Question 1

The mass of the solar nebula that began contracting to form the solar system was estimated to be

Accepted Answer

A)  1 solar mass, the same as the mass of the solar system today. 
B)  only a fraction of a solar mass because additional mass has since been attracted from nearby objects. 
C)  a few solar masses. 
D)  thousands of solar masses to allow for the mass energy radiated away since the formation. 
A)  1 solar mass, the same as the mass of the solar system today. 
B)  only a fraction of a solar mass because additional mass has since been attracted from nearby objects. 
C)  a few solar masses. 
D)  thousands of solar masses to allow for the mass energy radiated away since the formation.

Question 2

Which of these is NOT a trans-Neptunian object?

Accepted Answer

A)  A plutino 
B)  An ice giant moon 
C)  A comet in the Oort cloud 
D)  A cubewano 
A)  A plutino 
B)  An ice giant moon 
C)  A comet in the Oort cloud 
D)  A cubewano

Question 3

The correct sequence of planets in our solar system from the Sun outward is

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
B)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune. 
D)  Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
A)  Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
B)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune. 
D)  Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 4

The MOST noticeably elliptical planetary orbit is that of

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

What force ensured that once the solar system began collapsing it continued to do so?

Accepted Answer

A)  angular momentum 
B)  magnetic interactions 
C)  electric attractions between charges 
D)  gravity 
A)  angular momentum 
B)  magnetic interactions 
C)  electric attractions between charges 
D)  gravity

Question 6

The asteroid belt is composed of

Accepted Answer

A)  irregularly shaped bodies composed primarily of ices. 
B)  several planet-sized objects with dense methane atmospheres. 
C)  large, rocky bodies typically about the size of our Moon. 
D)  rocky bodies with diameters from less than a kilometer to hundreds of kilometers. 
A)  irregularly shaped bodies composed primarily of ices. 
B)  several planet-sized objects with dense methane atmospheres. 
C)  large, rocky bodies typically about the size of our Moon. 
D)  rocky bodies with diameters from less than a kilometer to hundreds of kilometers.

Question 7

The region at the farthest limits of the solar system in which a large number of objects composed of rock and ice circle the Sun in a roughly spherical region is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  outer solar system. 
B)  asteroid belt. 
C)  Kuiper belt. 
D)  Oort cloud. 
A)  outer solar system. 
B)  asteroid belt. 
C)  Kuiper belt. 
D)  Oort cloud.

Question 8

Which planets do NOT have any natural satellites?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars and Venus 
B)  Mercury and Mars 
C)  Mercury, Venus, and Mars 
D)  Mercury and Venus 
A)  Mars and Venus 
B)  Mercury and Mars 
C)  Mercury, Venus, and Mars 
D)  Mercury and Venus

Question 9

Which of these physical parameters was MOST important in determining the contrasting properties of the planets that eventually formed in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  mix of chemical constituents 
B)  overall rotation of the nebula 
C)  temperature distribution in the nebula 
D)  density of hydrogen gas in the nebula 
A)  mix of chemical constituents 
B)  overall rotation of the nebula 
C)  temperature distribution in the nebula 
D)  density of hydrogen gas in the nebula

Question 10

The ice giants are

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter and Saturn. 
B)  Neptune and Uranus. 
C)  Titan and Pluto. 
D)  Tatooine and Alderaan. 
A)  Jupiter and Saturn. 
B)  Neptune and Uranus. 
C)  Titan and Pluto. 
D)  Tatooine and Alderaan.

Question 11

Today, the asteroid belt does NOT contain a planet because

Accepted Answer

A)  the planet that originally formed there was scattered into the Sun by Jupiter. 
B)  the planet that originally formed there was captured as one of Jupiter's moons. 
C)  the planet that originally formed there was scattered to the Kuiper belt by Jupiter. 
D)  interactions with Jupiter prevented one from forming. 
A)  the planet that originally formed there was scattered into the Sun by Jupiter. 
B)  the planet that originally formed there was captured as one of Jupiter's moons. 
C)  the planet that originally formed there was scattered to the Kuiper belt by Jupiter. 
D)  interactions with Jupiter prevented one from forming.

Question 12

The collapse of a gas cloud can be triggered by a number of mechanisms. Which one is currently believed to be the likely cause of the collapse that resulted in the formation of the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  the shock wave produced by a supernova 
B)  density waves in our spiral galaxy 
C)  the gravitational pull of a passing star 
D)  a collision with another gas cloud 
A)  the shock wave produced by a supernova 
B)  density waves in our spiral galaxy 
C)  the gravitational pull of a passing star 
D)  a collision with another gas cloud

Question 13

The average density of the outer "giant" planets compared with the density of liquid water is

Accepted Answer

A)  slightly higher, about 1.2 times. 
B)  very high, greater than 10 times. 
C)  much lower. 
D)  about 5 times higher. 
A)  slightly higher, about 1.2 times. 
B)  very high, greater than 10 times. 
C)  much lower. 
D)  about 5 times higher.

Question 14

In the Nice model of solar system formation,

Accepted Answer

A)  all of the outer planets formed at the same time. 
B)  Jupiter and Saturn formed first, followed by Uranus and Neptune. 
C)  Neptune and Uranus formed first, followed by Jupiter and Saturn. 
D)  the inner planets formed before the outer planets. 
A)  all of the outer planets formed at the same time. 
B)  Jupiter and Saturn formed first, followed by Uranus and Neptune. 
C)  Neptune and Uranus formed first, followed by Jupiter and Saturn. 
D)  the inner planets formed before the outer planets.

