Question 1

According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the solar nebula spun faster as it shrank in size?

Accepted Answer

A)  The law of conservation of angular momentum 
B)  The law of conservation of energy 
C)  The law of universal gravitation 
D)  Einstein's law E=mc² 
A)  The law of conservation of angular momentum 
B)  The law of conservation of energy 
C)  The law of universal gravitation 
D)  Einstein's law E=mc²

Question 2

All the planets in the solar system rotate in the same direction as they orbit the Sun.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Which of the following hypothetical discovery would force us to modify or discard our most current nebular theory?

Accepted Answer

A)  A star with 5 planets, orbiting in different directions 
B)  A star with 1 planet, rotating in a direction opposite to its orbital direction 
C)  A star with a disk of gas and zero planets 
D)  A star with 9 planets, and none of them have moons 
A)  A star with 5 planets, orbiting in different directions 
B)  A star with 1 planet, rotating in a direction opposite to its orbital direction 
C)  A star with a disk of gas and zero planets 
D)  A star with 9 planets, and none of them have moons

Question 4

If the proto star that became our Sun had been hotter and more luminous when it formed, what changes (if any) might have been experienced by our Solar System?

Accepted Answer

A)  Terrestrial planes could only have formed closer to the Sun. 
B)  No comets could have formed. 
C)  The Moon would not exist. 
D)  Mars would be a gas giant. 
E)  Jupiter would now be farther from the Sun. 
A)  Terrestrial planes could only have formed closer to the Sun. 
B)  No comets could have formed. 
C)  The Moon would not exist. 
D)  Mars would be a gas giant. 
E)  Jupiter would now be farther from the Sun.

Question 5

Why are many of the newly detected extrasolar planets called "hot Jupiters"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Their masses and composition are similar to what we would expect if Jupiter were hotter. 
B)  The planets tend to be detected around more massive, hotter stars than our Sun. 
C)  Their masses are similar to Jupiter but they are very close to the central star and therefore hot. 
D)  Their masses are similar to Jupiter but their composition is similar to Mercury. 
E)  because the discovery of other planets is very exciting 
A)  Their masses and composition are similar to what we would expect if Jupiter were hotter. 
B)  The planets tend to be detected around more massive, hotter stars than our Sun. 
C)  Their masses are similar to Jupiter but they are very close to the central star and therefore hot. 
D)  Their masses are similar to Jupiter but their composition is similar to Mercury. 
E)  because the discovery of other planets is very exciting

Question 6

Which of the following statements about Mars is not true?

Accepted Answer

A)  We could survive on Mars without spacesuits, as long as we brought oxygen in scuba tanks. 
B)  We have landed spacecraft on its surface. 
C)  It is considered part of our inner solar system. 
D)  It is frozen today, but once had flowing water. 
A)  We could survive on Mars without spacesuits, as long as we brought oxygen in scuba tanks. 
B)  We have landed spacecraft on its surface. 
C)  It is considered part of our inner solar system. 
D)  It is frozen today, but once had flowing water.

Question 7

Which of the following are relatively unchanged fragments from the early period of planet building in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  asteroids 
B)  Kuiper belt comets 
C)  Oort cloud comets 
D)  all of the above 
A)  asteroids 
B)  Kuiper belt comets 
C)  Oort cloud comets 
D)  all of the above

Question 8

Many meteorites appear to have formed very early in the solar system's history. How do these meteorites support our theory about how the terrestrial planets formed?

Accepted Answer

A)  The meteorites appearance and composition is just what we'd expect if metal and rock condensed and accreted as our theory suggests. 
B)  The meteorites sizes are just what we'd expect if metal and rock condensed and accreted as our theory suggests. 
C)  Their overall composition is just what we believe the composition of the solar nebula to have been: mostly hydrogen and helium. 
D)  Their appearance and composition matches what we observe in comets today, suggesting that they were once pieces of icy planetesimals. 
A)  The meteorites appearance and composition is just what we'd expect if metal and rock condensed and accreted as our theory suggests. 
B)  The meteorites sizes are just what we'd expect if metal and rock condensed and accreted as our theory suggests. 
C)  Their overall composition is just what we believe the composition of the solar nebula to have been: mostly hydrogen and helium. 
D)  Their appearance and composition matches what we observe in comets today, suggesting that they were once pieces of icy planetesimals.

Question 9

All four of the giant outer planets-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-have rings.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Briefly summarize the observed patterns of motion in our solar system that are consistent with the nebular theory.

Accepted Answer

(a) All planets orbit the Sun counterclo

Question 11

In the 1800s, many people assumed that Venus would have tropical temperatures, but instead it is very hot. Explain why tropical temperatures would have made sense given what was known in the 1800s, and why Venus instead turns out to be very hot.

Accepted Answer

If Venus had an atmosphere similar to ou

Question 12

Which of the following statements best explains why the planets orbit in nearly a single plane and in the same direction around the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  The planets formed from a disk of rotating gas. 
B)  The Sun rotates in the same direction, and spun out the planets as it formed. 
C)  The planets all rotate in same direction as they orbit. 
D)  It's a mysterious coincidence: the planets form randomly, so it's a puzzle how they orbit that way. 
A)  The planets formed from a disk of rotating gas. 
B)  The Sun rotates in the same direction, and spun out the planets as it formed. 
C)  The planets all rotate in same direction as they orbit. 
D)  It's a mysterious coincidence: the planets form randomly, so it's a puzzle how they orbit that way.

Question 13

The following statements are all true. Which one counts as an "exception to the rule" in being unusual for our solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  The diameter of Earth's Moon is about ¹/₄ that of Earth. 
B)  Venus does not have a moon. 
C)  Jupiter has a very small axis tilt. 
D)  Saturn has no solid surface. 
A)  The diameter of Earth's Moon is about ¹/₄ that of Earth. 
B)  Venus does not have a moon. 
C)  Jupiter has a very small axis tilt. 
D)  Saturn has no solid surface.

Question 14

The reason that most extrasolar planets are found close to their parent stars is

Accepted Answer

A)  the planets reflect more light the closer they are to the star. 
B)  more of the starlight is blocked by the planet when it transits the star. 
C)  the Doppler shift of the star's spectrum is larger. 
D)  the closer to a star, the hotter and therefore brighter the planet is. 
E)  planets that are close to a star are heated up and therefore larger. 
A)  the planets reflect more light the closer they are to the star. 
B)  more of the starlight is blocked by the planet when it transits the star. 
C)  the Doppler shift of the star's spectrum is larger. 
D)  the closer to a star, the hotter and therefore brighter the planet is. 
E)  planets that are close to a star are heated up and therefore larger.

Question 15

The region of our solar system between Mercury and Mars has very few asteroids, while the region between Mars and Jupiter has many asteroids. Based on what you have learned, what is the most likely explanation for the lack of asteroids between Mercury and Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  There were very few planetary leftovers in this region, because most of the solid material was accreted by the terrestrial planets as the planets formed. 
B)  It was too hot for asteroids to form in this part of the solar system. 
C)  Gravity was too weak to allow asteroids to form in this part of the solar system. 
D)  All the asteroids that formed between Mercury and Mars later migrated to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. 
A)  There were very few planetary leftovers in this region, because most of the solid material was accreted by the terrestrial planets as the planets formed. 
B)  It was too hot for asteroids to form in this part of the solar system. 
C)  Gravity was too weak to allow asteroids to form in this part of the solar system. 
D)  All the asteroids that formed between Mercury and Mars later migrated to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 16

Imagine that an alien spaceship crashed onto Earth. Which statement would most likely be true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would crash in the ocean. 
B)  The aliens' home world is another planet in our own solar system. 
C)  The crash would create a noticeable crater. 
D)  All the evidence of the crash would be quickly whisked off by the U.S. military to Area 51 in Nevada. 
A)  It would crash in the ocean. 
B)  The aliens' home world is another planet in our own solar system. 
C)  The crash would create a noticeable crater. 
D)  All the evidence of the crash would be quickly whisked off by the U.S. military to Area 51 in Nevada.

Question 17

According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the central regions of the solar nebula got hotter as the nebula shrank in size?

Accepted Answer

A)  The law of conservation of energy 
B)  The law of conservation of angular momentum 
C)  Newton's third law 
D)  The two laws of thermal radiation 
A)  The law of conservation of energy 
B)  The law of conservation of angular momentum 
C)  Newton's third law 
D)  The two laws of thermal radiation

Question 18

Why did the solar nebula flatten into a disk?

Accepted Answer

A)  The interstellar cloud from which the solar nebula formed was originally somewhat flat. 
B)  The force of gravity pulled the material downward into a flat disk. 
C)  As the nebula cooled, the gas and dust settled onto a disk. 
D)  It flattened as a natural consequence of collisions between particles in the nebula, changing random motions into more orderly ones. 
A)  The interstellar cloud from which the solar nebula formed was originally somewhat flat. 
B)  The force of gravity pulled the material downward into a flat disk. 
C)  As the nebula cooled, the gas and dust settled onto a disk. 
D)  It flattened as a natural consequence of collisions between particles in the nebula, changing random motions into more orderly ones.

Question 19

Most of the planets discovered around other stars have masses comparable to the terrestrial planets in our own solar system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Observations vs. Explanations. Which of the following statements is an explanation?

Accepted Answer

A)  The farther a galaxy is, the faster it is moving away from us. 
B)  The inner planets of the solar system are rocky and the outer planets are gas giants. 
C)  The orderly orbits of planets arose from their formation in a rotating cloud of gas. 
D)  Hydrogen and helium are important constituents of stars. 
E)  All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction and nearly the same plane. 
A)  The farther a galaxy is, the faster it is moving away from us. 
B)  The inner planets of the solar system are rocky and the outer planets are gas giants. 
C)  The orderly orbits of planets arose from their formation in a rotating cloud of gas. 
D)  Hydrogen and helium are important constituents of stars. 
E)  All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction and nearly the same plane.

According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the solar nebula spun faster as it shrank in size?

All the planets in the solar system rotate in the same direction as they orbit the Sun.

Which of the following hypothetical discovery would force us to modify or discard our most current nebular theory?

If the proto star that became our Sun had been hotter and more luminous when it formed, what changes (if any) might have been experienced by our Solar System?

Why are many of the newly detected extrasolar planets called "hot Jupiters"?

Which of the following statements about Mars is not true?

Which of the following are relatively unchanged fragments from the early period of planet building in the solar system?

Many meteorites appear to have formed very early in the solar system's history. How do these meteorites support our theory about how the terrestrial planets formed?

All four of the giant outer planets-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-have rings.

Briefly summarize the observed patterns of motion in our solar system that are consistent with the nebular theory.

In the 1800s, many people assumed that Venus would have tropical temperatures, but instead it is very hot. Explain why tropical temperatures would have made sense given what was known in the 1800s, and why Venus instead turns out to be very hot.

Which of the following statements best explains why the planets orbit in nearly a single plane and in the same direction around the Sun?

The following statements are all true. Which one counts as an "exception to the rule" in being unusual for our solar system?

The reason that most extrasolar planets are found close to their parent stars is

The region of our solar system between Mercury and Mars has very few asteroids, while the region between Mars and Jupiter has many asteroids. Based on what you have learned, what is the most likely explanation for the lack of asteroids between Mercury and Mars?

Imagine that an alien spaceship crashed onto Earth. Which statement would most likely be true?

According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the central regions of the solar nebula got hotter as the nebula shrank in size?

Why did the solar nebula flatten into a disk?

Most of the planets discovered around other stars have masses comparable to the terrestrial planets in our own solar system.

Observations vs. Explanations. Which of the following statements is an explanation?

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

According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the solar nebula spun faster as it shrank in size?

All the planets in the solar system rotate in the same direction as they orbit the Sun.

Which of the following hypothetical discovery would force us to modify or discard our most current nebular theory?

If the proto star that became our Sun had been hotter and more luminous when it formed, what changes (if any) might have been experienced by our Solar System?

Why are many of the newly detected extrasolar planets called "hot Jupiters"?

Which of the following statements about Mars is not true?

Which of the following are relatively unchanged fragments from the early period of planet building in the solar system?

Many meteorites appear to have formed very early in the solar system's history. How do these meteorites support our theory about how the terrestrial planets formed?

All four of the giant outer planets-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-have rings.

Briefly summarize the observed patterns of motion in our solar system that are consistent with the nebular theory.

In the 1800s, many people assumed that Venus would have tropical temperatures, but instead it is very hot. Explain why tropical temperatures would have made sense given what was known in the 1800s, and why Venus instead turns out to be very hot.

Which of the following statements best explains why the planets orbit in nearly a single plane and in the same direction around the Sun?

The following statements are all true. Which one counts as an "exception to the rule" in being unusual for our solar system?

The reason that most extrasolar planets are found close to their parent stars is

The region of our solar system between Mercury and Mars has very few asteroids, while the region between Mars and Jupiter has many asteroids. Based on what you have learned, what is the most likely explanation for the lack of asteroids between Mercury and Mars?

Imagine that an alien spaceship crashed onto Earth. Which statement would most likely be true?

According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the central regions of the solar nebula got hotter as the nebula shrank in size?

Why did the solar nebula flatten into a disk?

Most of the planets discovered around other stars have masses comparable to the terrestrial planets in our own solar system.

Observations vs. Explanations. Which of the following statements is an explanation?

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