Question 1

What do long period comets tell us about the structure of the Oort Cloud?

Accepted Answer

Long- period comets have aphelions far beyond the orbit of Neptune, and come at random inclinations to the ecliptic, as if from a spherical distribution.

Question 2

Streaks of light made when small debris hits our atmosphere are called

Accepted Answer

A)   asteroids.
B)   meteoroids.
C)   comets.
D)   meteors.
E)   meteorites. D

Question 3

Observationally contrast the discoveries of most comets and asteroids.

Accepted Answer

Comets are typically first noted as the Sun's heat drives off gases, forming their coma and making them look fuzzy. Their cometary nature is then confirmed by observations of their orbital motion. Asteroids look like "little stars," and thus must be found via their motion, either with them appearing as streaks on the time exposures, or analysis of digital images over time.

Question 4

The asteroids moving in the orbit of Jupiter, but 60 degrees ahead or behind it, are called the .

Accepted Answer

The answer of The asteroids moving in the orbit of...

Question 5

The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already found hundreds of exoplanet candidates.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already...

Question 6

Describe the orbits of the Kuiper Belt bodies.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the orbits of the Kuiper Belt...

Question 7

The Trojan asteroids are found

Accepted Answer

A)   closer on average to the Sun than is the Earth.
B)   sixty degrees ahead or behind Jupiter, sharing its orbit about the Sun.
C)   beyond Neptune, with orbits similar to Pluto's.
D)   orbiting around the Kuiper Belt body Hector.
E)   with the others, between Mars and Jupiter; their red color gives them their name.

Question 8

Astronomers have not yet been able to detect planets outside our solar system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters"-extremely massive planets orbiting very close to their parent stars-do not look like our own solar system. Are they inconsistent with the condensation theory of solar system formation? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters"-extremely massive planets...

Question 10

Some meteorites are believed to have come from Mars and the Moon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Density is defined as

Accepted Answer

A)   weight divided by the planet's radius.
B)   size divided by weight.
C)   mass per unit volume.
D)   mass times weight.
E)   weight per square inch.

Question 12

Most astronomers now believe the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was caused by a large asteroid impacting the Yucatan peninsula area.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT icy in composition?

Accepted Answer

A)   comet nuclei
B)   asteroids
C)   the polar cap of Mars
D)   Kuiper Belt Objects
E)   most jovian satellites

Question 14

Explain how the Doppler effect has been used to detect invisible planets orbiting other Sun- like stars.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how the Doppler effect has been...

Question 15

While Kuiper Belt bodies are often larger than any asteroid, we think their density will be lower due to presence of a lot of

Accepted Answer

A)   methane.
B)   helium.
C)   rock.
D)   ice.
E)   hydrogen.

Question 16

Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids....

Question 17

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

The planets are large bodies in the outer solar system with compositions like the Sun's.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The planets are large bodies in the...

Question 19

Pluto is more similar to the jovian planet's icy moons than to any of the other planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Explain the effect angular momentum has on a gas cloud as it contracts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the effect angular momentum has on...

Exam 5: The Solar System: Interplanetary Matter and the Birth of the Planets

What do long period comets tell us about the structure of the Oort Cloud?

Streaks of light made when small debris hits our atmosphere are called

Observationally contrast the discoveries of most comets and asteroids.

The asteroids moving in the orbit of Jupiter, but 60 degrees ahead or behind it, are called the .

The spacecraft, launched in 2009, has already found hundreds of exoplanet candidates.

Describe the orbits of the Kuiper Belt bodies.

The Trojan asteroids are found

Astronomers have not yet been able to detect planets outside our solar system.

Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters"-extremely massive planets orbiting very close to their parent stars-do not look like our own solar system. Are they inconsistent with the condensation theory of solar system formation? Explain.

Some meteorites are believed to have come from Mars and the Moon.

Density is defined as

Most astronomers now believe the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was caused by a large asteroid impacting the Yucatan peninsula area.

Which of the following is NOT icy in composition?

Explain how the Doppler effect has been used to detect invisible planets orbiting other Sun- like stars.

While Kuiper Belt bodies are often larger than any asteroid, we think their density will be lower due to presence of a lot of

Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids.

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

The planets are large bodies in the outer solar system with compositions like the Sun's.

Pluto is more similar to the jovian planet's icy moons than to any of the other planets.

Explain the effect angular momentum has on a gas cloud as it contracts.