Question 1

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is about equal to the radius of the planet. 
B)  It is the closest to the planet that moons normally are found. 
C)  It is the closest to the planet that rings will be found. 
D)  It is the farthest from the planet that moons normally are found. 
E)  Because they have no solid surfaces, giant planets do not have a Roche limit. 
A)  It is about equal to the radius of the planet. 
B)  It is the closest to the planet that moons normally are found. 
C)  It is the closest to the planet that rings will be found. 
D)  It is the farthest from the planet that moons normally are found. 
E)  Because they have no solid surfaces, giant planets do not have a Roche limit.

Question 2

Ocean tides on Earth are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Sun.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Once two objects are far enough away from each other, they no longer exert any gravitational attraction on each other.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Figure 2
-According to Figure 2, spring tides occur at which phases of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  third quarter 
B)  new and full 
C)  first and third quarter 
D)  full 
E)  new 
A)  third quarter 
B)  new and full 
C)  first and third quarter 
D)  full 
E)  new

Question 5

If you found an exoplanet whose mass was the same as Jupiter's, but the planet orbited its star with a period of 2 years and a semimajor axis of 1 AU, what would be the mass of its star? For reference, Jupiter has a semimajor axis of 5.4 AU and an orbital period of 12 years.

Accepted Answer

A)  0.25 M $\odot$ 
B)  0.5 M $\odot$ 
C)  2.0 M $\odot$ 
D)  1.5 M $\odot$ 
E)  not enough information available to answer 
A)  0.25 M $\odot$ 
B)  0.5 M $\odot$ 
C)  2.0 M $\odot$ 
D)  1.5 M $\odot$ 
E)  not enough information available to answer

Question 6

Two rocks (call them S and T) are a distance of 50 km from one another. Rock S has 20 times the mass of rock T. Considering only their mutual gravitational force, which rock will accelerate faster in response to gravity?

Accepted Answer

A)  rock S 
B)  rock T 
C)  Both rocks will have the same acceleration. 
D)  not enough information available to answer 
A)  rock S 
B)  rock T 
C)  Both rocks will have the same acceleration. 
D)  not enough information available to answer

Question 7

Because of tidal forces, for every _________ time(s) it rotates on its axis, Mercury revolves around the Sun _________ time(s).

Accepted Answer

A)  1; 1 
B)  2; 3 
C)  3; 2 
D)  10; 1 
E)  20; 1 
A)  1; 1 
B)  2; 3 
C)  3; 2 
D)  10; 1 
E)  20; 1

Question 8

How much stronger is the gravitational force of the Sun on the Earth compared to the gravitational force of the Sun on Pluto? Note that Pluto's semimajor axis is 40, AU, and Pluto's mass is 0.002 times the mass of the Earth.

Accepted Answer

For a planet, the force of gravity betwe

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet?

Ocean tides on Earth are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Sun.

Once two objects are far enough away from each other, they no longer exert any gravitational attraction on each other.

Figure 2 -According to Figure 2, spring tides occur at which phases of the Moon?

If you found an exoplanet whose mass was the same as Jupiter's, but the planet orbited its star with a period of 2 years and a semimajor axis of 1 AU, what would be the mass of its star? For reference, Jupiter has a semimajor axis of 5.4 AU and an orbital period of 12 years.

Two rocks (call them S and T) are a distance of 50 km from one another. Rock S has 20 times the mass of rock T. Considering only their mutual gravitational force, which rock will accelerate faster in response to gravity?

Because of tidal forces, for every _ time(s) it rotates on its axis, Mercury revolves around the Sun _ time(s).

How much stronger is the gravitational force of the Sun on the Earth compared to the gravitational force of the Sun on Pluto? Note that Pluto's semimajor axis is 40, AU, and Pluto's mass is 0.002 times the mass of the Earth.

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

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

Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

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

Filters

Exam 4: Gravity and Orbits

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet?

Ocean tides on Earth are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Sun.

Once two objects are far enough away from each other, they no longer exert any gravitational attraction on each other.

Figure 2 -According to Figure 2, spring tides occur at which phases of the Moon?

If you found an exoplanet whose mass was the same as Jupiter's, but the planet orbited its star with a period of 2 years and a semimajor axis of 1 AU, what would be the mass of its star? For reference, Jupiter has a semimajor axis of 5.4 AU and an orbital period of 12 years.

Two rocks (call them S and T) are a distance of 50 km from one another. Rock S has 20 times the mass of rock T. Considering only their mutual gravitational force, which rock will accelerate faster in response to gravity?

Because of tidal forces, for every _________ time(s) it rotates on its axis, Mercury revolves around the Sun _________ time(s).

How much stronger is the gravitational force of the Sun on the Earth compared to the gravitational force of the Sun on Pluto? Note that Pluto's semimajor axis is 40, AU, and Pluto's mass is 0.002 times the mass of the Earth.

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

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

Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

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

Filters

Because of tidal forces, for every _ time(s) it rotates on its axis, Mercury revolves around the Sun _ time(s).