Question 1

The average density of each planet in the solar system is determined by taking its mass and dividing that by its

Accepted Answer

A)  radius. 
B)  diameter. 
C)  surface area. 
D)  radius squared. 
E)  volume. 
A)  radius. 
B)  diameter. 
C)  surface area. 
D)  radius squared. 
E)  volume. E

Question 2

What aspects of the planets orbits are nearly the same for most planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Orbital period and shape 
B)  Shape and tilt from the ecliptic 
C)  Shape and distance from the Sun 
D)  Orbital period and distance from the Sun 
E)  Tilt from the ecliptic and distance from the Sun 
A)  Orbital period and shape 
B)  Shape and tilt from the ecliptic 
C)  Shape and distance from the Sun 
D)  Orbital period and distance from the Sun 
E)  Tilt from the ecliptic and distance from the Sun B

Question 3

While the orbits of planets are nearly circular, the eccentricities of the orbits of ________ are near one.

Accepted Answer

comets

Question 4

Contrast the densities of the terrestrial and Jovian planets.

Accepted Answer

Forming close to the Sun, terrestrials a

Question 5

What did Galileo discover when looking at the Sun with his telescope, and how did this support Copernicus?

Accepted Answer

Sunspots, which rotated across

Question 6

What physical characteristics of Mercury distinguish it among all the planets in our solar system?

Accepted Answer

Mercury has the most eccentric

Question 7

Upon which point do Copernicus and Kepler disagree?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Moon orbits the Earth. 
B)  The Earth orbits the Sun. 
C)  Retrograde motion occurs when one planet overtakes another. 
D)  The orbits of the planets are ellipses, with one focus at the Sun. 
E)  Venus will appear as a crescent when she retrogrades between us and the Sun. 
A)  The Moon orbits the Earth. 
B)  The Earth orbits the Sun. 
C)  Retrograde motion occurs when one planet overtakes another. 
D)  The orbits of the planets are ellipses, with one focus at the Sun. 
E)  Venus will appear as a crescent when she retrogrades between us and the Sun.

Question 8

Mercury's most unusual orbital feature, as compared to the other planets, is

Accepted Answer

A)  the size of its orbit. 
B)  the shape of its orbit. 
C)  its orbital period. 
D)  the size of the planet. 
E)  that it has no moons. 
A)  the size of its orbit. 
B)  the shape of its orbit. 
C)  its orbital period. 
D)  the size of the planet. 
E)  that it has no moons.

Question 9

Which of these was NOT seen telescopically by Galileo?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sunspots 
B)  Venus' phase cycle 
C)  Four moons around Jupiter 
D)  Stellar parallax 
E)  Craters and mare on the Moon 
A)  Sunspots 
B)  Venus' phase cycle 
C)  Four moons around Jupiter 
D)  Stellar parallax 
E)  Craters and mare on the Moon

Question 10

The force of gravity varies with the

Accepted Answer

A)  product of the two masses. 
B)  inverse of the distance separating the two bodies. 
C)  inverse square of the distance separating the two bodies. 
D)  Both A and B are correct. 
E)  Both A and C are correct. 
A)  product of the two masses. 
B)  inverse of the distance separating the two bodies. 
C)  inverse square of the distance separating the two bodies. 
D)  Both A and B are correct. 
E)  Both A and C are correct.

Question 11

Scientists today do not accept the Ptolemaic model because

Accepted Answer

A)  it is ancient history. 
B)  it was too complicated, compared to Copernicus' heliocentric model. 
C)  it has been shown that Ptolemy faked his data. 
D)  it had no explanation for retrograde motion. 
E)  the work of Tycho and Kepler showed the heliocentric model was more accurate. 
A)  it is ancient history. 
B)  it was too complicated, compared to Copernicus' heliocentric model. 
C)  it has been shown that Ptolemy faked his data. 
D)  it had no explanation for retrograde motion. 
E)  the work of Tycho and Kepler showed the heliocentric model was more accurate.

Question 12

How do the densities of the jovian and terrestrial planets compare?

Accepted Answer

A)  Made from the same solar nebula, they are all similar. 
B)  More massive jovians all have high densities, compared to the tiny terrestrials. 
C)  All terrestrials are more dense than any of the jovians. 
D)  The closer a planet lies to the Sun, the less its density. 
E)  No real pattern here; densities vary greatly and are very individual to each world. 
A)  Made from the same solar nebula, they are all similar. 
B)  More massive jovians all have high densities, compared to the tiny terrestrials. 
C)  All terrestrials are more dense than any of the jovians. 
D)  The closer a planet lies to the Sun, the less its density. 
E)  No real pattern here; densities vary greatly and are very individual to each world.

Question 13

Given that the planet orbiting the nearby star 51 Pegasi is about 20X larger than the Earth, but 400X more massive, on that world you would weigh

Accepted Answer

A)  the same as you do here. 
B)  twice as much as you do here. 
C)  half as much as you do here. 
D)  20X more that you do here. 
E)  400X more than you do here. 
A)  the same as you do here. 
B)  twice as much as you do here. 
C)  half as much as you do here. 
D)  20X more that you do here. 
E)  400X more than you do here.

Question 14

Explain how Copernicus would account for the retrograde loops of superior planets.

Accepted Answer

The Earth moves faster than th

Question 15

On which of these assumptions do Ptolemy and Copernicus agree?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Earth must be the center of all motion in the Cosmos. 
B)  All orbits must be perfect circles. 
C)  The Sun was bigger than the Earth. 
D)  Venus must always stay between us and the Sun. 
E)  The Sun must orbit us, but the planets do orbit the Sun. 
A)  The Earth must be the center of all motion in the Cosmos. 
B)  All orbits must be perfect circles. 
C)  The Sun was bigger than the Earth. 
D)  Venus must always stay between us and the Sun. 
E)  The Sun must orbit us, but the planets do orbit the Sun.

Question 16

According to Newton, the gravity of the ________ is needed to explain planetary orbits.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Newton, the gravity of the...

Question 17

Mercury, with a higher eccentricity orbit, should change its orbital speed more than do Venus or Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Planets do not move on a straight line. According to Newton's First Law of Motion, that means that there must be an outside ________ acting on them.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Planets do not move on a straight...

Question 19

How does Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation explain Kepler's laws?

Accepted Answer

A)  Universal gravitation implies that the orbits of the planets must be elliptical (Kepler's first law). 
B)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets will sweep out equal areas in equal times (Kepler's second law). 
C)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets further from the Sun will move more slowly than the planets closer to the Sun (Kepler's third law). 
D)  Universal gravitation implies that when a planet is closer to the Sun in its orbit, it will move faster than when it is farther from the Sun (Kepler's second law). 
E)  Both C and D are correct. 
A)  Universal gravitation implies that the orbits of the planets must be elliptical (Kepler's first law). 
B)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets will sweep out equal areas in equal times (Kepler's second law). 
C)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets further from the Sun will move more slowly than the planets closer to the Sun (Kepler's third law). 
D)  Universal gravitation implies that when a planet is closer to the Sun in its orbit, it will move faster than when it is farther from the Sun (Kepler's second law). 
E)  Both C and D are correct.

Question 20

It the mass of a body were doubled, its gravity would become 4 times stronger.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

The average density of each planet in the solar system is determined by taking its mass and dividing that by its

What aspects of the planets orbits are nearly the same for most planets?

While the orbits of planets are nearly circular, the eccentricities of the orbits of ________ are near one.

Contrast the densities of the terrestrial and Jovian planets.

What did Galileo discover when looking at the Sun with his telescope, and how did this support Copernicus?

What physical characteristics of Mercury distinguish it among all the planets in our solar system?

Upon which point do Copernicus and Kepler disagree?

Mercury's most unusual orbital feature, as compared to the other planets, is

Which of these was NOT seen telescopically by Galileo?

The force of gravity varies with the

Scientists today do not accept the Ptolemaic model because

How do the densities of the jovian and terrestrial planets compare?

Given that the planet orbiting the nearby star 51 Pegasi is about 20X larger than the Earth, but 400X more massive, on that world you would weigh

Explain how Copernicus would account for the retrograde loops of superior planets.

On which of these assumptions do Ptolemy and Copernicus agree?

According to Newton, the gravity of the ________ is needed to explain planetary orbits.

Mercury, with a higher eccentricity orbit, should change its orbital speed more than do Venus or Earth.

Planets do not move on a straight line. According to Newton's First Law of Motion, that means that there must be an outside ________ acting on them.

How does Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation explain Kepler's laws?

It the mass of a body were doubled, its gravity would become 4 times stronger.

The Night Sky

Light and Telescopes

Earth and Its Moon

The Eight Planets

Small Bodies in the Solar System

Formation of Planetary Systems

The Sun

Measuring the Stars

Star Formation and Evolution

Stellar Explosions

Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology and the Universe

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Exam 3: The Solar System

The average density of each planet in the solar system is determined by taking its mass and dividing that by its

What aspects of the planets orbits are nearly the same for most planets?

While the orbits of planets are nearly circular, the eccentricities of the orbits of ________ are near one.

Contrast the densities of the terrestrial and Jovian planets.

What did Galileo discover when looking at the Sun with his telescope, and how did this support Copernicus?

What physical characteristics of Mercury distinguish it among all the planets in our solar system?

Upon which point do Copernicus and Kepler disagree?

Mercury's most unusual orbital feature, as compared to the other planets, is

Which of these was NOT seen telescopically by Galileo?

The force of gravity varies with the

Scientists today do not accept the Ptolemaic model because

How do the densities of the jovian and terrestrial planets compare?

Given that the planet orbiting the nearby star 51 Pegasi is about 20X larger than the Earth, but 400X more massive, on that world you would weigh

Explain how Copernicus would account for the retrograde loops of superior planets.

On which of these assumptions do Ptolemy and Copernicus agree?

According to Newton, the gravity of the ________ is needed to explain planetary orbits.

Mercury, with a higher eccentricity orbit, should change its orbital speed more than do Venus or Earth.

Planets do not move on a straight line. According to Newton's First Law of Motion, that means that there must be an outside ________ acting on them.

How does Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation explain Kepler's laws?

It the mass of a body were doubled, its gravity would become 4 times stronger.

The Night Sky

Light and Telescopes

Earth and Its Moon

The Eight Planets

Small Bodies in the Solar System

Formation of Planetary Systems

The Sun

Measuring the Stars

Star Formation and Evolution

Stellar Explosions

Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology and the Universe

Filters