Question 1

What is the appearance of Saturn's satellite Titan when viewed from space?

Accepted Answer

A)  The surface is not visible under a featureless cloud cover. 
B)  A smooth surface of ice is criss-crossed with innumerable streaks and cracks. 
C)  Volcanoes, lava flows, and sulfur dioxide frost are seen over the whole surface. 
D)  Dark islands of methane ice are seen in a bright ethane sea, covered by occasional clouds. 
A)  The surface is not visible under a featureless cloud cover. 
B)  A smooth surface of ice is criss-crossed with innumerable streaks and cracks. 
C)  Volcanoes, lava flows, and sulfur dioxide frost are seen over the whole surface. 
D)  Dark islands of methane ice are seen in a bright ethane sea, covered by occasional clouds.

Question 2

On which one of Jupiter's Galilean moons is there evidence of present tectonic activity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Io 
B)  Europa 
C)  Ganymede 
D)  Callisto 
A)  Io 
B)  Europa 
C)  Ganymede 
D)  Callisto

Question 3

The Great Dark Spot on Neptune:

Accepted Answer

A)  disappeared sometime between the Voyager flyby in 1989 and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
B)  came into existence sometime between the Voyager fly-by in 1989 and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
C)  was the short-lived result of a comet crash in 1995. 
D)  has been visible through telescopes since at least as far back as 1665. 
A)  disappeared sometime between the Voyager flyby in 1989 and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
B)  came into existence sometime between the Voyager fly-by in 1989 and when the Hubble Space Telescope photographed Neptune in 1994. 
C)  was the short-lived result of a comet crash in 1995. 
D)  has been visible through telescopes since at least as far back as 1665.

Question 4

The surface temperature of Titan,the largest moon of Saturn,is:

Accepted Answer

A)  178 K (195°
C) . 
B)  273 K (0°
C) . 
C)  368 K (+95°
C) . 
D)  95 K (-178°
C) . 
A)  178 K (195°
C) . 
B)  273 K (0°
C) . 
C)  368 K (+95°
C) . 
D)  95 K (-178°
C) .

Question 5

The major satellites of Uranus have orbits that are:

Accepted Answer

A)  all outside the inner ring system. 
B)  all closer to Uranus than the inner ring system is. 
C)  some closer and some farther away from the planet than the inner ring system is. 
D)  mostly within the gaps of the inner ring system. 
A)  all outside the inner ring system. 
B)  all closer to Uranus than the inner ring system is. 
C)  some closer and some farther away from the planet than the inner ring system is. 
D)  mostly within the gaps of the inner ring system.

Question 6

Where are the five moderate-sized satellites of Uranus in relation to the rings?

Accepted Answer

A)  All five are closer to Uranus than the rings. 
B)  Miranda is closer to Uranus than the rings; Ariel and Umbriel are shepherd satellites for the rings; Titania and Oberon are beyond the rings. 
C)  Only Miranda is within the ring system; the rest are beyond. 
D)  All five are well outside the ring system. 
A)  All five are closer to Uranus than the rings. 
B)  Miranda is closer to Uranus than the rings; Ariel and Umbriel are shepherd satellites for the rings; Titania and Oberon are beyond the rings. 
C)  Only Miranda is within the ring system; the rest are beyond. 
D)  All five are well outside the ring system.

Question 7

What is the interior structure of Saturn?

Accepted Answer

A)  rocky core, thick mantle of liquid metallic hydrogen and helium, relatively thin gaseous atmosphere 
B)  rocky core, thin mantle of liquid metallic hydrogen and helium, relatively thin gaseous atmosphere 
C)  large iron core, molten rock mantle, thin gaseous atmosphere 
D)  large liquid metallic hydrogen core overlaid by a thick gaseous atmosphere 
A)  rocky core, thick mantle of liquid metallic hydrogen and helium, relatively thin gaseous atmosphere 
B)  rocky core, thin mantle of liquid metallic hydrogen and helium, relatively thin gaseous atmosphere 
C)  large iron core, molten rock mantle, thin gaseous atmosphere 
D)  large liquid metallic hydrogen core overlaid by a thick gaseous atmosphere

Question 8

How does the amount of radiation radiated from Jupiter compare with the amount of radiation it receives from the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter receives more radiation than it radiates because of the external energy required to maintain its powerful magnetic field. 
B)  These two are in balance, as they must be. 
C)  Jupiter radiates about twice as much energy as it receives from the Sun. 
D)  Jupiter radiates almost 75 times as much energy as it receives from the Sun. 
A)  Jupiter receives more radiation than it radiates because of the external energy required to maintain its powerful magnetic field. 
B)  These two are in balance, as they must be. 
C)  Jupiter radiates about twice as much energy as it receives from the Sun. 
D)  Jupiter radiates almost 75 times as much energy as it receives from the Sun.

Question 9

What are the light-colored bands on Jupiter called?

Accepted Answer

A)  belts 
B)  streams 
C)  plumes 
D)  zones 
A)  belts 
B)  streams 
C)  plumes 
D)  zones

Question 10

The dark,reddish bands on Jupiter are called:

Accepted Answer

A)  streams. 
B)  zones. 
C)  voids. 
D)  belts. 
A)  streams. 
B)  zones. 
C)  voids. 
D)  belts.

Question 11

What size are the particles making up Saturn's rings?

Accepted Answer

A)  a few micrometers in diameter (dust grains) 
B)  up to about 1 mm in diameter ("snowflakes") 
C)  up to about 10 cm in diameter 
D)  up to about 10 m in diameter 
A)  a few micrometers in diameter (dust grains) 
B)  up to about 1 mm in diameter ("snowflakes") 
C)  up to about 10 cm in diameter 
D)  up to about 10 m in diameter

Question 12

Which conclusion is CORRECT on the basis of observations of the motions of Jupiter's clouds?

Accepted Answer

A)  The planet rotates differentially, with the equatorial regions rotating fastest while intermediate latitudes and polar regions rotate more slowly. 
B)  Intermediate-latitude regions rotate fastest while equatorial and polar regions rotate more slowly, as shown by the presence of bands and zones and locally rotating spots and ovals. 
C)  The planet rotates as a solid body because of its great mass and self-gravitation, with all regions having the same rotation speed. 
D)  The planet rotates differentially, with equatorial regions rotating slowest and rotation speed increasing toward both poles. 
A)  The planet rotates differentially, with the equatorial regions rotating fastest while intermediate latitudes and polar regions rotate more slowly. 
B)  Intermediate-latitude regions rotate fastest while equatorial and polar regions rotate more slowly, as shown by the presence of bands and zones and locally rotating spots and ovals. 
C)  The planet rotates as a solid body because of its great mass and self-gravitation, with all regions having the same rotation speed. 
D)  The planet rotates differentially, with equatorial regions rotating slowest and rotation speed increasing toward both poles.

Question 13

Which is the only satellite in the solar system known to possess a permanent,dense atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  Titan 
B)  Charon 
C)  Callisto 
D)  Ganymede 
A)  Titan 
B)  Charon 
C)  Callisto 
D)  Ganymede

Question 14

On which other world in the solar system do we find evidence of ice rafts (now apparently frozen)similar in many respects to ice rafts in Earth's Arctic Ocean?

Accepted Answer

A)  on the icy surface of Jupiter's satellite Europa 
B)  on Pluto, in the equatorial region facing most directly toward the Sun 
C)  in the tropical regions of Saturn's satellite Titan 
D)  on Mars, at the edges of the polar caps 
A)  on the icy surface of Jupiter's satellite Europa 
B)  on Pluto, in the equatorial region facing most directly toward the Sun 
C)  in the tropical regions of Saturn's satellite Titan 
D)  on Mars, at the edges of the polar caps

Question 15

Which description is TRUE of the surface of Callisto,the outer Galilean moon of Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A)  very dark, rocky surface with a thin ice frost that occasionally disappears by evaporation when illuminated by the sun 
B)  ammonia and methane ice surface with methane clouds above it, making the moon appear very bright 
C)  ice-covered and heavily cratered surface with a dark coating, maybe of meteoritic dust or hydrocarbon material, making the moon appear dark 
D)  sulfur-coated surface with molten sulfur lakes and active volcanoes 
A)  very dark, rocky surface with a thin ice frost that occasionally disappears by evaporation when illuminated by the sun 
B)  ammonia and methane ice surface with methane clouds above it, making the moon appear very bright 
C)  ice-covered and heavily cratered surface with a dark coating, maybe of meteoritic dust or hydrocarbon material, making the moon appear dark 
D)  sulfur-coated surface with molten sulfur lakes and active volcanoes

Question 16

The particles in Saturn's rings:

Accepted Answer

A)  move in circular orbits; the outer particles move fastest because they are farthest from the planet. 
B)  revolve in different directions depending on the distance from the planet; the reversal of this direction is at the Cassini division. 
C)  all move as if they were one solid disk. 
D)  move in circular Keplerian orbits; the inner particles move fastest. 
A)  move in circular orbits; the outer particles move fastest because they are farthest from the planet. 
B)  revolve in different directions depending on the distance from the planet; the reversal of this direction is at the Cassini division. 
C)  all move as if they were one solid disk. 
D)  move in circular Keplerian orbits; the inner particles move fastest.

Question 17

The four giant moons of Jupiter were discovered by:

Accepted Answer

A)  Newton, in seventeenth-century England. 
B)  the Pioneer spacecraft, the first spacecraft to visit Jupiter. 
C)  Galileo, in seventeenth-century Italy. 
D)  Ptolemy, in ancient Greece. 
A)  Newton, in seventeenth-century England. 
B)  the Pioneer spacecraft, the first spacecraft to visit Jupiter. 
C)  Galileo, in seventeenth-century Italy. 
D)  Ptolemy, in ancient Greece.

Question 18

Io,one of the major moons of Jupiter,is undergoing extensive volcanic activity associated with interior heating that is caused by:

Accepted Answer

A)  deposition of energy by particles from within Jupiter's Van Allen belts. 
B)  original heat caused by gravitational condensation at the moon's formation. 
C)  tidal distortion and internal friction because of flexing. 
D)  solar radiation and heat falling on the surface. 
A)  deposition of energy by particles from within Jupiter's Van Allen belts. 
B)  original heat caused by gravitational condensation at the moon's formation. 
C)  tidal distortion and internal friction because of flexing. 
D)  solar radiation and heat falling on the surface.

Question 19

The rings of Saturn are in which plane with respect to the planetary system?

Accepted Answer

A)  the orbital plane of Saturn around the Sun 
B)  the equatorial plane of Saturn 
C)  the plane inclined at an angle to both the orbital and equatorial planes of the planet and to the ecliptic plane, which is why we can easily see them face-on from Earth 
D)  the ecliptic plane 
A)  the orbital plane of Saturn around the Sun 
B)  the equatorial plane of Saturn 
C)  the plane inclined at an angle to both the orbital and equatorial planes of the planet and to the ecliptic plane, which is why we can easily see them face-on from Earth 
D)  the ecliptic plane

Question 20

The structure of Ganymede,a Galilean satellite of Jupiter,is thought to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  an iron core, a rocky mantle, and a liquid ocean with a dirty ice surface. 
B)  mostly or entirely rock, with no firm evidence of an iron core, and active volcanoes on its surface. 
C)  a large rocky core with a thin layer (100 km thick) of ice and water over it. 
D)  about half rock and half ice, with rock at the center and ice outside. 
A)  an iron core, a rocky mantle, and a liquid ocean with a dirty ice surface. 
B)  mostly or entirely rock, with no firm evidence of an iron core, and active volcanoes on its surface. 
C)  a large rocky core with a thin layer (100 km thick) of ice and water over it. 
D)  about half rock and half ice, with rock at the center and ice outside.

What is the appearance of Saturn's satellite Titan when viewed from space?

On which one of Jupiter's Galilean moons is there evidence of present tectonic activity?

The Great Dark Spot on Neptune:

The surface temperature of Titan,the largest moon of Saturn,is:

The major satellites of Uranus have orbits that are:

Where are the five moderate-sized satellites of Uranus in relation to the rings?

What is the interior structure of Saturn?

How does the amount of radiation radiated from Jupiter compare with the amount of radiation it receives from the Sun?

What are the light-colored bands on Jupiter called?

The dark,reddish bands on Jupiter are called:

What size are the particles making up Saturn's rings?

Which conclusion is CORRECT on the basis of observations of the motions of Jupiter's clouds?

Which is the only satellite in the solar system known to possess a permanent,dense atmosphere?

On which other world in the solar system do we find evidence of ice rafts (now apparently frozen)similar in many respects to ice rafts in Earth's Arctic Ocean?

Which description is TRUE of the surface of Callisto,the outer Galilean moon of Jupiter?

The particles in Saturn's rings:

The four giant moons of Jupiter were discovered by:

Io,one of the major moons of Jupiter,is undergoing extensive volcanic activity associated with interior heating that is caused by:

The rings of Saturn are in which plane with respect to the planetary system?

The structure of Ganymede,a Galilean satellite of Jupiter,is thought to be:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 7: The Outer Planets and Their Moons

What is the appearance of Saturn's satellite Titan when viewed from space?

On which one of Jupiter's Galilean moons is there evidence of present tectonic activity?

The Great Dark Spot on Neptune:

The surface temperature of Titan,the largest moon of Saturn,is:

The major satellites of Uranus have orbits that are:

Where are the five moderate-sized satellites of Uranus in relation to the rings?

What is the interior structure of Saturn?

How does the amount of radiation radiated from Jupiter compare with the amount of radiation it receives from the Sun?

What are the light-colored bands on Jupiter called?

The dark,reddish bands on Jupiter are called:

What size are the particles making up Saturn's rings?

Which conclusion is CORRECT on the basis of observations of the motions of Jupiter's clouds?

Which is the only satellite in the solar system known to possess a permanent,dense atmosphere?

On which other world in the solar system do we find evidence of ice rafts (now apparently frozen)similar in many respects to ice rafts in Earth's Arctic Ocean?

Which description is TRUE of the surface of Callisto,the outer Galilean moon of Jupiter?

The particles in Saturn's rings:

The four giant moons of Jupiter were discovered by:

Io,one of the major moons of Jupiter,is undergoing extensive volcanic activity associated with interior heating that is caused by:

The rings of Saturn are in which plane with respect to the planetary system?

The structure of Ganymede,a Galilean satellite of Jupiter,is thought to be:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters