Question 1

What is believed to be the basic structure of the interior of Uranus?

Accepted Answer

A)  rocky core, thick layer of highly compressed liquid water, thick outer layer of liquid hydrogen, thin gaseous atmosphere 
B)  rocky core, thick layer of liquid water covered by a thin gaseous atmosphere 
C)  rocky core, thick layer of liquid metallic hydrogen, thin gaseous atmosphere 
D)  iron core, thick layer of rock, solid icy surface covered by a thin gaseous atmosphere 
A)  rocky core, thick layer of highly compressed liquid water, thick outer layer of liquid hydrogen, thin gaseous atmosphere 
B)  rocky core, thick layer of liquid water covered by a thin gaseous atmosphere 
C)  rocky core, thick layer of liquid metallic hydrogen, thin gaseous atmosphere 
D)  iron core, thick layer of rock, solid icy surface covered by a thin gaseous atmosphere

Question 2

What is the mass of Jupiter compared with other objects in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  20 times the mass of all other planets combined 
B)  half the mass of the Sun 
C)  as large as the mass of Saturn and Neptune combined 
D)  about two and a half times the mass of all other planets combined 
A)  20 times the mass of all other planets combined 
B)  half the mass of the Sun 
C)  as large as the mass of Saturn and Neptune combined 
D)  about two and a half times the mass of all other planets combined

Question 3

The major planet whose spin axis lies almost in its orbital plane is

Accepted Answer

A)  Neptune. 
B)  Uranus. 
C)  Mars. 
D)  Mercury. 
A)  Neptune. 
B)  Uranus. 
C)  Mars. 
D)  Mercury.

Question 4

Which of the moons of Jupiter is characterized by an exceptionally smooth, icy surface, few craters, and many streaks and cracks?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

The major chemical constituent of the layers of material continuously being deposited on the surface of Io, the innermost moon of Jupiter, by "volcanic" action is

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen. 
B)  sulfur. 
C)  silicate dust and rock. 
D)  water. 
A)  hydrogen. 
B)  sulfur. 
C)  silicate dust and rock. 
D)  water.

Question 6

The 2009 impact site near the south pole of Jupiter's atmosphere was noticeably different from the 1994 impacts. How?

Accepted Answer

A)  The 2009 site was much larger, indicating a more massive impactor. 
B)  The 2009 site was surrounded by a halo of small impacts, indicating the impact by an asteroid rather than a comet. 
C)  The 2009 site was not surrounded by a halo of small impacts, thus indicating the impact by an asteroid rather than a comet. 
D)  The colors that developed at this site were different from those of the earlier impacts because of differences in temperature and composition of Jupiter's atmosphere near the poles. 
A)  The 2009 site was much larger, indicating a more massive impactor. 
B)  The 2009 site was surrounded by a halo of small impacts, indicating the impact by an asteroid rather than a comet. 
C)  The 2009 site was not surrounded by a halo of small impacts, thus indicating the impact by an asteroid rather than a comet. 
D)  The colors that developed at this site were different from those of the earlier impacts because of differences in temperature and composition of Jupiter's atmosphere near the poles.

Question 7

Kepler's third law for orbits around the Sun is a3 = P2 where the semimajor axis is in au, and the period P is in years. For objects in orbit around Jupiter, one must use a3 = 0.001 P2 because the mass of Jupiter in solar masses is approximately 0.001. The period for Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in its orbit around Jupiter was about 2 years. What was its maximum distance from Jupiter in this orbit (in u)?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.05 
B)  0.16 
C)  0.32 
D)  0.48 
A)  0.05 
B)  0.16 
C)  0.32 
D)  0.48

Question 8

What is the composition of Saturn's rings?

Accepted Answer

A)  particles of methane and ammonia ice 
B)  sodium and sulfur ions 
C)  small grains of rock 
D)  water ice or ice-coated rock 
A)  particles of methane and ammonia ice 
B)  sodium and sulfur ions 
C)  small grains of rock 
D)  water ice or ice-coated rock

Question 9

Which of these correctly characterizes the composition of Jupiter's cloud layers?

