Question 1

The origin of the very thin oxygen atmosphere around Europa is:

Accepted Answer

A) from electrolysis of water into O2 and H2 in the ocean under the ice, as a result of intense electrical currents induced by Europa's motion through Jupiter's magnetic field. 
B) from photosynthesis in primitive plant life living in the deep oceans beneath the ice surface. 
C) the dissociation of water molecules by solar UV radiation. 
D) the breakup of water molecules by the impact of ionized material from Jupiter's magnetosphere. 
A) from electrolysis of water into O2 and H2 in the ocean under the ice, as a result of intense electrical currents induced by Europa's motion through Jupiter's magnetic field. 
B) from photosynthesis in primitive plant life living in the deep oceans beneath the ice surface. 
C) the dissociation of water molecules by solar UV radiation. 
D) the breakup of water molecules by the impact of ionized material from Jupiter's magnetosphere. D

Question 2

Titan is Saturn's largest satellite. It is unusual among all the planetary satellites because of its:

Accepted Answer

A) strong magnetic field. 
B) location. 
C) dense atmosphere. 
D) rings. 
A) strong magnetic field. 
B) location. 
C) dense atmosphere. 
D) rings. C

Question 3

Jupiter's magnetic field is caused by:

Accepted Answer

A) the planet's rapid rotation coupled with liquid metallic hydrogen in its interior. 
B) electronic currents passing between the Io torus and Jupiter. 
C) induction effects that occur when Io passes along the Io torus. 
D) concentrated effects of the plasma tori of all four Galilean satellites. 
A) the planet's rapid rotation coupled with liquid metallic hydrogen in its interior. 
B) electronic currents passing between the Io torus and Jupiter. 
C) induction effects that occur when Io passes along the Io torus. 
D) concentrated effects of the plasma tori of all four Galilean satellites. A

Question 4

If the orbital period of Jupiter's satellite Ganymede is 7.15 days, what would be the view from a point on its surface at the equator?

Accepted Answer

A) Jupiter and the Sun would rise and set with a period of about 7.15 days. 
B) Jupiter, if visible, would always remain at the same point in the sky, but the Sun would rise and set with a period of about 7.15 days. 
C) The Sun, if visible, would always be at the same point in the sky, but Jupiter would rise and set with a period of about 7.15 days. 
D) The Sun and Jupiter would remain fixed in the sky above Ganymede. 
A) Jupiter and the Sun would rise and set with a period of about 7.15 days. 
B) Jupiter, if visible, would always remain at the same point in the sky, but the Sun would rise and set with a period of about 7.15 days. 
C) The Sun, if visible, would always be at the same point in the sky, but Jupiter would rise and set with a period of about 7.15 days. 
D) The Sun and Jupiter would remain fixed in the sky above Ganymede.

Question 5

The heating of the interior of Io, the innermost Galilean satellite of Jupiter, is caused by:

Accepted Answer

A) continual bombardment by meteoroids attracted by Jupiter's enormous gravitational pull. 
B) thermal heating from Jupiter, because Jupiter emits more radiation than it receives from the Sun. 
C) the fact that Io moves inside Jupiter's magnetosphere, where the temperature is as high as anywhere in the solar system. 
D) continuous tidal distortion by Jupiter and the other satellites. 
A) continual bombardment by meteoroids attracted by Jupiter's enormous gravitational pull. 
B) thermal heating from Jupiter, because Jupiter emits more radiation than it receives from the Sun. 
C) the fact that Io moves inside Jupiter's magnetosphere, where the temperature is as high as anywhere in the solar system. 
D) continuous tidal distortion by Jupiter and the other satellites.

Question 6

For which of the following objects is the orbital motion (direction of motion around the orbit) retrograde?

Accepted Answer

A) most of the satellites of Jupiter beyond the innermost eight 
B) the Martian satellite Phobos 
C) the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter 
D) the planet Venus 
A) most of the satellites of Jupiter beyond the innermost eight 
B) the Martian satellite Phobos 
C) the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter 
D) the planet Venus

Question 7

Which chemical in the atmosphere of Titan (a satellite of Saturn) appears to play the same role that water plays upon Earth in producing "rain" and forming lakes and streams, at the temperature encountered on the satellite?

Accepted Answer

A) ammonia, NH3 
B) methane, CH4 
C) nitrogen, N2 
D) oxygen, O2 
A) ammonia, NH3 
B) methane, CH4 
C) nitrogen, N2 
D) oxygen, O2

Question 8

Which of the following motions is seen to be characteristic of the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A) They orbit the planet in a planar orbit carrying them over both the north and south poles of Jupiter. 
B) They orbit the planet in the opposite direction to the planet's rotation. 
C) They each keep the same face toward the Sun at all times. 
D) They each keep the same face toward the planet at all times. 
A) They orbit the planet in a planar orbit carrying them over both the north and south poles of Jupiter. 
B) They orbit the planet in the opposite direction to the planet's rotation. 
C) They each keep the same face toward the Sun at all times. 
D) They each keep the same face toward the planet at all times.

Question 9

Io, one of the major Jupiter satellites, is undergoing extensive volcanic activity associated with interior heating that is caused by:

Accepted Answer

A) original heat, caused by gravitational condensation at the satellite's formation. 
B) solar radiation and heat falling on the surface. 
C) the impact of Jupiter's Van Allen particles on Io's surface. 
D) tidal distortion and internal friction because of flexing. 
A) original heat, caused by gravitational condensation at the satellite's formation. 
B) solar radiation and heat falling on the surface. 
C) the impact of Jupiter's Van Allen particles on Io's surface. 
D) tidal distortion and internal friction because of flexing.

Question 10

Io, Europa, and Ganymede have orbital periods in the ratio 1:2:4. At some time all three satellites are lined up on the same side of Jupiter as seen from Earth. After Europa goes once around Jupiter:

Accepted Answer

A) all three satellites will again be lined up on the same side of Jupiter. 
B) all three satellites will again be lined up, but Ganymede will be on the opposite side of Jupiter. 
C) observers on Europa would not be able to see Io. 
D) observers on Earth will not be able to see Ganymede. 
A) all three satellites will again be lined up on the same side of Jupiter. 
B) all three satellites will again be lined up, but Ganymede will be on the opposite side of Jupiter. 
C) observers on Europa would not be able to see Io. 
D) observers on Earth will not be able to see Ganymede.

Question 11

Extensive volcanic activity observed on Jupiter's satellite Io is caused by:

Accepted Answer

A) tidal stresses from Jupiter and the other Galilean satellites. 
B) "primordial" heat remaining from the release of gravitational energy during Io's formation. 
C) frictional heating between the satellite's mantle and crust during plate movement, driven by convection. 
D) heat released by radioactivity in Io's core and mantle. 
A) tidal stresses from Jupiter and the other Galilean satellites. 
B) "primordial" heat remaining from the release of gravitational energy during Io's formation. 
C) frictional heating between the satellite's mantle and crust during plate movement, driven by convection. 
D) heat released by radioactivity in Io's core and mantle.

Question 12

Jupiter's satellite Io has a surprisingly large magnetic field. This field is believed to:

Accepted Answer

A) be produced in the neighboring large satellites Europa and Ganymede. 
B) originate in the Io torus, a ring of charged particles in Jupiter's magnetosphere. 
C) be a result of the solar wind interacting with Jupiter's magnetosphere. 
D) be induced magnetism from Jupiter's strong magnetic field. 
A) be produced in the neighboring large satellites Europa and Ganymede. 
B) originate in the Io torus, a ring of charged particles in Jupiter's magnetosphere. 
C) be a result of the solar wind interacting with Jupiter's magnetosphere. 
D) be induced magnetism from Jupiter's strong magnetic field.

Question 13

What observation leads to the conclusion that the two outer Galilean satellites of Jupiter are composed of roughly equal parts of rock and water ice?

Accepted Answer

A) Their densities are very low compared to other objects of comparable size such as the Moon or Mercury. 
B) Their highly variable and localized magnetic fields closely resemble that of a mixture of iron rocks and water ice. 
C) Their rotations show variations that are thought to be due to changes in shape; this could only happen if they were composed of a loose mixture of rocks embedded in the flexible ice. 
D) Images of their surfaces show equal parts of rock and ice. 
A) Their densities are very low compared to other objects of comparable size such as the Moon or Mercury. 
B) Their highly variable and localized magnetic fields closely resemble that of a mixture of iron rocks and water ice. 
C) Their rotations show variations that are thought to be due to changes in shape; this could only happen if they were composed of a loose mixture of rocks embedded in the flexible ice. 
D) Images of their surfaces show equal parts of rock and ice.

Question 14

The four Galilean satellites of Jupiter do not all have the same mean density because:

Accepted Answer

A) heat from Jupiter prevented ice from forming at the locations of the inner satellites. 
B) heat from the Sun prevented ice from forming in the outer part of the "jovian nebula," from which the satellites formed. 
C) the larger satellites are more gravitationally compressed. 
D) the satellites formed at different distances from the Sun and were later captured by Jupiter. 
A) heat from Jupiter prevented ice from forming at the locations of the inner satellites. 
B) heat from the Sun prevented ice from forming in the outer part of the "jovian nebula," from which the satellites formed. 
C) the larger satellites are more gravitationally compressed. 
D) the satellites formed at different distances from the Sun and were later captured by Jupiter.

Question 15

Which of the following satellites of planets in our solar system has a significant, dense atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) Titan, a satellite of Saturn 
B) the Moon 
C) Triton, a moon of Neptune 
D) Io, a satellite of Jupiter 
A) Titan, a satellite of Saturn 
B) the Moon 
C) Triton, a moon of Neptune 
D) Io, a satellite of Jupiter

Question 16

What feature of the Saturnian moon Enceladus makes it a unique object in our solar system?

Accepted Answer

A) It rotates about its axis about every 2 minutes. 
B) It passes through the planet's ring system every orbit on its highly elliptical path. 
C) It has the most reflective surface of all objects in the solar system. 
D) It orbits its planet in a retrograde direction. 
A) It rotates about its axis about every 2 minutes. 
B) It passes through the planet's ring system every orbit on its highly elliptical path. 
C) It has the most reflective surface of all objects in the solar system. 
D) It orbits its planet in a retrograde direction.

Question 17

What observational facts lead to the conclusion that the small outer satellites of Jupiter were captured by its gravitational field rather than being formed at the same time as the planet?

Accepted Answer

A) They move in circular orbits in the planet's equatorial plane in the same direction as Jupiter's rotation. 
B) They move within the dust ring around Jupiter, above the planet's equator. 
C) They move in circular orbits above the planet's equator in a retrograde direction, opposite to that of Jupiter's rotation. 
D) They move in orbits that are steeply inclined to Jupiter's equator, many of them in a retrograde direction, opposite to Jupiter's rotation. 
A) They move in circular orbits in the planet's equatorial plane in the same direction as Jupiter's rotation. 
B) They move within the dust ring around Jupiter, above the planet's equator. 
C) They move in circular orbits above the planet's equator in a retrograde direction, opposite to that of Jupiter's rotation. 
D) They move in orbits that are steeply inclined to Jupiter's equator, many of them in a retrograde direction, opposite to Jupiter's rotation.

Question 18

The average densities of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter follow which pattern with increasing distance from the planet?

Accepted Answer

A) Average density is the same for all satellites, because they were made from the same material. 
B) Average density increases with distance from the planet. 
C) Average density shows NO pattern with distance, the highest-density satellite being Ganymede, the largest satellite. 
D) Average density decreases with distance from the planet. 
A) Average density is the same for all satellites, because they were made from the same material. 
B) Average density increases with distance from the planet. 
C) Average density shows NO pattern with distance, the highest-density satellite being Ganymede, the largest satellite. 
D) Average density decreases with distance from the planet.

Question 19

In what important way does the Jupiter satellite system resemble a miniature solar system, perhaps providing a hint to the initial formation of both systems?

Accepted Answer

A) The reflectivity of their surfaces decreases, the farther away they are from the central object, because the nearer objects have thicker clouds around them. 
B) Average density of objects decreases as distance increases from the central object, because the heat from this object would have melted and evaporated the volatile low-density ices from the closer objects. 
C) Average density of objects increases the farther away they are from the central object, because this central object can attract high-density material over a greater range of distances than for low-density material. 
D) The masses of objects increase as distance increases from the central object, because the probability of accretion of small objects into larger objects increases with distance. 
A) The reflectivity of their surfaces decreases, the farther away they are from the central object, because the nearer objects have thicker clouds around them. 
B) Average density of objects decreases as distance increases from the central object, because the heat from this object would have melted and evaporated the volatile low-density ices from the closer objects. 
C) Average density of objects increases the farther away they are from the central object, because this central object can attract high-density material over a greater range of distances than for low-density material. 
D) The masses of objects increase as distance increases from the central object, because the probability of accretion of small objects into larger objects increases with distance.

Question 20

The source of intense heating in the interior of Jupiter's satellite Io, causing continuous and intense volcanic activity, is:

Accepted Answer

A) tidal flexing and distortion, caused by Jupiter and the other large satellites. 
B) frictional heating as the solar wind impacts on the satellite surface. 
C) solar UV and visible radiation. 
D) heat released by continuous shrinkage after creation, transforming potential gravitational energy to heat. 
A) tidal flexing and distortion, caused by Jupiter and the other large satellites. 
B) frictional heating as the solar wind impacts on the satellite surface. 
C) solar UV and visible radiation. 
D) heat released by continuous shrinkage after creation, transforming potential gravitational energy to heat.

Exam 13: Jupiter and Saturns Satellites of Fire and Ice

The origin of the very thin oxygen atmosphere around Europa is:

Titan is Saturn's largest satellite. It is unusual among all the planetary satellites because of its:

Jupiter's magnetic field is caused by:

If the orbital period of Jupiter's satellite Ganymede is 7.15 days, what would be the view from a point on its surface at the equator?

The heating of the interior of Io, the innermost Galilean satellite of Jupiter, is caused by:

For which of the following objects is the orbital motion (direction of motion around the orbit) retrograde?

Which chemical in the atmosphere of Titan (a satellite of Saturn) appears to play the same role that water plays upon Earth in producing "rain" and forming lakes and streams, at the temperature encountered on the satellite?

Which of the following motions is seen to be characteristic of the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter?

Io, one of the major Jupiter satellites, is undergoing extensive volcanic activity associated with interior heating that is caused by:

Io, Europa, and Ganymede have orbital periods in the ratio 1:2:4. At some time all three satellites are lined up on the same side of Jupiter as seen from Earth. After Europa goes once around Jupiter:

Extensive volcanic activity observed on Jupiter's satellite Io is caused by:

Jupiter's satellite Io has a surprisingly large magnetic field. This field is believed to:

What observation leads to the conclusion that the two outer Galilean satellites of Jupiter are composed of roughly equal parts of rock and water ice?

The four Galilean satellites of Jupiter do not all have the same mean density because:

Which of the following satellites of planets in our solar system has a significant, dense atmosphere?

What feature of the Saturnian moon Enceladus makes it a unique object in our solar system?

What observational facts lead to the conclusion that the small outer satellites of Jupiter were captured by its gravitational field rather than being formed at the same time as the planet?

The average densities of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter follow which pattern with increasing distance from the planet?

In what important way does the Jupiter satellite system resemble a miniature solar system, perhaps providing a hint to the initial formation of both systems?

The source of intense heating in the interior of Jupiter's satellite Io, causing continuous and intense volcanic activity, is:

Astronomy and the Universe

Knowing the Heavens

Eclipses and the Motion of the Moon

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

The Nature of Light

Optics and Telescopes

Comparative Planetology I: Our Solar System

Comparative Planetology II: the Origin of Our Solar System

The Living Earth

Our Barren Moon

Mercury, Venus, and Mars: Terrestrial, yet Unique

Jupiter and Saturn: Lords of the Planets

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Kuiper Belt: Remote Worlds

Asteroids, Comets, and Impacts

Our Star, the Sun

The Nature of the Stars

The Birth of Stars

Stellar Evolution: on and After the Main Sequence

Stellar Evolution: The Death of Stars

Stellar Remnants: Neutron Stars and Black Holes

Our Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Active Galaxies

Cosmology: The Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Exploring the Early Universe

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