Question 15

In order of increasing density, the Jovian planets are

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
B)  Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune. 
C)  Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter. 
D)  Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter. 
A)  Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 
B)  Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune. 
C)  Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter. 
D)  Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter.

Question 16

Which of these statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth is the biggest of the planets. 
B)  Jupiter has the highest average density of the planets. 
C)  The average mass of terrestrial planets is close to the average mass of the large, outer planets. 
D)  Earth is the most massive of the terrestrial planets. 
A)  Earth is the biggest of the planets. 
B)  Jupiter has the highest average density of the planets. 
C)  The average mass of terrestrial planets is close to the average mass of the large, outer planets. 
D)  Earth is the most massive of the terrestrial planets.

Question 17

One or more satellites (or moons) orbit which planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  all except the inner two planets and Uranus 
B)  only Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn 
C)  only Earth and the four large, outer planets 
D)  all except the inner two planets 
A)  all except the inner two planets and Uranus 
B)  only Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn 
C)  only Earth and the four large, outer planets 
D)  all except the inner two planets

Question 18

A small body orbiting the Sun has an orbit intersecting the ecliptic at an angle of 60 degrees. It is MOST likely a member of which of these?

Accepted Answer

A)  plutinos 
B)  asteroid belt 
C)  Oort cloud 
D)  Kuiper belt 
A)  plutinos 
B)  asteroid belt 
C)  Oort cloud 
D)  Kuiper belt

Question 19

Pluto was originally classified as a planet, but new criteria for the definition of a planet were adopted, and Pluto failed to meet one of them. Which one?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pluto does not orbit the Sun directly. 
B)  Pluto does not have enough mass to pull itself into a roughly spherical shape. 
C)  Pluto does not spin fast enough to produce its own magnetic field. 
D)  Pluto does not have enough gravity to clear its orbit. 
A)  Pluto does not orbit the Sun directly. 
B)  Pluto does not have enough mass to pull itself into a roughly spherical shape. 
C)  Pluto does not spin fast enough to produce its own magnetic field. 
D)  Pluto does not have enough gravity to clear its orbit.

Question 20

Moons have been discovered around

Accepted Answer

A)  all the planets. 
B)  just the terrestrial planets. 
C)  just the Jovian planets. 
D)  all the planets except those nearer to the Sun than Earth is. 
A)  all the planets. 
B)  just the terrestrial planets. 
C)  just the Jovian planets. 
D)  all the planets except those nearer to the Sun than Earth is.

The mass of the solar nebula that began contracting to form the solar system was estimated to be

Which of these is NOT a trans-Neptunian object?

The correct sequence of planets in our solar system from the Sun outward is

The MOST noticeably elliptical planetary orbit is that of

What force ensured that once the solar system began collapsing it continued to do so?

The asteroid belt is composed of

The region at the farthest limits of the solar system in which a large number of objects composed of rock and ice circle the Sun in a roughly spherical region is called the

Which planets do NOT have any natural satellites?

Which of these physical parameters was MOST important in determining the contrasting properties of the planets that eventually formed in the solar system?

The ice giants are

Today, the asteroid belt does NOT contain a planet because

The collapse of a gas cloud can be triggered by a number of mechanisms. Which one is currently believed to be the likely cause of the collapse that resulted in the formation of the solar system?

The average density of the outer "giant" planets compared with the density of liquid water is

In the Nice model of solar system formation,

In order of increasing density, the Jovian planets are

Which of these statements is true?

One or more satellites (or moons) orbit which planets?

A small body orbiting the Sun has an orbit intersecting the ecliptic at an angle of 60 degrees. It is MOST likely a member of which of these?

Pluto was originally classified as a planet, but new criteria for the definition of a planet were adopted, and Pluto failed to meet one of them. Which one?

Moons have been discovered around

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

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer 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

Exam 6: Formation of the Solar System

The mass of the solar nebula that began contracting to form the solar system was estimated to be

Which of these is NOT a trans-Neptunian object?

The correct sequence of planets in our solar system from the Sun outward is

The MOST noticeably elliptical planetary orbit is that of

What force ensured that once the solar system began collapsing it continued to do so?

The asteroid belt is composed of

The region at the farthest limits of the solar system in which a large number of objects composed of rock and ice circle the Sun in a roughly spherical region is called the

Which planets do NOT have any natural satellites?

Which of these physical parameters was MOST important in determining the contrasting properties of the planets that eventually formed in the solar system?

The ice giants are

Today, the asteroid belt does NOT contain a planet because

The collapse of a gas cloud can be triggered by a number of mechanisms. Which one is currently believed to be the likely cause of the collapse that resulted in the formation of the solar system?

The average density of the outer "giant" planets compared with the density of liquid water is

In the Nice model of solar system formation,

In order of increasing density, the Jovian planets are

Which of these statements is true?

One or more satellites (or moons) orbit which planets?

A small body orbiting the Sun has an orbit intersecting the ecliptic at an angle of 60 degrees. It is MOST likely a member of which of these?

Pluto was originally classified as a planet, but new criteria for the definition of a planet were adopted, and Pluto failed to meet one of them. Which one?

Moons have been discovered around

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

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer 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