Accepted Answer

A)  hard surface just under the cloud layers, contrary to the understanding of Jupiter's atmospheric structure 
B)  no evidence at all of hydrogen in the atmosphere of Jupiter 
C)  vast quantities of invisible water vapor above the cloud layers 
D)  only traces of water vapor and many other chemical elements in the cloud layers that are very easily measured spectroscopically from Earth 
A)  hard surface just under the cloud layers, contrary to the understanding of Jupiter's atmospheric structure 
B)  no evidence at all of hydrogen in the atmosphere of Jupiter 
C)  vast quantities of invisible water vapor above the cloud layers 
D)  only traces of water vapor and many other chemical elements in the cloud layers that are very easily measured spectroscopically from Earth

Question 10

The particles in Saturn's rings are composed of

Accepted Answer

A)  rocks with the reflectivity of dark asphalt. 
B)  iron and nickel. 
C)  ammonia and methane ice, possibly with rocky centers. 
D)  water ice or rock coated with water ice. 
A)  rocks with the reflectivity of dark asphalt. 
B)  iron and nickel. 
C)  ammonia and methane ice, possibly with rocky centers. 
D)  water ice or rock coated with water ice.

Question 11

The spacecraft that successfully photographed Uranus on a 1986 flyby mission was

Accepted Answer

A)  Viking. 
B)  Voyager. 
C)  Magellan. 
D)  Galileo. 
A)  Viking. 
B)  Voyager. 
C)  Magellan. 
D)  Galileo.

Question 12

Does Neptune have rings orbiting the planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, three very thin rings composed of fine dust particles. 
B)  Yes, three very wide, bright rings and several faint, thin ones made up of dark rocky material 
C)  No 
D)  Yes, a system of dark rings of particles coated in chemically modified methane ice 
A)  Yes, three very thin rings composed of fine dust particles. 
B)  Yes, three very wide, bright rings and several faint, thin ones made up of dark rocky material 
C)  No 
D)  Yes, a system of dark rings of particles coated in chemically modified methane ice

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

The source of intense heating in the interior of Jupiter's moon Io causing continuous and intense volcanic activity is

Accepted Answer

A)  tidal flexing and distortion caused by Jupiter and the other large moons. 
B)  heat released by continuous shrinkage after creation, transforming potential gravitational energy to heat. 
C)  solar UV and visible radiation. 
D)  frictional heating as the solar wind impacts on the moon surface. 
A)  tidal flexing and distortion caused by Jupiter and the other large moons. 
B)  heat released by continuous shrinkage after creation, transforming potential gravitational energy to heat. 
C)  solar UV and visible radiation. 
D)  frictional heating as the solar wind impacts on the moon surface.

Question 15

What would be a typical weather forecast on Titan, Saturn's largest moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  turbulent winds in an ammonia, methane, and water vapor atmosphere, with dense clouds of ammonia compounds and water ice 
B)  dust storms and high winds in a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere 
C)  occasional sulfur clouds and sulfur dioxide fog from volcanic eruptions 
D)  hydrocarbon fog and ethane rain in a dense nitrogen atmosphere 
A)  turbulent winds in an ammonia, methane, and water vapor atmosphere, with dense clouds of ammonia compounds and water ice 
B)  dust storms and high winds in a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere 
C)  occasional sulfur clouds and sulfur dioxide fog from volcanic eruptions 
D)  hydrocarbon fog and ethane rain in a dense nitrogen atmosphere

Question 16

If one could see the full extent of the magnetosphere of Jupiter from Earth, how big would it appear in the sky?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 16 times larger than Jupiter itself 
B)  about as large as the full Moon 
C)  about twice as large as Jupiter itself 
D)  16 times larger than the full Moon 
A)  about 16 times larger than Jupiter itself 
B)  about as large as the full Moon 
C)  about twice as large as Jupiter itself 
D)  16 times larger than the full Moon

Question 17

What scientific method was first used to discover the rings around Uranus?

Accepted Answer

A)  X-ray photography from the Einstein satellite 
B)  spacecraft exploration of the planet 
C)  direct photography of the rings from Earth 
D)  occultation of a star as the planet and rings moved in front of it 
A)  X-ray photography from the Einstein satellite 
B)  spacecraft exploration of the planet 
C)  direct photography of the rings from Earth 
D)  occultation of a star as the planet and rings moved in front of it

Question 18

Which of the Galilean moons of Jupiter are within Jupiter's magnetosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  only Io; the others are well outside the magnetosphere. 
B)  only Io and Europa; the others are well outside the magnetosphere. 
C)  all except Callisto, which is well outside the magnetosphere 
D)  all four Galilean moons 
A)  only Io; the others are well outside the magnetosphere. 
B)  only Io and Europa; the others are well outside the magnetosphere. 
C)  all except Callisto, which is well outside the magnetosphere 
D)  all four Galilean moons

Question 19

MOST of the satellites of Uranus orbit the planet in

Accepted Answer

A)  the plane of the ecliptic and therefore almost at right angles to the plane of Uranus's equator. 
B)  various directions, each one reflecting the satellite's trajectory at the time it was captured by Uranus. 
C)  the plane of the planet's equator and therefore approximately in the plane of the ecliptic. 
D)  the plane of the planet's equator and therefore in a plane almost at right angles to the ecliptic. 
A)  the plane of the ecliptic and therefore almost at right angles to the plane of Uranus's equator. 
B)  various directions, each one reflecting the satellite's trajectory at the time it was captured by Uranus. 
C)  the plane of the planet's equator and therefore approximately in the plane of the ecliptic. 
D)  the plane of the planet's equator and therefore in a plane almost at right angles to the ecliptic.

Question 20

The major constituent of the atmosphere of Titan (the largest moon of Saturn) is

Accepted Answer

A)  water vapor, H2O. 
B)  nitrogen, N2. 
C)  carbon dioxide, CO2. 
D)  methane, CH4. 
A)  water vapor, H2O. 
B)  nitrogen, N2. 
C)  carbon dioxide, CO2. 
D)  methane, CH4.

What is believed to be the basic structure of the interior of Uranus?

What is the mass of Jupiter compared with other objects in the solar system?

The major planet whose spin axis lies almost in its orbital plane is

Which of the moons of Jupiter is characterized by an exceptionally smooth, icy surface, few craters, and many streaks and cracks?

The major chemical constituent of the layers of material continuously being deposited on the surface of Io, the innermost moon of Jupiter, by "volcanic" action is

The 2009 impact site near the south pole of Jupiter's atmosphere was noticeably different from the 1994 impacts. How?

What is the composition of Saturn's rings?

Which of these correctly characterizes the composition of Jupiter's cloud layers?

The particles in Saturn's rings are composed of

The spacecraft that successfully photographed Uranus on a 1986 flyby mission was

Does Neptune have rings orbiting the planet?

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

The source of intense heating in the interior of Jupiter's moon Io causing continuous and intense volcanic activity is

What would be a typical weather forecast on Titan, Saturn's largest moon?

If one could see the full extent of the magnetosphere of Jupiter from Earth, how big would it appear in the sky?

What scientific method was first used to discover the rings around Uranus?

Which of the Galilean moons of Jupiter are within Jupiter's magnetosphere?

MOST of the satellites of Uranus orbit the planet in

The major constituent of the atmosphere of Titan (the largest moon of Saturn) is

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

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Exam 9: The Outer Planets

What is believed to be the basic structure of the interior of Uranus?

What is the mass of Jupiter compared with other objects in the solar system?

The major planet whose spin axis lies almost in its orbital plane is

Which of the moons of Jupiter is characterized by an exceptionally smooth, icy surface, few craters, and many streaks and cracks?

The major chemical constituent of the layers of material continuously being deposited on the surface of Io, the innermost moon of Jupiter, by "volcanic" action is

The 2009 impact site near the south pole of Jupiter's atmosphere was noticeably different from the 1994 impacts. How?

What is the composition of Saturn's rings?

Which of these correctly characterizes the composition of Jupiter's cloud layers?

The particles in Saturn's rings are composed of

The spacecraft that successfully photographed Uranus on a 1986 flyby mission was

Does Neptune have rings orbiting the planet?

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

The source of intense heating in the interior of Jupiter's moon Io causing continuous and intense volcanic activity is

What would be a typical weather forecast on Titan, Saturn's largest moon?

If one could see the full extent of the magnetosphere of Jupiter from Earth, how big would it appear in the sky?

What scientific method was first used to discover the rings around Uranus?

Which of the Galilean moons of Jupiter are within Jupiter's magnetosphere?

MOST of the satellites of Uranus orbit the planet in

The major constituent of the atmosphere of Titan (the largest moon of Saturn) is

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters