Question 1

What do we mean by the period of heavy bombardment in the context of the history of our solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  The first few hundred million years after the planets formed, which is when most impact craters were formed 
B)  The time before planetesimals finished accreting into planets, during which many growing planetesimals must have shattered in collisions 
C)  The time during which heavy elements condensed into rock and metal in the solar nebula 
D)  The period about 65 million years ago when an impact is thought to have led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 
A)  The first few hundred million years after the planets formed, which is when most impact craters were formed 
B)  The time before planetesimals finished accreting into planets, during which many growing planetesimals must have shattered in collisions 
C)  The time during which heavy elements condensed into rock and metal in the solar nebula 
D)  The period about 65 million years ago when an impact is thought to have led to the extinction of the dinosaurs

Question 2

Which of the following discoveries would cause us to re-evaluate the nebular theory for forming planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  A star's 5 terrestrial planets orbit in the opposite direction of its 3 jovian planets. 
B)  Of the star's five terrestrial planets, one has a large moon. 
C)  Two of the star's planets are rotating in directions backwards compared to their orbital direction. 
D)  A star has 20 planets. 
E)  A star has zero planets. 
A)  A star's 5 terrestrial planets orbit in the opposite direction of its 3 jovian planets. 
B)  Of the star's five terrestrial planets, one has a large moon. 
C)  Two of the star's planets are rotating in directions backwards compared to their orbital direction. 
D)  A star has 20 planets. 
E)  A star has zero planets.

Question 3

How do scientists determine the age of the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radiometric dating of meteorites 
B)  Radiometric dating of Moon rocks 
C)  Radiometric dating of the oldest Earth rocks 
D)  Theoretical calculations tell us how long it has taken the planets to evolve to their present forms. 
A)  Radiometric dating of meteorites 
B)  Radiometric dating of Moon rocks 
C)  Radiometric dating of the oldest Earth rocks 
D)  Theoretical calculations tell us how long it has taken the planets to evolve to their present forms.

Question 4

What do we mean by accretion in the context of planet formation?

Accepted Answer

A)  The growth of planetesimals from smaller solid particles that collided and stuck together 
B)  The formation of moons around planets 
C)  The solidification of ices, rocks, and metal from the gas of the solar nebular 
D)  The growth of the Sun as the density of gas increased in the center of the solar nebula 
A)  The growth of planetesimals from smaller solid particles that collided and stuck together 
B)  The formation of moons around planets 
C)  The solidification of ices, rocks, and metal from the gas of the solar nebular 
D)  The growth of the Sun as the density of gas increased in the center of the solar nebula

Question 5

The more massive planets in the solar system tend to be less dense than the lower mass planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Briefly summarize the differences between terrestrial and jovian planets.

Accepted Answer

Terrestrial planets are metallic or rock

Question 7

A planet's size can be determined by observing its transit across a star.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following statements about the accelerations and gravitational forces between a planet and a star is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Accelerations and forces are both equal and opposite. 
B)  Acceleration is equal and opposite; the star feels more force more than the planet. 
C)  Forces are equal and opposite; the star is accelerated more than the planet. 
D)  Forces are equal and opposite; the planet is accelerated more than the star. 
E)  Acceleration is equal and opposite; the planet feels more force more than the star. 
A)  Accelerations and forces are both equal and opposite. 
B)  Acceleration is equal and opposite; the star feels more force more than the planet. 
C)  Forces are equal and opposite; the star is accelerated more than the planet. 
D)  Forces are equal and opposite; the planet is accelerated more than the star. 
E)  Acceleration is equal and opposite; the planet feels more force more than the star.

Question 9

Which of the following is not evidence supporting the idea that our Moon formed as a result of a giant impact?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Pacific Ocean appears to be a large crater-probably the one made by the giant impact. 
B)  Computer simulations show that the Moon could really have formed in this way. 
C)  The Moon's average density suggests it is made of rock much more like that of the Earth's outer layers than that of the Earth as a whole. 
D)  The Moon has a much smaller proportion of easily vaporized materials than Earth. 
A)  The Pacific Ocean appears to be a large crater-probably the one made by the giant impact. 
B)  Computer simulations show that the Moon could really have formed in this way. 
C)  The Moon's average density suggests it is made of rock much more like that of the Earth's outer layers than that of the Earth as a whole. 
D)  The Moon has a much smaller proportion of easily vaporized materials than Earth.

