Question 1

What are three characteristics of the orbits of irregular moons, and how do planets gain irregular moons?

Accepted Answer

Irregular moons are probably captured as

Question 2

Which object has been turned inside out numerous times, leading to a situation where lighter elements have escaped, sulfur compounds compose the crust, and primarily heavier elements
Make up its core?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury 
B)  Titan 
C)  Callisto 
D)  Pluto 
E)  Io 
A)  Mercury 
B)  Titan 
C)  Callisto 
D)  Pluto 
E)  Io

Question 3

Suppose two moons, A and B, were discovered around a large planet in another solar system.The two moons have about the same mass and radius, but moon B's semimajor axis around the parent planet is three times moon A's semimajor axis.What would you expect the tidal force from the parent planet on moon A to be, compared with the tidal force on moon B?

Accepted Answer

Because the parent planet's mass is a co

Question 4

Describe some of the effects that moons can have on nearby ring systems.

Accepted Answer

Shepherd moons can create gaps,sharp edg

Question 5

What sort of liquids do astronomers expect to exist on Saturn's moon Titan?

Accepted Answer

A)  lakes of liquid nitrogen, N2 
B)  lakes of normal water, H2O 
C)  lakes of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide 
D)  lakes of methane, ethane, and other hydrocarbons 
E)  lakes of liquid iron 
A)  lakes of liquid nitrogen, N2 
B)  lakes of normal water, H2O 
C)  lakes of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide 
D)  lakes of methane, ethane, and other hydrocarbons 
E)  lakes of liquid iron

Question 6

What are the two basic materials from which the moons in the Solar System are composed?
For each type of material, name an example of a moon whose surface is composed primarily
of that material.

Accepted Answer

Rocky material and ices.Some e

Question 7

What observational setup is required to observe backlit rings?

Accepted Answer

A)  The light source doing the backlighting has to have wavelengths much longer than the size of the ring particles. 
B)  The light source doing the backlighting has to have wavelengths comparable to the size of the ring particles. 
C)  The light source doing the backlighting has to have wavelengths much shorter than the size of the ring particles. 
D)  The light source doing the backlighting must be a blackbody source peaking in the visible part of the spectrum. 
E)  The light source doing the backlighting must be very distant 
A)  The light source doing the backlighting has to have wavelengths much longer than the size of the ring particles. 
B)  The light source doing the backlighting has to have wavelengths comparable to the size of the ring particles. 
C)  The light source doing the backlighting has to have wavelengths much shorter than the size of the ring particles. 
D)  The light source doing the backlighting must be a blackbody source peaking in the visible part of the spectrum. 
E)  The light source doing the backlighting must be very distant

Question 8

Of what are Saturn's brightest, thickest rings primarily made?

Accepted Answer

A)  a thin, solid surface of rock and ice 
B)  an orbiting cloud of high-density gas 
C)  hundreds to thousands of smaller ringlets 
D)  a very diffuse collection of dust 
E)  asteroid-sized rocks 
A)  a thin, solid surface of rock and ice 
B)  an orbiting cloud of high-density gas 
C)  hundreds to thousands of smaller ringlets 
D)  a very diffuse collection of dust 
E)  asteroid-sized rocks

Question 9

Based on the figure below, this moon

Accepted Answer

A)  is geologically active. 
B)  is possibly geologically active. 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active. 
D)  is geologically dead. 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. 
A)  is geologically active. 
B)  is possibly geologically active. 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active. 
D)  is geologically dead. 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made.

Question 10

Based on the figure below, this moon

Accepted Answer

A)  is geologically active. 
B)  is possibly geologically active. 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active. 
D)  is geologically dead. 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. 
A)  is geologically active. 
B)  is possibly geologically active. 
C)  was geologically active in the past but is no longer active. 
D)  is geologically dead. 
E)  More information is needed before any conclusion can be made.

Question 11

What's the most likely way a dwarf planet such as Pluto was able to acquire four moons comparable in size to itself?

Accepted Answer

Pluto and its small moons form

Question 12

If the Moon had active volcanoes,

Accepted Answer

A)  the Moon would have a thick hydrogen atmosphere. 
B)  Earth might have a ring. 
C)  the Moon's surface would have more craters than it currently does. 
D)  life could not exist on Earth. 
E)  the Moon would have different phases than we see today. 
A)  the Moon would have a thick hydrogen atmosphere. 
B)  Earth might have a ring. 
C)  the Moon's surface would have more craters than it currently does. 
D)  life could not exist on Earth. 
E)  the Moon would have different phases than we see today.

Question 13

Particles that make up the rings of Uranus and Neptune are composed of

Accepted Answer

A)  rocky material from tidally disrupted moons. 
B)  organic material that has darkened because of bombardment by high-energy
Charged particles. 
C)  icy material from tidally disrupted comets. 
D)  magma from volcanic eruptions on the surfaces of their moons. 
E)  all of these 
A)  rocky material from tidally disrupted moons. 
B)  organic material that has darkened because of bombardment by high-energy
Charged particles. 
C)  icy material from tidally disrupted comets. 
D)  magma from volcanic eruptions on the surfaces of their moons. 
E)  all of these

Question 14

Which of the following moons is thought to have a vast ocean of water beneath its frozen surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  Triton 
B)  Europa 
C)  Mimas 
D)  Io 
E)  Callisto 
A)  Triton 
B)  Europa 
C)  Mimas 
D)  Io 
E)  Callisto

Question 15

If you wanted to search for faint rings around a giant planet by sending a spacecraft on a flyby, it would be best to make your observations

Accepted Answer

A)  as the spacecraft approached the planet. 
B)  after the spacecraft passed the planet. 
C)  while orbiting the planet. 
D)  during the closest flyby. 
E)  while orbiting one of its moons. 
A)  as the spacecraft approached the planet. 
B)  after the spacecraft passed the planet. 
C)  while orbiting the planet. 
D)  during the closest flyby. 
E)  while orbiting one of its moons.

Question 16

When a moon is cold enough that frozen water acts like a rock, and liquid water is found in "hot" flows or geysers, we call this type of activity

Accepted Answer

A)  irregular hydrology. 
B)  Enceladus-like. 
C)  cryovolcanism. 
D)  the ice cycle. 
E)  hydrogeology. 
A)  irregular hydrology. 
B)  Enceladus-like. 
C)  cryovolcanism. 
D)  the ice cycle. 
E)  hydrogeology.

Question 17

Compare the tidal force exerted by Saturn on Titan to the tidal force exerted by Saturn on Rhea.Useful data: MTitan =1.3 *1023 kg, RTitan =2,600 km, dTitan = 1.2 * 106 km; MRhea = 2.3 * 1021 kg, RRhea = 760 km, dRhea = 5.3* 105 km.

Accepted Answer

The tidal force exerted by Saturn on a m

Question 18

The density of particles in a planet's rings can be measured using

Accepted Answer

A)  infrared light. 
B)  the Doppler shift. 
C)  shadows cast by nearby moons. 
D)  light from background stars. 
E)  their proper motions. 
A)  infrared light. 
B)  the Doppler shift. 
C)  shadows cast by nearby moons. 
D)  light from background stars. 
E)  their proper motions.

Question 19

Europa is a very interesting moon that scientists are considering visiting with a spacecraft in order to search for signs of life.What is it about this moon that makes it so interesting, and what surface features give us clues about its interior?

Accepted Answer

Europa has an icy surface riddled with c

Question 20

If ultraviolet photons destroy methane, why do scientists think Titan has so much of it in its atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

Internal heating drives cryovo

Exam 11: Planetary Moons and Rings

What are three characteristics of the orbits of irregular moons, and how do planets gain irregular moons?

Which object has been turned inside out numerous times, leading to a situation where lighter elements have escaped, sulfur compounds compose the crust, and primarily heavier elements Make up its core?

Describe some of the effects that moons can have on nearby ring systems.

What sort of liquids do astronomers expect to exist on Saturn's moon Titan?

What are the two basic materials from which the moons in the Solar System are composed? For each type of material, name an example of a moon whose surface is composed primarily of that material.

What observational setup is required to observe backlit rings?

Of what are Saturn's brightest, thickest rings primarily made?

Based on the figure below, this moon

Based on the figure below, this moon

What's the most likely way a dwarf planet such as Pluto was able to acquire four moons comparable in size to itself?

If the Moon had active volcanoes,

Particles that make up the rings of Uranus and Neptune are composed of

Which of the following moons is thought to have a vast ocean of water beneath its frozen surface?

If you wanted to search for faint rings around a giant planet by sending a spacecraft on a flyby, it would be best to make your observations

When a moon is cold enough that frozen water acts like a rock, and liquid water is found in "hot" flows or geysers, we call this type of activity

Compare the tidal force exerted by Saturn on Titan to the tidal force exerted by Saturn on Rhea.Useful data: MTitan =1.3 *1023 kg, RTitan =2,600 km, dTitan = 1.2 * 106 km; MRhea = 2.3 * 1021 kg, RRhea = 760 km, dRhea = 5.3* 105 km.

The density of particles in a planet's rings can be measured using

Europa is a very interesting moon that scientists are considering visiting with a spacecraft in order to search for signs of life.What is it about this moon that makes it so interesting, and what surface features give us clues about its interior?

If ultraviolet photons destroy methane, why do scientists think Titan has so much of it in its atmosphere?

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

Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

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

Compare the tidal force exerted by Saturn on Titan to the tidal force exerted by Saturn on Rhea.Useful data: M_Titan=1.3 10²³ kg, R_T_itan =2,600 km, d_Titan= 1.2 10⁶ km; M_Rhea= 2.3 * 10²¹ kg, R_Rhea= 760 km, d_Rhea= 5.3* 10⁵ km.