Question 1

Why is the moon Io volcanically active with a hot interior?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radioactive decay of elements in Io's core heat up the rock to molten temperatures. 
B)  Io is very close to the Sun. 
C)  Io was formed later than the other Galilean satellites, so it hasn't finished cooling yet. 
D)  Io gets flexed between the changing gravitational pulls of Jupiter and Europa, heating it by friction. 
A)  Radioactive decay of elements in Io's core heat up the rock to molten temperatures. 
B)  Io is very close to the Sun. 
C)  Io was formed later than the other Galilean satellites, so it hasn't finished cooling yet. 
D)  Io gets flexed between the changing gravitational pulls of Jupiter and Europa, heating it by friction.

Question 2

Which planet has the lowest density?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn 
B)  Jupiter 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Earth 
E)  Neptune 
A)  Saturn 
B)  Jupiter 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Earth 
E)  Neptune

Question 3

Which of the following is a common characteristic of the Jovian planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  mostly composed of hydrogen and helium 
B)  thick atmosphere 
C)  lack of solid surface 
D)  ring systems and satellites 
E)  All of these choices are correct. 
A)  mostly composed of hydrogen and helium 
B)  thick atmosphere 
C)  lack of solid surface 
D)  ring systems and satellites 
E)  All of these choices are correct.

Question 4

Which statement about Jupiter is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It may become a star in about a billion years. 
B)  It has a solid core of ice about 1,000 km under the visible surface. 
C)  It is the least dense of the Giant Planets. 
D)  It is more massive than all other planets combined. 
A)  It may become a star in about a billion years. 
B)  It has a solid core of ice about 1,000 km under the visible surface. 
C)  It is the least dense of the Giant Planets. 
D)  It is more massive than all other planets combined.

Question 5

Which of the Galilean moons has its own magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

A)  Io 
B)  Europa 
C)  Ganymede 
D)  Callisto 
E)  None of these choices is correct. 
A)  Io 
B)  Europa 
C)  Ganymede 
D)  Callisto 
E)  None of these choices is correct.

Question 6

Earth is probably the only Solar System object with a liquid ocean.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

The geography of Uranus' moon Miranda suggests it may have been broken apart into pieces by an impact and then drawn back together out of order by gravity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Together the Cassini spacecraft and its probe Huygens discovered which of the following features on Titan?

Accepted Answer

A)  river networks 
B)  lakes near the polar regions 
C)  dunes of ice crystals 
D)  an ice volcano 
E)  All of these choices are correct. 
A)  river networks 
B)  lakes near the polar regions 
C)  dunes of ice crystals 
D)  an ice volcano 
E)  All of these choices are correct.

Question 9

Astronomers expect that due to friction and collisions, the particles in Jupiter's ring are slowing down and will eventually spiral into the planet.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

What prompted astronomers to search for Neptune?

Accepted Answer

A)  Uranus was not following the precise orbit predicted by Newtonian physics. 
B)  An explosive impact on Neptune from a colliding planetesimal caught the attention of astronomers. 
C)  Bode's rule predicted a planet at the location of Neptune. 
D)  Nothing prompted astronomers to look for Neptune, it was found by accident. 
A)  Uranus was not following the precise orbit predicted by Newtonian physics. 
B)  An explosive impact on Neptune from a colliding planetesimal caught the attention of astronomers. 
C)  Bode's rule predicted a planet at the location of Neptune. 
D)  Nothing prompted astronomers to look for Neptune, it was found by accident.

Question 11

The surface structure of Saturn's largest satellite, Titan, is completely unknown because no spacecraft so far could take pictures through Titan's thick clouds.

Accepted Answer

A)  True, because no probe can pass through Titan's methane and ethane clouds. 
B)  True, because Titan's atmosphere blocks all wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. 
C)  False, recently in 2005, Cassini parachuted a probe into Titan's atmosphere and took the pictures of its surface. 
D)  False, but all information related to Titan's surface comes from radar images taken by the Cassini spacecraft. 
A)  True, because no probe can pass through Titan's methane and ethane clouds. 
B)  True, because Titan's atmosphere blocks all wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. 
C)  False, recently in 2005, Cassini parachuted a probe into Titan's atmosphere and took the pictures of its surface. 
D)  False, but all information related to Titan's surface comes from radar images taken by the Cassini spacecraft.

Question 12

The Cassini division seen in Saturn's rings is the result of a gravitational interaction from one of its moons on Saturn's rings.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Juno discovered that the polar regions of Jupiter are far more chaotic than the belts and zones.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Saturn's larger satellites have lower average density than the Galilean satellites of Jupiter; therefore, we can conclude that Saturn's satellites contain less rock and more ice than the Galilean satellites.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The energy that stirs the circulation in Jupiter's atmosphere comes from __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the Sun 
B)  the planet's interior 
C)  the tidal force of the Galilean moons 
D)  the planet's magnetic field 
A)  the Sun 
B)  the planet's interior 
C)  the tidal force of the Galilean moons 
D)  the planet's magnetic field

Question 16

Astronomers think that the inner core of Jupiter is composed mainly of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen 
B)  helium 
C)  uranium 
D)  rock and iron 
E)  water 
A)  hydrogen 
B)  helium 
C)  uranium 
D)  rock and iron 
E)  water

