Question 1

The early phases of planetary formation into protoplanets were characterized by the

Accepted Answer

A)  slow accretion of small particles by gravitational attraction and collision. 
B)  breaking apart of very large objects into planets. 
C)  condensation of hot gas clouds. 
D)  violent collapse of matter under gravity. 
A)  slow accretion of small particles by gravitational attraction and collision. 
B)  breaking apart of very large objects into planets. 
C)  condensation of hot gas clouds. 
D)  violent collapse of matter under gravity.

Question 2

The asteroid belt exists between the orbits of which planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter and Saturn 
B)  Venus and Earth 
C)  Mars and Jupiter 
D)  Earth and Mars 
A)  Jupiter and Saturn 
B)  Venus and Earth 
C)  Mars and Jupiter 
D)  Earth and Mars

Question 3

In the solar system, what is the snow line?

Accepted Answer

A)  either one of a pair of lines on any planet, parallel to its equator, between which snow is never found 
B)  a boundary in the solar system such that ices of water, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia are found only outside of this line (i.e., farther from the Sun) 
C)  a boundary in the solar system such that all fluids outside of this line (i.e., farther from the Sun) must be frozen 
D)  a boundary within the asteroid belt which divides the asteroids into those composed of rock and those composed of ice 
A)  either one of a pair of lines on any planet, parallel to its equator, between which snow is never found 
B)  a boundary in the solar system such that ices of water, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia are found only outside of this line (i.e., farther from the Sun) 
C)  a boundary in the solar system such that all fluids outside of this line (i.e., farther from the Sun) must be frozen 
D)  a boundary within the asteroid belt which divides the asteroids into those composed of rock and those composed of ice

Question 4

Suppose one were to go back in time and explore the solar nebula during the formation of the solar system. If she were to travel outward from the protosun, the first solid material encountered would be

Accepted Answer

A)  dust-sized grains of rocky material. 
B)  dust-sized grains of frozen hydrogen, water ice, and rocky minerals. 
C)  snowflakes made of frozen water, methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. 
D)  snowflakes made of frozen hydrogen and helium. 
A)  dust-sized grains of rocky material. 
B)  dust-sized grains of frozen hydrogen, water ice, and rocky minerals. 
C)  snowflakes made of frozen water, methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. 
D)  snowflakes made of frozen hydrogen and helium.

Question 5

The large gravitational influences of Jupiter and Saturn forced some planetesimals in their neighborhood to move outward away from the Sun. A consequence of this was

Accepted Answer

A)  that conservation of angular momentum caused the giant planets to spin faster. 
B)  collisions that produced many fragments became the rings of the outer planets. 
C)  collisions that formed Uranus and Neptune. 
D)  the creation or at least enlargement of the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. 
A)  that conservation of angular momentum caused the giant planets to spin faster. 
B)  collisions that produced many fragments became the rings of the outer planets. 
C)  collisions that formed Uranus and Neptune. 
D)  the creation or at least enlargement of the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.

Question 6

The albedo of Mercury is about 0.1. This means that

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury reflects 9/10 of the sunlight falling on it. 
B)  1/10 of Mercury's surface is cloud-covered. 
C)  Mercury is visible only 1/10 of the time. 
D)  Mercury reflects 1/10 of the sunlight falling on it. 
A)  Mercury reflects 9/10 of the sunlight falling on it. 
B)  1/10 of Mercury's surface is cloud-covered. 
C)  Mercury is visible only 1/10 of the time. 
D)  Mercury reflects 1/10 of the sunlight falling on it.

Question 7

What is the Kuiper belt?

Accepted Answer

A)  band of dust in the plane of the ecliptic, extending from near the orbit of Mars to beyond the orbit of Pluto 
B)  broadest band of asteroids in the asteroid belt, separated from other bands by Kirkwood gaps 
C)  relatively flat distribution of objects in the plane of the ecliptic, extending from around the orbit of Pluto to about 50 au from the Sun 
D)  approximate spherical distribution of comets centered on the Sun and extending out to about 50,000 au 
A)  band of dust in the plane of the ecliptic, extending from near the orbit of Mars to beyond the orbit of Pluto 
B)  broadest band of asteroids in the asteroid belt, separated from other bands by Kirkwood gaps 
C)  relatively flat distribution of objects in the plane of the ecliptic, extending from around the orbit of Pluto to about 50 au from the Sun 
D)  approximate spherical distribution of comets centered on the Sun and extending out to about 50,000 au

Question 8

How much total mass is contained in the asteroid belt?

