypothesis for the origin of the Moon?

What are the main constituents of the jovian planets?

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

Filters

Exam 6: Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond

What do models suggest make up the clouds on "hot Jupiters"?

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the inner planets?

According to our theory of solar system formation, what are asteroids and comets?

All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction (counterclockwise as viewed from above Earth's North Pole).

The transit method of planet detection works best for

All the planets in the solar system have at least one moon.

In what way is Venus most similar to Earth?

Oceans cover more of Earth's surface than land.

Which of the following is not a major pattern of motion in the solar system?

Which of the following lists the planets of our solar system in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun?

The nebular theory of the formation of the solar system successfully predicts all but one of the following. Which one does the theory not predict?

According to modern scientific dating techniques, approximately how old is the solar system?

You observe a star very similar to our own Sun in size and mass. This star moves very slightly back and forth in the sky once every 4 months, and you attribute this motion to the effect of an orbiting planet. What can you conclude about the orbiting planet?

What would happen to the planets in a solar system where the central star did not have a strong wind?

Which of the following methods uses the principle of orbital acceleration to detect planets around another star?

According to our present theory of solar system formation, why were solid planetesimals able to grow larger in the outer solar system than in the inner solar system?

Which moons are sometimes called the Galilean moons?

What is the giant impact hypothesis for the origin of the Moon?

What are the main constituents of the jovian planets?

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

Filters