Question 10

The age of the solar system can be established by radioactive dating of

Accepted Answer

A)  the oldest rocks on Earth. 
B)  the oldest rocks on the Moon. 
C)  the oldest meteorites. 
D)  the atmosphere of Mars. 
E)  It hasn't been done yet, but the age of the solar system could be obtained from a sample of Io's surface. 
A)  the oldest rocks on Earth. 
B)  the oldest rocks on the Moon. 
C)  the oldest meteorites. 
D)  the atmosphere of Mars. 
E)  It hasn't been done yet, but the age of the solar system could be obtained from a sample of Io's surface.

Question 11

What percentage of the solar nebula's mass consisted of hydrogen and helium gases?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.5 percent 
B)  5 percent 
C)  50 percent 
D)  98 percent 
E)  100 percent 
A)  0.5 percent 
B)  5 percent 
C)  50 percent 
D)  98 percent 
E)  100 percent

Question 12

According to our theory of solar system formation, why do all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction and in nearly the same plane?

Accepted Answer

A)  The original solar nebula happened to be disk-shaped by chance. 
B)  Any planets that once orbited in the opposite direction or a different plane were ejected from the solar system. 
C)  The laws of conservation of energy and conservation of angular momentum ensure that any rotating, collapsing cloud will end up as a spinning disk. 
D)  The Sun formed first, and as it grew in size it spread into a disk, rather like the way a ball of dough can be flattened into a pizza by spinning it. 
E)  Luck explains it, as we would expect that most other solar systems would not have all their planets orbiting in such a pattern. 
A)  The original solar nebula happened to be disk-shaped by chance. 
B)  Any planets that once orbited in the opposite direction or a different plane were ejected from the solar system. 
C)  The laws of conservation of energy and conservation of angular momentum ensure that any rotating, collapsing cloud will end up as a spinning disk. 
D)  The Sun formed first, and as it grew in size it spread into a disk, rather like the way a ball of dough can be flattened into a pizza by spinning it. 
E)  Luck explains it, as we would expect that most other solar systems would not have all their planets orbiting in such a pattern.

Question 13

Within the frost line, planetesimals were composed entirely of rock and outside the frost line planetesimals were composed entirely of ice.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

According to modern science, what was the approximate chemical composition of the solar nebula?

Accepted Answer

A)  98% hydrogen and helium, 2% everything else 
B)  50% hydrogen and helium, 50% everything else 
C)  98% hydrogen, 2% helium 
D)  Roughly equal proportions of hydrogen, helium, water, and methane 
A)  98% hydrogen and helium, 2% everything else 
B)  50% hydrogen and helium, 50% everything else 
C)  98% hydrogen, 2% helium 
D)  Roughly equal proportions of hydrogen, helium, water, and methane

What do we mean by the period of heavy bombardment in the context of the history of our solar system?

Which of the following discoveries would cause us to re-evaluate the nebular theory for forming planets?

How do scientists determine the age of the solar system?

What do we mean by accretion in the context of planet formation?

The more massive planets in the solar system tend to be less dense than the lower mass planets.

Briefly summarize the differences between terrestrial and jovian planets.

A planet's size can be determined by observing its transit across a star.

Which of the following statements about the accelerations and gravitational forces between a planet and a star is true?

Which of the following is not evidence supporting the idea that our Moon formed as a result of a giant impact?

The age of the solar system can be established by radioactive dating of

What percentage of the solar nebula's mass consisted of hydrogen and helium gases?

According to our theory of solar system formation, why do all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction and in nearly the same plane?

Within the frost line, planetesimals were composed entirely of rock and outside the frost line planetesimals were composed entirely of ice.

According to modern science, what was the approximate chemical composition of the solar nebula?

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

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

What do we mean by the period of heavy bombardment in the context of the history of our solar system?

Which of the following discoveries would cause us to re-evaluate the nebular theory for forming planets?

How do scientists determine the age of the solar system?

What do we mean by accretion in the context of planet formation?

The more massive planets in the solar system tend to be less dense than the lower mass planets.

Briefly summarize the differences between terrestrial and jovian planets.

A planet's size can be determined by observing its transit across a star.

Which of the following statements about the accelerations and gravitational forces between a planet and a star is true?

Which of the following is not evidence supporting the idea that our Moon formed as a result of a giant impact?

The age of the solar system can be established by radioactive dating of

What percentage of the solar nebula's mass consisted of hydrogen and helium gases?

According to our theory of solar system formation, why do all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction and in nearly the same plane?

Within the frost line, planetesimals were composed entirely of rock and outside the frost line planetesimals were composed entirely of ice.

According to modern science, what was the approximate chemical composition of the solar nebula?

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