Accepted Answer

A)  Much less than that of Earth's Moon 
B)  Roughly that of Earth's Moon 
C)  Roughly that of Earth 
D)  Roughly that of Neptune 
A)  Much less than that of Earth's Moon 
B)  Roughly that of Earth's Moon 
C)  Roughly that of Earth 
D)  Roughly that of Neptune

Question 9

Why did the temperature start to rise at the center of the solar nebula?

Accepted Answer

A)  Supernova explosions were stirring up the material there and causing turbulence. 
B)  The nebula was contracting, which increased collisions between atoms moving in it. 
C)  Fusion reactions were beginning in the core, releasing tremendous amounts of heat. 
D)  Massive stars nearby were heating the nebula with their ultraviolet radiation. 
A)  Supernova explosions were stirring up the material there and causing turbulence. 
B)  The nebula was contracting, which increased collisions between atoms moving in it. 
C)  Fusion reactions were beginning in the core, releasing tremendous amounts of heat. 
D)  Massive stars nearby were heating the nebula with their ultraviolet radiation.

Question 10

Earth has an average density of 5500 kg/m3, although the density of rock on its surface is about 3000 kg/m3. What conclusion can be reached about Earth's core from this observation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's core consists of lower density material than surface rock. 
B)  Earth's liquid core has a low density, so it must have a far higher density at moderate depth. 
C)  Earth's core must be very hot. 
D)  Earth's core is made of material far denser than surface rock. 
A)  Earth's core consists of lower density material than surface rock. 
B)  Earth's liquid core has a low density, so it must have a far higher density at moderate depth. 
C)  Earth's core must be very hot. 
D)  Earth's core is made of material far denser than surface rock.

Question 11

The smallest terrestrial planet is

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

Comets are typically composed of

Accepted Answer

A)  mostly gases, some of which are pushed out by the Sun to form a long tail. 
B)  slushy mixtures of liquid and ice. 
C)  chunks of rock that are generally a few tens of kilometers in diameter. 
D)  mixtures of ice and rock 
A)  mostly gases, some of which are pushed out by the Sun to form a long tail. 
B)  slushy mixtures of liquid and ice. 
C)  chunks of rock that are generally a few tens of kilometers in diameter. 
D)  mixtures of ice and rock

Question 13

A substantial fraction of the water found on Earth is believed to have come from

Accepted Answer

A)  the impact that produced the Moon. 
B)  water-rich comets. 
C)  Earth's brief migration outside the snow line. 
D)  the combination of primordial hydrogen with oxygen produced by green plants. 
A)  the impact that produced the Moon. 
B)  water-rich comets. 
C)  Earth's brief migration outside the snow line. 
D)  the combination of primordial hydrogen with oxygen produced by green plants.

Question 14

The amount of light reflected by a planet or other object is its

Accepted Answer

A)  color index. 
B)  emissivity. 
C)  apparent magnitude. 
D)  albedo. 
A)  color index. 
B)  emissivity. 
C)  apparent magnitude. 
D)  albedo.

Question 15

The material from which our solar system formed is believed to be

Accepted Answer

A)  the hot, dense gases at the center of a globular star cluster. 
B)  a vast cloud of pure hydrogen. 
C)  the convergence of the solar winds of several nearby stars. 
D)  a cold, dark cloud of gas and dust. 
A)  the hot, dense gases at the center of a globular star cluster. 
B)  a vast cloud of pure hydrogen. 
C)  the convergence of the solar winds of several nearby stars. 
D)  a cold, dark cloud of gas and dust.

Question 16

The standard model of the formation of the solar system assumes that the material that became the solar system began as a large spherical cloud of gas and dust, rotating slowly. As the solar system formed, most of this material was transformed into a compact, flattened disk, rotating more rapidly. What is the explanation for this change in shape and rate of rotation?

Accepted Answer

A)  conservation of angular momentum 
B)  influence of nearby stars 
C)  differentiation of materials easily vaporized and not easily vaporized 
D)  alignment with the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy 
A)  conservation of angular momentum 
B)  influence of nearby stars 
C)  differentiation of materials easily vaporized and not easily vaporized 
D)  alignment with the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy

Question 17

Pluto is in a 2:3 resonance orbit with Neptune. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  During the time Neptune orbits the Sun 3 times, Pluto orbits it twice. 
B)  During the time Neptune orbits the Sun twice, Pluto orbits it 3 times. 
C)  Neptune rotates on its axis 3 times while Pluto rotates twice about its axis. 
D)  Neptune's mean orbital radius is 2/3 of Pluto's mean orbital radius. 
A)  During the time Neptune orbits the Sun 3 times, Pluto orbits it twice. 
B)  During the time Neptune orbits the Sun twice, Pluto orbits it 3 times. 
C)  Neptune rotates on its axis 3 times while Pluto rotates twice about its axis. 
D)  Neptune's mean orbital radius is 2/3 of Pluto's mean orbital radius.

Question 18

The average density of the large, outer planets is

Accepted Answer

A)  close to the density of water. 
B)  much higher than the density of Earth rocks, due to the great gravitational compression of their interiors. 
C)  very much less than the density of water because of the amount of hydrogen they contain. 
D)  close to the density of basaltic rocks on Earth. 
A)  close to the density of water. 
B)  much higher than the density of Earth rocks, due to the great gravitational compression of their interiors. 
C)  very much less than the density of water because of the amount of hydrogen they contain. 
D)  close to the density of basaltic rocks on Earth.

Question 19

All of these are consequences of the period of Late Heavy Bombardment EXCEPT that

Accepted Answer

A)  our Moon has large maria. 
B)  Mercury lost its relatively light outer layer, leaving a planet with an unusually large density. 
C)  our Moon was formed after a collision between Earth and another body. 
D)  the number of asteroids in the asteroid belt decreased. 
A)  our Moon has large maria. 
B)  Mercury lost its relatively light outer layer, leaving a planet with an unusually large density. 
C)  our Moon was formed after a collision between Earth and another body. 
D)  the number of asteroids in the asteroid belt decreased.

Question 20

Which one of these statements about asteroids and the asteroid belt is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The asteroid belt contains several dwarf planets. 
B)  All of the asteroids together would make a mass much less than the mass of the Moon. 
C)  Some asteroids have their own moons. 
D)  The gravitational influence of Jupiter helps prevent the asteroids from coalescing into a larger body. 
A)  The asteroid belt contains several dwarf planets. 
B)  All of the asteroids together would make a mass much less than the mass of the Moon. 
C)  Some asteroids have their own moons. 
D)  The gravitational influence of Jupiter helps prevent the asteroids from coalescing into a larger body.

The early phases of planetary formation into protoplanets were characterized by the

The asteroid belt exists between the orbits of which planets?

In the solar system, what is the snow line?

Suppose one were to go back in time and explore the solar nebula during the formation of the solar system. If she were to travel outward from the protosun, the first solid material encountered would be

The large gravitational influences of Jupiter and Saturn forced some planetesimals in their neighborhood to move outward away from the Sun. A consequence of this was

The albedo of Mercury is about 0.1. This means that

What is the Kuiper belt?

How much total mass is contained in the asteroid belt?

Why did the temperature start to rise at the center of the solar nebula?

Earth has an average density of 5500 kg/m³, although the density of rock on its surface is about 3000 kg/m³. What conclusion can be reached about Earth's core from this observation?

The smallest terrestrial planet is

Comets are typically composed of

A substantial fraction of the water found on Earth is believed to have come from

The amount of light reflected by a planet or other object is its

The material from which our solar system formed is believed to be

Pluto is in a 2:3 resonance orbit with Neptune. What does this mean?

The average density of the large, outer planets is

All of these are consequences of the period of Late Heavy Bombardment EXCEPT that

Which one of these statements about asteroids and the asteroid belt is NOT true?

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 early phases of planetary formation into protoplanets were characterized by the

The asteroid belt exists between the orbits of which planets?

In the solar system, what is the snow line?

Suppose one were to go back in time and explore the solar nebula during the formation of the solar system. If she were to travel outward from the protosun, the first solid material encountered would be

The large gravitational influences of Jupiter and Saturn forced some planetesimals in their neighborhood to move outward away from the Sun. A consequence of this was

The albedo of Mercury is about 0.1. This means that

What is the Kuiper belt?

How much total mass is contained in the asteroid belt?

Why did the temperature start to rise at the center of the solar nebula?

Earth has an average density of 5500 kg/m3, although the density of rock on its surface is about 3000 kg/m3. What conclusion can be reached about Earth's core from this observation?

The smallest terrestrial planet is

Comets are typically composed of

A substantial fraction of the water found on Earth is believed to have come from

The amount of light reflected by a planet or other object is its

The material from which our solar system formed is believed to be

Pluto is in a 2:3 resonance orbit with Neptune. What does this mean?

The average density of the large, outer planets is

All of these are consequences of the period of Late Heavy Bombardment EXCEPT that

Which one of these statements about asteroids and the asteroid belt is NOT true?

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

Earth has an average density of 5500 kg/m³, although the density of rock on its surface is about 3000 kg/m³. What conclusion can be reached about Earth's core from this observation?