Question 1

What are the orbital characteristics of a regular moon?

Accepted Answer

Regular moons orbit in the same directio

Question 2

If a planetary ring had an inner diameter of 100,000 km, an outer diameter of 120,000 km, a thickness of 10 m, and a density of 100 kg/m3, what would be the total mass of material in this ring?

Accepted Answer

A)  6 *1020 kg 
B)  5* 1023 kg 
C)  4 *1015 kg 
D)  2 * 1021 kg 
E)  3 * 1018 kg. 
A)  6 *1020 kg 
B)  5* 1023 kg 
C)  4 *1015 kg 
D)  2 * 1021 kg 
E)  3 * 1018 kg.

Question 3

Which property of a moon might lead you to believe it was a captured asteroid?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is tidally locked. 
B)  Its orbital axis is tilted by 5 degrees compared to the planet's rotational axis. 
C)  It orbits in the opposite direction than its planet rotates. 
D)  Its surface is very smooth and lacks craters. 
E)  It is roughly the size of Earth's moon. 
A)  It is tidally locked. 
B)  Its orbital axis is tilted by 5 degrees compared to the planet's rotational axis. 
C)  It orbits in the opposite direction than its planet rotates. 
D)  Its surface is very smooth and lacks craters. 
E)  It is roughly the size of Earth's moon.

Question 4

What makes extremophile organisms different from other life forms?

Accepted Answer

A)  They can live in extreme conditions, such as very low- or high-temperature environments, oxygen-poor environments, or environments with extremely low light levels. 
B)  They live only in environments with extremely high levels of sunlight. 
C)  They live in environments lacking in organic compounds. 
D)  They live in environments where little to no water is found, such as deserts. 
E)  They can live in any environment, even deep vacuum. 
A)  They can live in extreme conditions, such as very low- or high-temperature environments, oxygen-poor environments, or environments with extremely low light levels. 
B)  They live only in environments with extremely high levels of sunlight. 
C)  They live in environments lacking in organic compounds. 
D)  They live in environments where little to no water is found, such as deserts. 
E)  They can live in any environment, even deep vacuum.

Question 5

Which of the following moons is geologically dead?

Accepted Answer

A)  Callisto 
B)  Io 
C)  Europa 
D)  Enceladus 
E)  Titan 
A)  Callisto 
B)  Io 
C)  Europa 
D)  Enceladus 
E)  Titan

Question 6

Looking at the life forms found to exist in extreme environments on Earth suggests that there are probably three things needed for life.What are they?

Accepted Answer

The three things needed for li

Question 7

The only planet(s) without a moon is (are)

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury only. 
B)  Venus only. 
C)  Mars only. 
D)  Mercury and Venus. 
E)  Mercury, Venus, and Mars. 
A)  Mercury only. 
B)  Venus only. 
C)  Mars only. 
D)  Mercury and Venus. 
E)  Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

Question 8

Which of the following can be used as an indicator of the age of a moon's surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  color of the surface 
B)  crater density 
C)  volcanic activity 
D)  radioactive dating 
E)  all of these 
A)  color of the surface 
B)  crater density 
C)  volcanic activity 
D)  radioactive dating 
E)  all of these

Question 9

Why are some of Saturn's rings diffuse?

Accepted Answer

A)  Particles in diffuse rings collide infrequently, allowing them to maintain irregular orbits and spread out. 
B)  Particles in diffuse rings are composed of transparent materials. 
C)  Diffuse rings are made of methane, instead of water ice 
D)  Diffuse rings are composed of charged particles, which are spread out by magnetic forces. 
E)  Sunlight heats diffuse rings, causing the material to spread out. 
A)  Particles in diffuse rings collide infrequently, allowing them to maintain irregular orbits and spread out. 
B)  Particles in diffuse rings are composed of transparent materials. 
C)  Diffuse rings are made of methane, instead of water ice 
D)  Diffuse rings are composed of charged particles, which are spread out by magnetic forces. 
E)  Sunlight heats diffuse rings, causing the material to spread out.

Question 10

Explain how a planet obtains a regular moon orbiting it.

Accepted Answer

Regular moons are usually form

Question 11

Describe the main difference(s) between a thin ring and a diffuse ring.

Accepted Answer

Particles in thin rings (such as Saturn'

Question 12

Which of the following moons do scientists believe most closely represents the primordial Earth, although at a much lower temperature?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

How do regular moons orbit in comparison to their planet's rotation?

Accepted Answer

A)  in the same direction 
B)  in the opposite direction 
C)  sometimes in the same direction and sometimes in the opposite direction 
D)  Unlike their planets, moons don't rotate at all. 
E)  Moons are always tidally locked to their parent planet. 
A)  in the same direction 
B)  in the opposite direction 
C)  sometimes in the same direction and sometimes in the opposite direction 
D)  Unlike their planets, moons don't rotate at all. 
E)  Moons are always tidally locked to their parent planet.

Question 14

How does the geological activity on Io compare to the activity on other moons?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is almost completely inactive. 
B)  It occurs at widely spaced intervals but is highly active when it does occur. 
C)  It is very active on a regular basis. 
D)  It used to be inactive but has slowly increased activity over the past few million years. 
E)  None of these is an accurate description of Io's geological activity. 
A)  It is almost completely inactive. 
B)  It occurs at widely spaced intervals but is highly active when it does occur. 
C)  It is very active on a regular basis. 
D)  It used to be inactive but has slowly increased activity over the past few million years. 
E)  None of these is an accurate description of Io's geological activity.

Question 15

Which terrestrial planet has rings?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury 
B)  Venus 
C)  Earth 
D)  Mars 
E)  None of the terrestrial planets have rings. 
A)  Mercury 
B)  Venus 
C)  Earth 
D)  Mars 
E)  None of the terrestrial planets have rings.

Question 16

Explain why it was difficult for the Voyager space probe to detect Jupiter's ring system as it was approaching the planet but easy to detect the rings once the probe passed behind Jupiter.

Accepted Answer

Jupiter's ring system is composed mostly

Question 17

Saturn's E Ring is generated by material ejected from its moon Enceladus (the bright dot within the ring), as pictured in the figure below.What is the minimum velocity that
Enceladus's material must achieve in order to become part of the ring? Enceladus has a mass
Of 1.08 *1020 kg and a radius of 250 km.

Accepted Answer

A)  3.2 km/s 
B)  1.7 km/s 
C)  1.1 km/s 
D)  0.55 km/s 
E)  0.24 km/s 
A)  3.2 km/s 
B)  1.7 km/s 
C)  1.1 km/s 
D)  0.55 km/s 
E)  0.24 km/s

Question 18

What are two known sources of ring material around the giant planets?

Accepted Answer

(1)Tidal stresses on objects such as moo

Question 19

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 20

How do Uranus's rings differ from the ring systems of the other giant planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Uranus has only one ring made up of fine dust. 
B)  Uranus has the most spectacular ring system with many bright, wide rings. 
C)  Uranus has 13 rings that are narrow and widely spaced. 
D)  Uranus has rings that are clumped into several arclike segments. 
E)  Uranus has rings that are solid enough to land on. 
A)  Uranus has only one ring made up of fine dust. 
B)  Uranus has the most spectacular ring system with many bright, wide rings. 
C)  Uranus has 13 rings that are narrow and widely spaced. 
D)  Uranus has rings that are clumped into several arclike segments. 
E)  Uranus has rings that are solid enough to land on.

Exam 11: Planetary Moons and Rings

What are the orbital characteristics of a regular moon?

If a planetary ring had an inner diameter of 100,000 km, an outer diameter of 120,000 km, a thickness of 10 m, and a density of 100 kg/m3, what would be the total mass of material in this ring?

Which property of a moon might lead you to believe it was a captured asteroid?

What makes extremophile organisms different from other life forms?

Which of the following moons is geologically dead?

Looking at the life forms found to exist in extreme environments on Earth suggests that there are probably three things needed for life.What are they?

The only planet(s) without a moon is (are)

Which of the following can be used as an indicator of the age of a moon's surface?

Why are some of Saturn's rings diffuse?

Explain how a planet obtains a regular moon orbiting it.

Describe the main difference(s) between a thin ring and a diffuse ring.

Which of the following moons do scientists believe most closely represents the primordial Earth, although at a much lower temperature?

How do regular moons orbit in comparison to their planet's rotation?

How does the geological activity on Io compare to the activity on other moons?

Which terrestrial planet has rings?

Explain why it was difficult for the Voyager space probe to detect Jupiter's ring system as it was approaching the planet but easy to detect the rings once the probe passed behind Jupiter.

What are two known sources of ring material around the giant planets?

Based on the figure below, this moon

How do Uranus's rings differ from the ring systems of the other giant planets?

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

If a planetary ring had an inner diameter of 100,000 km, an outer diameter of 120,000 km, a thickness of 10 m, and a density of 100 kg/m³, what would be the total mass of material in this ring?