Question 1

What could have caused the planets to migrate through the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

A)  gravitational pull from the Sun 
B)  interaction with the solar wind 
C)  accreting gas from the solar nebula 
D)  gravitational pull from other planets 
E)  differentiation of their interiors 
A)  gravitational pull from the Sun 
B)  interaction with the solar wind 
C)  accreting gas from the solar nebula 
D)  gravitational pull from other planets 
E)  differentiation of their interiors D

Question 2

Jupiter emits a large amount of radio emission because

Accepted Answer

A)  charged particles blasted off of Io's surface move through Jupiter's magnetic field. 
B)  violent storms in its atmosphere produce a lot of lightning. 
C)  Jupiter is so cold that its blackbody radiation peaks at radio wavelengths. 
D)  Jupiter's thick inner shell of metallic hydrogen is electrically conductive. 
E)  Jupiter's core has a very high temperature and pressure. 
A)  charged particles blasted off of Io's surface move through Jupiter's magnetic field. 
B)  violent storms in its atmosphere produce a lot of lightning. 
C)  Jupiter is so cold that its blackbody radiation peaks at radio wavelengths. 
D)  Jupiter's thick inner shell of metallic hydrogen is electrically conductive. 
E)  Jupiter's core has a very high temperature and pressure. A

Question 3

What is the main difference between "super-Earths" and "mini-Neptunes"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mini-Neptunes are bluer. 
B)  Mini-Neptunes are larger and less dense. 
C)  Mini-Neptunes are much denser. 
D)  Mini-Neptunes have radii at least 10 times that of super-Earths. 
E)  Super-Earths have liquid water on their surfaces. 
A)  Mini-Neptunes are bluer. 
B)  Mini-Neptunes are larger and less dense. 
C)  Mini-Neptunes are much denser. 
D)  Mini-Neptunes have radii at least 10 times that of super-Earths. 
E)  Super-Earths have liquid water on their surfaces. B

Question 4

We refer to some of the inner regions of Jupiter and Saturn as metallic hydrogen because they

Accepted Answer

A)  are as dense as lead. 
B)  are solid. 
C)  provide support for the upper layers of hydrogen and helium. 
D)  efficiently conduct electricity. 
E)  are found in the core like iron is found at the core of Earth. 
A)  are as dense as lead. 
B)  are solid. 
C)  provide support for the upper layers of hydrogen and helium. 
D)  efficiently conduct electricity. 
E)  are found in the core like iron is found at the core of Earth.

Question 5

Where do Uranus's and Neptune's strong magnetic fields originate?

Accepted Answer

A)  molten rocky cores 
B)  salty oceans 
C)  large magnetospheres 
D)  metallic hydrogen layers 
E)  methane clouds 
A)  molten rocky cores 
B)  salty oceans 
C)  large magnetospheres 
D)  metallic hydrogen layers 
E)  methane clouds

Question 6

The poles of Uranus can have a higher temperature than its equator because Uranus

Accepted Answer

A)  has a large axial tilt relative to its equator. 
B)  has a high mass. 
C)  is mostly made of water. 
D)  is far from the Sun. 
E)  has large storms on the surface. 
A)  has a large axial tilt relative to its equator. 
B)  has a high mass. 
C)  is mostly made of water. 
D)  is far from the Sun. 
E)  has large storms on the surface.

Question 7

What is meant by "helium rain" inside of gas giants?

Accepted Answer

When pressures are high enough that hydr

Question 8

If Saturn's orbital period is 30 years and its axial tilt is 26 degrees, how long is it from the first day of spring to the first day of autumn on Saturn?

Accepted Answer

The tilt of Saturn's orbital axis is sim

Question 9

Describe the difference(s) between how the magnetic fields of terrestrial planets are produced and how those from gas giant and ice giant planets are produced.

Accepted Answer

The magnetic fields of terrestrial plane

Question 10

When charged particles oscillate around the magnetic field lines of a planet, in what region of the spectrum do they emit electromagnetic radiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  optical 
B)  infrared 
C)  X-rays 
D)  radio 
E)  gamma rays 
A)  optical 
B)  infrared 
C)  X-rays 
D)  radio 
E)  gamma rays

Question 11

Assuming that a planet's axial tilt is the most important factor influencing its seasons, then ________ has the most extreme seasons of any planet in the Solar System.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

Explain why the densest materials in Jupiter are found in the core of the planet.How does this differ from the formation of Earth's dense core?

Accepted Answer

The core of Jupiter formed first,and the

Question 13

Of the giant planets, only Jupiter and Saturn have thick inner layers of

Accepted Answer

A)  liquid rock. 
B)  solid rock. 
C)  metallic hydrogen. 
D)  liquid methane. 
E)  water. 
A)  liquid rock. 
B)  solid rock. 
C)  metallic hydrogen. 
D)  liquid methane. 
E)  water.

Question 14

In the figure below, Uranus and Neptune do not have bands as distinct as those on Jupiter and Saturn.This is because Uranus and Neptune

Accepted Answer

A)  have wind speeds that vary more smoothly with latitude than the winds of Jupiter or Saturn. 
B)  are composed entirely of hydrogen and helium and lack more complex molecules. 
C)  are much closer to the Sun and much colder. 
D)  rotate 10 times slower. 
E)  have larger masses. 
A)  have wind speeds that vary more smoothly with latitude than the winds of Jupiter or Saturn. 
B)  are composed entirely of hydrogen and helium and lack more complex molecules. 
C)  are much closer to the Sun and much colder. 
D)  rotate 10 times slower. 
E)  have larger masses.

Question 15

Jupiter is approximately ________ times more massive than Earth.