Question 17

The highly inclined and backwards rotation of Triton supports the hypothesis that Triton is a Kuiper belt object captured by Neptune.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Although Saturn and Jupiter have similar compositions their outer appearances are different because

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn's magnetic field is weaker than Jupiter's magnetic field. 
B)  Saturn's smaller size means it has a weaker gravitational field and thus less dramatic atmospheric effects. 
C)  Saturn has more water molecules throughout its atmosphere giving it a uniform appearance. 
D)  Saturn's cooler temperatures allow for the formation of a hazy layer of ammonia clouds that surrounds the planet. 
A)  Saturn's magnetic field is weaker than Jupiter's magnetic field. 
B)  Saturn's smaller size means it has a weaker gravitational field and thus less dramatic atmospheric effects. 
C)  Saturn has more water molecules throughout its atmosphere giving it a uniform appearance. 
D)  Saturn's cooler temperatures allow for the formation of a hazy layer of ammonia clouds that surrounds the planet.

Question 19

Why do astronomers believe that the Jovian planets are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because hydrogen and helium are the main constituents of the Solar System. 
B)  Because the Jovian planets are very large. 
C)  Because the Jovian planets have low densities. 
D)  The Voyager missions measured the chemical compositions of the interiors of the Jovian planets. 
A)  Because hydrogen and helium are the main constituents of the Solar System. 
B)  Because the Jovian planets are very large. 
C)  Because the Jovian planets have low densities. 
D)  The Voyager missions measured the chemical compositions of the interiors of the Jovian planets.

Why is the moon Io volcanically active with a hot interior?

Which planet has the lowest density?

Which of the following is a common characteristic of the Jovian planets?

Which statement about Jupiter is true?

Which of the Galilean moons has its own magnetic field?

Earth is probably the only Solar System object with a liquid ocean.

The geography of Uranus' moon Miranda suggests it may have been broken apart into pieces by an impact and then drawn back together out of order by gravity.

Together the Cassini spacecraft and its probe Huygens discovered which of the following features on Titan?

Astronomers expect that due to friction and collisions, the particles in Jupiter's ring are slowing down and will eventually spiral into the planet.

What prompted astronomers to search for Neptune?

The surface structure of Saturn's largest satellite, Titan, is completely unknown because no spacecraft so far could take pictures through Titan's thick clouds.

The Cassini division seen in Saturn's rings is the result of a gravitational interaction from one of its moons on Saturn's rings.

Juno discovered that the polar regions of Jupiter are far more chaotic than the belts and zones.

Saturn's larger satellites have lower average density than the Galilean satellites of Jupiter; therefore, we can conclude that Saturn's satellites contain less rock and more ice than the Galilean satellites.

The energy that stirs the circulation in Jupiter's atmosphere comes from __________.

Astronomers think that the inner core of Jupiter is composed mainly of ______.

The highly inclined and backwards rotation of Triton supports the hypothesis that Triton is a Kuiper belt object captured by Neptune.

Although Saturn and Jupiter have similar compositions their outer appearances are different because

Why do astronomers believe that the Jovian planets are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium?

The Cycles of the Sky

The Rise of Astronomy

Gravity and Motion

Light and Atoms

Telescopes

Earth

The Moon

Survey of Solar Systems

The Terrestrial Planets

Small Bodies Orbiting the Sun

The Sun, Our Star

Measuring the Properties of Stars

Stellar Evolution

Stellar Remnants: White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology

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Exam 10: The Outer Planets

Why is the moon Io volcanically active with a hot interior?

Which planet has the lowest density?

Which of the following is a common characteristic of the Jovian planets?

Which statement about Jupiter is true?

Which of the Galilean moons has its own magnetic field?

Earth is probably the only Solar System object with a liquid ocean.

The geography of Uranus' moon Miranda suggests it may have been broken apart into pieces by an impact and then drawn back together out of order by gravity.

Together the Cassini spacecraft and its probe Huygens discovered which of the following features on Titan?

Astronomers expect that due to friction and collisions, the particles in Jupiter's ring are slowing down and will eventually spiral into the planet.

What prompted astronomers to search for Neptune?

The surface structure of Saturn's largest satellite, Titan, is completely unknown because no spacecraft so far could take pictures through Titan's thick clouds.

The Cassini division seen in Saturn's rings is the result of a gravitational interaction from one of its moons on Saturn's rings.

Juno discovered that the polar regions of Jupiter are far more chaotic than the belts and zones.

Saturn's larger satellites have lower average density than the Galilean satellites of Jupiter; therefore, we can conclude that Saturn's satellites contain less rock and more ice than the Galilean satellites.

The energy that stirs the circulation in Jupiter's atmosphere comes from __________.

Astronomers think that the inner core of Jupiter is composed mainly of ______.

The highly inclined and backwards rotation of Triton supports the hypothesis that Triton is a Kuiper belt object captured by Neptune.

Although Saturn and Jupiter have similar compositions their outer appearances are different because

Why do astronomers believe that the Jovian planets are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium?

The Cycles of the Sky

The Rise of Astronomy

Gravity and Motion

Light and Atoms

Telescopes

Earth

The Moon

Survey of Solar Systems

The Terrestrial Planets

Small Bodies Orbiting the Sun

The Sun, Our Star

Measuring the Properties of Stars

Stellar Evolution

Stellar Remnants: White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology

Filters