Question 1

Based on the photo shown below, this moon:

Accepted Answer

A)  is geologically active 
B)  is possibly geologically active 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active 
D)  is geologically dead 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. 
A)  is geologically active 
B)  is possibly geologically active 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active 
D)  is geologically dead 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. B

Question 2

Saturn's rings disappear from sight every:

Accepted Answer

A)  40 years 
B)  25 years 
C)  15 years 
D)  8 years 
E)  6 months 
A)  40 years 
B)  25 years 
C)  15 years 
D)  8 years 
E)  6 months C

Question 3

On which of Saturn's moons did the Cassini-Huygens probe land in 2004?

Accepted Answer

A)  Callisto 
B)  Io 
C)  Europa 
D)  Enceladus 
E)  Titan 
A)  Callisto 
B)  Io 
C)  Europa 
D)  Enceladus 
E)  Titan E

Question 4

Which of the following moons do scientists believe most closely represents the primordial Earth, although at a much lower temperature?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

Rank the four giant planets' ring systems from brightest to darkest.

Accepted Answer

Saturn's rings are the brighte

Question 6

Cryovolcanism occurs when:

Accepted Answer

A)  molten lava freezes when it reaches the surface because of extremely low temperatures 
B)  volcanoes erupt underwater 
C)  an icy moon has volcanoes emitting molten lava from deep underground 
D)  low-temperature liquids explode through the surface because of increasing pressure underground 
E)  a comet hits an object and causes volcanic eruptions 
A)  molten lava freezes when it reaches the surface because of extremely low temperatures 
B)  volcanoes erupt underwater 
C)  an icy moon has volcanoes emitting molten lava from deep underground 
D)  low-temperature liquids explode through the surface because of increasing pressure underground 
E)  a comet hits an object and causes volcanic eruptions

Question 7

Which property of a moon might lead you to believe it was a captured asteroid?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is tidally locked. 
B)  Its orbital axis is tilted by 5° compared to the planet's rotational axis. 
C)  It rotates in the opposite direction than its planet rotates. 
D)  Its surface is very smooth and lacks craters. 
E)  It is roughly the size of Earth's moon. 
A)  It is tidally locked. 
B)  Its orbital axis is tilted by 5° compared to the planet's rotational axis. 
C)  It rotates in the opposite direction than its planet rotates. 
D)  Its surface is very smooth and lacks craters. 
E)  It is roughly the size of Earth's moon.

Question 8

How do astronomers take such detailed, close-up pictures of ring systems?

Accepted Answer

A)  They send satellites to the outer planets to take pictures for us. 
B)  They take them using backyard telescopes, just like Galileo did. 
C)  They take them using the largest optical telescopes on Earth. 
D)  They have astronauts in space take pictures of them. 
E)  They wait until the planet is closest to the Earth and use the Hubble Space Telescope. 
A)  They send satellites to the outer planets to take pictures for us. 
B)  They take them using backyard telescopes, just like Galileo did. 
C)  They take them using the largest optical telescopes on Earth. 
D)  They have astronauts in space take pictures of them. 
E)  They wait until the planet is closest to the Earth and use the Hubble Space Telescope.

Question 9

Eruptions of water-powered geysers have been seen on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Based on the photo shown below, this moon:

Accepted Answer

A)  is geologically active 
B)  is possibly geologically active 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active 
D)  is geologically dead 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. 
A)  is geologically active 
B)  is possibly geologically active 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active 
D)  is geologically dead 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made.

Question 11

There are over 170 known moons in the Solar System.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Who first discovered moons around a planet in our Solar System other than the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Newton 
B)  Kepler 
C)  Galileo 
D)  Huygens 
E)  Einstein 
A)  Newton 
B)  Kepler 
C)  Galileo 
D)  Huygens 
E)  Einstein

Question 13

Ring material:

Accepted Answer

A)  is made primarily of fine dust 
B)  has always orbited the giant planets 
C)  reflects more than 75 percent of the light that falls on them 
D)  must constantly be renewed 
E)  is made primarily of kilometer-sized rocks 
A)  is made primarily of fine dust 
B)  has always orbited the giant planets 
C)  reflects more than 75 percent of the light that falls on them 
D)  must constantly be renewed 
E)  is made primarily of kilometer-sized rocks

Question 14

Rings of giant planets are very thin compared to their diameters mainly because:

Accepted Answer

A)  of collisions between ring particles 
B)  moons that tidally disrupt have small diameters 
C)  energy is conserved when a moon tidally disrupts 
D)  the planets have large tidal forces 
E)  shepherd moons force them to be extremely thin 
A)  of collisions between ring particles 
B)  moons that tidally disrupt have small diameters 
C)  energy is conserved when a moon tidally disrupts 
D)  the planets have large tidal forces 
E)  shepherd moons force them to be extremely thin

Question 15

Particles that make up the rings of Uranus and Neptune are composed of:

Accepted Answer

A)  rocky material from tidally disrupted moons 
B)  organic material that has darkened due to bombardment by high-energy, charged particles 
C)  icy material from tidally disrupted comets 
D)  magma from volcanic eruptions on the surfaces of their moons 
E)  all of the above 
A)  rocky material from tidally disrupted moons 
B)  organic material that has darkened due to bombardment by high-energy, charged particles 
C)  icy material from tidally disrupted comets 
D)  magma from volcanic eruptions on the surfaces of their moons 
E)  all of the above

Question 16

Io has the most volcanic activity in the Solar System because:

Accepted Answer

A)  it is continually being bombarded with material in Saturn's E ring 
B)  it is one of the largest moons and its interior is heated by radioactive decays 
C)  of gravitational friction caused by the moon Enceladus 
D)  its interior is tidally heated as it orbits around Jupiter 
E)  the ice on the surface creates a large pressure on the water below 
A)  it is continually being bombarded with material in Saturn's E ring 
B)  it is one of the largest moons and its interior is heated by radioactive decays 
C)  of gravitational friction caused by the moon Enceladus 
D)  its interior is tidally heated as it orbits around Jupiter 
E)  the ice on the surface creates a large pressure on the water below

Question 17

To be effective, backlighting should be done with wavelengths of light that are large compared to the size of the object.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Explain how a planet obtains a regular moon orbiting it.

Accepted Answer

Regular moons are formed from

Question 19

How do particles from the moon Enceladus wind up in Saturn's E ring?

Accepted Answer

A)  Volcanoes erupt and expel silicates into space. 
B)  Water geysers erupt from the surface and expel them into space. 
C)  Cosmic rays bombard the surface rock on Enceladus and expel them into space. 
D)  A collision with a co-orbiting moon knocked rocky debris into orbit around Saturn. 
E)  Strong winds from Saturn blow material off of Enceladus's surface. 
A)  Volcanoes erupt and expel silicates into space. 
B)  Water geysers erupt from the surface and expel them into space. 
C)  Cosmic rays bombard the surface rock on Enceladus and expel them into space. 
D)  A collision with a co-orbiting moon knocked rocky debris into orbit around Saturn. 
E)  Strong winds from Saturn blow material off of Enceladus's surface.

Question 20

If a moon has a retrograde orbit then it:

Accepted Answer

A)  orbits in the opposite direction than its planet rotates 
B)  orbits in the opposite direction than its planet revolves around the Sun 
C)  orbits in a clockwise direction as viewed from the planet's north pole 
D)  A and C 
E)  all of the above 
A)  orbits in the opposite direction than its planet rotates 
B)  orbits in the opposite direction than its planet revolves around the Sun 
C)  orbits in a clockwise direction as viewed from the planet's north pole 
D)  A and C 
E)  all of the above

Exam 11: Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

Based on the photo shown below, this moon:

Saturn's rings disappear from sight every:

On which of Saturn's moons did the Cassini-Huygens probe land in 2004?

Which of the following moons do scientists believe most closely represents the primordial Earth, although at a much lower temperature?

Rank the four giant planets' ring systems from brightest to darkest.

Cryovolcanism occurs when:

Which property of a moon might lead you to believe it was a captured asteroid?

How do astronomers take such detailed, close-up pictures of ring systems?

Eruptions of water-powered geysers have been seen on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Based on the photo shown below, this moon:

There are over 170 known moons in the Solar System.

Who first discovered moons around a planet in our Solar System other than the Earth?

Ring material:

Rings of giant planets are very thin compared to their diameters mainly because:

Particles that make up the rings of Uranus and Neptune are composed of:

Io has the most volcanic activity in the Solar System because:

To be effective, backlighting should be done with wavelengths of light that are large compared to the size of the object.

Explain how a planet obtains a regular moon orbiting it.

How do particles from the moon Enceladus wind up in Saturn's E ring?

If a moon has a retrograde orbit then it:

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquid the Giant Planets

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

The Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

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