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  50 
C)  300 
D)  1,000 
E)  10,000 
A)  10 
B)  50 
C)  300 
D)  1,000 
E)  10,000

Question 16

What causes the distinct bluish tint of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune?

Accepted Answer

A)  Methane in their atmospheres preferentially absorbs the red component of the Sun's light and reemits the blue part, imparting the bluish tint. 
B)  Water ice in their atmospheres preferentially absorbs infrared light from the Sun and reemits the blue part, imparting the bluish tint. 
C)  There is less red light from the Sun reaching ice giants at their large distances, resulting in their bluish appearance. 
D)  The clouds consist of hydrocarbons producing their own light, which comes out in the blue region of the spectrum. 
E)  Metallic hydrogen within the planet reflects blue light but not red light. 
A)  Methane in their atmospheres preferentially absorbs the red component of the Sun's light and reemits the blue part, imparting the bluish tint. 
B)  Water ice in their atmospheres preferentially absorbs infrared light from the Sun and reemits the blue part, imparting the bluish tint. 
C)  There is less red light from the Sun reaching ice giants at their large distances, resulting in their bluish appearance. 
D)  The clouds consist of hydrocarbons producing their own light, which comes out in the blue region of the spectrum. 
E)  Metallic hydrogen within the planet reflects blue light but not red light.

Question 17

On which of the giant planets do we think we can find deep oceans of water? Why do we think this when we can't directly see inside the giant planets?

Accepted Answer

Uranus and Neptune probably have deep oc

Question 18

Assume that you discovered a new planet in the Solar System.To study it, you measured the orbital period and semimajor axis of one of its moons and deduced that the planet's mass was 4 *025 kg (7 MEarth).Then you observed the planet occult a background star and deduced that its radius is 12,000 km (2 REarth).What is this planet's average density? Is this planet's chemical composition more similar to a rocky terrestrial planet or a giant planet? For comparison, the density of iron, rock, and water are approximately 9,000 kg/m3, 3,000 kg/m3, and 1,000 kg/m3, respectively.

Accepted Answer

A)  The planet's average density is 1,200 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of giant planets. 
B)  The planet's average density is 1,200 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. 
C)  The planet's average density is 3,100 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. 
D)  The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of giant planets. 
E)  The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. 
A)  The planet's average density is 1,200 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of giant planets. 
B)  The planet's average density is 1,200 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. 
C)  The planet's average density is 3,100 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. 
D)  The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of giant planets. 
E)  The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets.

Question 19

Why are Uranus and Neptune less massive than Jupiter and Saturn?

Accepted Answer

A)  because they formed before Jupiter and Saturn, when there wasn't enough gas in the solar nebula yet 
B)  because they formed farther out in the solar nebula, where there was less gas available 
C)  because they formed very close to the Sun, where intense solar radiation evaporated some of their atmosphere into space 
D)  because they are composed of mostly ice, and there is less ice farther out in the solar nebula 
E)  because they formed around a different star, and were captured by the Sun later on. 
A)  because they formed before Jupiter and Saturn, when there wasn't enough gas in the solar nebula yet 
B)  because they formed farther out in the solar nebula, where there was less gas available 
C)  because they formed very close to the Sun, where intense solar radiation evaporated some of their atmosphere into space 
D)  because they are composed of mostly ice, and there is less ice farther out in the solar nebula 
E)  because they formed around a different star, and were captured by the Sun later on.

Question 20

If you monitor Jupiter's atmosphere and you see a storm near the equator move from a longitude of 60° west to a longitude of 80° west over six days, what is the wind speed at this storm's latitude on Jupiter? Note that these positions are measured on a coordinate system that rotates with the planet's interior, and the radius of Jupiter is 7.2 * 107 m.

Accepted Answer

A)  700 m/s 
B)  300 m/s 
C)  100 m/s 
D)  50 m/s 
E)  500 m/s 
A)  700 m/s 
B)  300 m/s 
C)  100 m/s 
D)  50 m/s 
E)  500 m/s

Exam 10: Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

What could have caused the planets to migrate through the Solar System?

Jupiter emits a large amount of radio emission because

What is the main difference between "super-Earths" and "mini-Neptunes"?

We refer to some of the inner regions of Jupiter and Saturn as metallic hydrogen because they

Where do Uranus's and Neptune's strong magnetic fields originate?

The poles of Uranus can have a higher temperature than its equator because Uranus

What is meant by "helium rain" inside of gas giants?

If Saturn's orbital period is 30 years and its axial tilt is 26 degrees, how long is it from the first day of spring to the first day of autumn on Saturn?

Describe the difference(s) between how the magnetic fields of terrestrial planets are produced and how those from gas giant and ice giant planets are produced.

When charged particles oscillate around the magnetic field lines of a planet, in what region of the spectrum do they emit electromagnetic radiation?

Assuming that a planet's axial tilt is the most important factor influencing its seasons, then ________ has the most extreme seasons of any planet in the Solar System.

Explain why the densest materials in Jupiter are found in the core of the planet.How does this differ from the formation of Earth's dense core?

Of the giant planets, only Jupiter and Saturn have thick inner layers of

In the figure below, Uranus and Neptune do not have bands as distinct as those on Jupiter and Saturn.This is because Uranus and Neptune

Jupiter is approximately ________ times more massive than Earth.

What causes the distinct bluish tint of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune?

On which of the giant planets do we think we can find deep oceans of water? Why do we think this when we can't directly see inside the giant planets?

Why are Uranus and Neptune less massive than Jupiter and Saturn?

Thinking Like an Astronomer

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Formation of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Planetary Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

The Expanding Universe

Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters