Exam 5: The Architecture and Birth of Planetary Systems

Two comets approach the Sun with the same perihelion distance.Comet A's orbit has a higher eccentricity and is more inclined relative to the ecliptic than comet B's orbit.Which comet is more likely to come from the Oort Cloud?

A comet is best described as a:

Giant planets attain their atmospheres through:

What is the key difference between the core accretion and hydrodynamic instability models for gas giant formation?

Two planets,A and B,have identical compositions.Planet A has an orbital radius of 0.5 AU and a mass equal to 0.5 Earth masses.Planet B has an orbital radius of 1 AU and a mass equal to 1 Earth mass.Which planet is denser? Why?

A Solar System body with a dozen moons,a mass of 15 Earth masses,and strong magnetic fields is most likely a(n):

Pluto is closest in mass to:

Hot Jupiters provide evidence for:

A star-exoplanet system is oriented on the sky as shown in the figure below,which shows several snapshots of the planet's orbit.How could astronomers measure the density of this planet?

A meteor shower occurs when:

An interstellar cloud of gas and dust with a radius of 10⁵ AU rotates slowly,with its outer edge traveling at 10⁻³ km/s.How fast is the outer edge of the cloud rotating after it contracts to 100 AU?

The orbits of the planets in our Solar System:

Compared to our Solar System,the majority of exoplanets have orbits with:

Compare the following properties between Mars and Jupiter: mass,orbital radius,rotation rate,and density.

A planet orbiting a star with a mass one-quarter that of the Sun has an orbital radius of 1/25 AU.If Earth's orbital velocity is 30 km/s,what is the orbital velocity of this planet?

Why do the compositions of planets in our Solar System depend on distance from the Sun?

The figure below shows the orbits of planets within our Solar System (not to scale),with three of the orbits labeled by letters A,B,and C.Which type of planet is most likely to follow each of these orbits?

Suppose Jupiter's orbit suddenly became highly eccentric.How would this affect the Solar System?

An icy,rocky body on a highly elliptical orbit through our Solar System is most likely a:

Among the terrestrial planets,which of the following properties decreases with distance from the Sun?