Question 1

Which planet or dwarf planet in our solar system has the moon with the largest LARGEST diameter compared with the diameter of the planet or dwarf planet itself?

Accepted Answer

A)  the EarthEarth 
B)  Saturn 
C)  Neptune 
D)  Pluto 
A)  the EarthEarth 
B)  Saturn 
C)  Neptune 
D)  Pluto D

Question 2

The huge hydrogen cloud that surrounds the nucleus of a comet,discovered by its UV emission,has a typical diameter of about:

Accepted Answer

A)  1/2 AU. 
B)  2 × 10⁷ km. 
C)  2 AU. 
D)  10⁶ km. 
A)  1/2 AU. 
B)  2 × 10⁷ km. 
C)  2 AU. 
D)  10⁶ km. B

Question 3

One of the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt is described as "3/7 of Jupiter''s orbital period.".What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  This location corresponds to the radius where an asteroid would complete three solar orbits in the same time Jupiter completes seven solar orbits. 
B)  This location corresponds to the radius where an asteroid would complete seven solar orbits in the same time Jupiter completes three solar orbits. 
C)  This location corresponds to a radius which that is 3/7 of the orbital radius of Jupiter. 
D)  The asteroids are apparently the remnants of material which never formed into a larger body. If that body had orbited at this location, it would have had 3/7 of Jupiter''s mass. 
A)  This location corresponds to the radius where an asteroid would complete three solar orbits in the same time Jupiter completes seven solar orbits. 
B)  This location corresponds to the radius where an asteroid would complete seven solar orbits in the same time Jupiter completes three solar orbits. 
C)  This location corresponds to a radius which that is 3/7 of the orbital radius of Jupiter. 
D)  The asteroids are apparently the remnants of material which never formed into a larger body. If that body had orbited at this location, it would have had 3/7 of Jupiter''s mass. B

Question 4

A useful technique for estimating the shapes of many asteroids has been:

Accepted Answer

A)  measurement by many closely spaced observers of occultations of stars by asteroids. 
B)  direct photography of the asteroid''s shape from the EarthEarth. 
C)  photography from spacecraft, such as Galileo. 
D)  measurement of brightness variations caused by asteroid rotation. 
A)  measurement by many closely spaced observers of occultations of stars by asteroids. 
B)  direct photography of the asteroid''s shape from the EarthEarth. 
C)  photography from spacecraft, such as Galileo. 
D)  measurement of brightness variations caused by asteroid rotation.

Question 5

The dust tail of a comet has which group of characteristics?

Accepted Answer

A)  spherical, very large, and of low brightness, centered on the comet nucleus, showing up only on UV photographs 
B)  curved, wide, and without structure, but thin and transparent to starlight 
C)  long, straight, structured, and pointed directly away from the Sun 
D)  narrow and straight and pointed directly at the Sun at all times 
A)  spherical, very large, and of low brightness, centered on the comet nucleus, showing up only on UV photographs 
B)  curved, wide, and without structure, but thin and transparent to starlight 
C)  long, straight, structured, and pointed directly away from the Sun 
D)  narrow and straight and pointed directly at the Sun at all times

Question 6

The orbits of periodic comets:

Accepted Answer

A)  are confined to distances closer to the Sun than the orbit of Pluto and are mostly in the ecliptic plane. 
B)  can extend far beyond the orbit of Pluto and are primarily in the ecliptic plane. 
C)  are confined to distances closer to the Sun than the orbit of Pluto and are oriented randomly in the solar system. 
D)  can extend far out beyond the orbit of Pluto and can be oriented in any direction in the solar system. 
A)  are confined to distances closer to the Sun than the orbit of Pluto and are mostly in the ecliptic plane. 
B)  can extend far beyond the orbit of Pluto and are primarily in the ecliptic plane. 
C)  are confined to distances closer to the Sun than the orbit of Pluto and are oriented randomly in the solar system. 
D)  can extend far out beyond the orbit of Pluto and can be oriented in any direction in the solar system.

Question 7

If all the material in the asteroid belt were to be combined to produce a planet,how big would it be?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 1500 km in diameter, less than half the diameter of the Moon 
B)  only a few kilometers in diameter, similar to an average mountain on the EarthEarth 
C)  about the size of the EarthEarth, with a diameter of about 13,000 km. 
D)  about the size of Mercury, with a diameter of about 5000 km. 
A)  about 1500 km in diameter, less than half the diameter of the Moon 
B)  only a few kilometers in diameter, similar to an average mountain on the EarthEarth 
C)  about the size of the EarthEarth, with a diameter of about 13,000 km. 
D)  about the size of Mercury, with a diameter of about 5000 km.

Question 8

What is the difference between an Apollo asteroid and an Amor asteroid?

Accepted Answer

A)  Apollo asteroids cross the orbit of the EarthEarth, whereas Amor asteroids cross the orbit of Mars but not the EarthEarth''s orbit. 
B)  Apollo asteroids orbit entirely inside the EarthEarth''s orbit and therefore do not cross it, whereas Amor asteroids cross Earth''s orbit and therefore might hit the EarthEarth. 
C)  Apollo asteroids pass near terrestrial planets, whereas Amor asteroids remain in the same orbit as Jupiter. 
D)  Apollo asteroids approach the orbit of Mercury, whereas Amor asteroids pass only within the orbit of Earth. 
A)  Apollo asteroids cross the orbit of the EarthEarth, whereas Amor asteroids cross the orbit of Mars but not the EarthEarth''s orbit. 
B)  Apollo asteroids orbit entirely inside the EarthEarth''s orbit and therefore do not cross it, whereas Amor asteroids cross Earth''s orbit and therefore might hit the EarthEarth. 
C)  Apollo asteroids pass near terrestrial planets, whereas Amor asteroids remain in the same orbit as Jupiter. 
D)  Apollo asteroids approach the orbit of Mercury, whereas Amor asteroids pass only within the orbit of Earth.

Question 9

The estimated total infall of meteoritic and extraterrestrial material from space per day on the EarthEarth is:

Accepted Answer

A)  about 30 tons. 
B)  less than 1 ton. 
C)  about 1 million tons. 
D)  about 300 tons. 
A)  about 30 tons. 
B)  less than 1 ton. 
C)  about 1 million tons. 
D)  about 300 tons.

Question 10

Haumea is all of the following exceptNOT a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  a tTrans-Neptunian oObject. 
B)  a dwarf planet. 
C)  a Kuiper belt object.. 
D)  an asteroid. 
A)  a tTrans-Neptunian oObject. 
B)  a dwarf planet. 
C)  a Kuiper belt object.. 
D)  an asteroid.

Question 11

Which solar system object was found on January 1,1801,located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A)  asteroid Ceres 
B)  Comet Halley's comet 
C)  Kuiper belt object 1993 SC 
D)  asteroid Gaspra 
A)  asteroid Ceres 
B)  Comet Halley's comet 
C)  Kuiper belt object 1993 SC 
D)  asteroid Gaspra

Question 12

Some of the definitions of the different types of objects in the solar system overlap.Which one of the following pairs does not NOT overlap? That is,if an object can be described by one of the labels,it cannot be described by the other.

Accepted Answer

A)  dwarf planet and asteroid 
B)  dwarf planet and Kuiper belt object 
C)  satellite and Kuiper belt object 
D)  meteoroid and planet 
A)  dwarf planet and asteroid 
B)  dwarf planet and Kuiper belt object 
C)  satellite and Kuiper belt object 
D)  meteoroid and planet

Question 13

The average sidereal period for an asteroid moving around the Sun in the asteroid belt,according to Kepler''s law,is:

Accepted Answer

A)  46.8 years. 
B)  2.8 years. 
C)  4.68 years. 
D)  1.99 years. 
A)  46.8 years. 
B)  2.8 years. 
C)  4.68 years. 
D)  1.99 years.

Question 14

The number of asteroids with diameters greater than 100 km is:

Accepted Answer

A)  just over 1000. 
B)  3. 
C)  about 30. 
D)  about 230. 
A)  just over 1000. 
B)  3. 
C)  about 30. 
D)  about 230.

Question 15

Which one of the followingobject is a small solar system body?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rhea, a moon of Saturn 
B)  Pluto 
C)  Ceres (an asteroid) 
D)  Mathilde (an asteroid) 
A)  Rhea, a moon of Saturn 
B)  Pluto 
C)  Ceres (an asteroid) 
D)  Mathilde (an asteroid)

Question 16

Pluto was discovered in:

Accepted Answer

A)  1930. 
B)  1846. 
C)  1609. 
D)  1781. 
A)  1930. 
B)  1846. 
C)  1609. 
D)  1781.

Question 17

If an asteroid were found to be orbiting in a circular path around the Sun at the same distance as Jupiter (5.2 AU),what would be its orbital period compared with that of Jupiter,which is 11.86 years?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 10 times as long as Jupiter''s period, or 118.6 years, because the Sun''s gravitational force is much smaller on such a small object 
B)  about 1/10 of Jupiter''s period because it is a much smaller object 
C)  same as Jupiter''s period, 11.86 years 
D)  exactly half of Jupiter''s period, or 5.93 years, because it would be in a synchronous orbit with Jupiter 
A)  about 10 times as long as Jupiter''s period, or 118.6 years, because the Sun''s gravitational force is much smaller on such a small object 
B)  about 1/10 of Jupiter''s period because it is a much smaller object 
C)  same as Jupiter''s period, 11.86 years 
D)  exactly half of Jupiter''s period, or 5.93 years, because it would be in a synchronous orbit with Jupiter

Question 18

What is the average distance between asteroids?

Accepted Answer

A)  about three times the length of a football field 
B)  about twice the diameter of the EarthEarth 
C)  about half the distance between the EarthEarth and the Moon 
D)  many times the distance between the EarthEarth and the Moon 
A)  about three times the length of a football field 
B)  about twice the diameter of the EarthEarth 
C)  about half the distance between the EarthEarth and the Moon 
D)  many times the distance between the EarthEarth and the Moon

Question 19

What is the purpose of the Stardust space probe?

Accepted Answer

A)  to plunge into the nucleus of a comet, throwing dust and icy grains out from under the comet''s surface into space, where they can be seen and analyzed from the EarthEarth 
B)  to analyze dust samples from other stars and transmit the results back to the EarthEarth 
C)  to fly through the tail of a comet and transmit images back to the EarthEarth 
D)  to collect samples of comet material and bring them back to the EarthEarth 
A)  to plunge into the nucleus of a comet, throwing dust and icy grains out from under the comet''s surface into space, where they can be seen and analyzed from the EarthEarth 
B)  to analyze dust samples from other stars and transmit the results back to the EarthEarth 
C)  to fly through the tail of a comet and transmit images back to the EarthEarth 
D)  to collect samples of comet material and bring them back to the EarthEarth

Question 20

When investigators reached the site of the 1908 Tunguska event,they found all of the following except oneEXCEPT ONE.Which did they not findwas the exception?

Accepted Answer

A)  a large crater 
B)  a lack of obvious meteorites 
C)  a large area of burned and downed trees 
D)  reports of witnesses hearing and feeling a significant shock wave 
A)  a large crater 
B)  a lack of obvious meteorites 
C)  a large area of burned and downed trees 
D)  reports of witnesses hearing and feeling a significant shock wave

Which planet or dwarf planet in our solar system has the moon with the largest LARGEST diameter compared with the diameter of the planet or dwarf planet itself?

The huge hydrogen cloud that surrounds the nucleus of a comet,discovered by its UV emission,has a typical diameter of about:

One of the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt is described as "3/7 of Jupiter''s orbital period.".What does this mean?

A useful technique for estimating the shapes of many asteroids has been:

The dust tail of a comet has which group of characteristics?

The orbits of periodic comets:

If all the material in the asteroid belt were to be combined to produce a planet,how big would it be?

What is the difference between an Apollo asteroid and an Amor asteroid?

The estimated total infall of meteoritic and extraterrestrial material from space per day on the EarthEarth is:

Haumea is all of the following exceptNOT a(n):

Which solar system object was found on January 1,1801,located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?

Some of the definitions of the different types of objects in the solar system overlap.Which one of the following pairs does not NOT overlap? That is,if an object can be described by one of the labels,it cannot be described by the other.

The average sidereal period for an asteroid moving around the Sun in the asteroid belt,according to Kepler''s law,is:

The number of asteroids with diameters greater than 100 km is:

Which one of the followingobject is a small solar system body?

Pluto was discovered in:

If an asteroid were found to be orbiting in a circular path around the Sun at the same distance as Jupiter (5.2 AU),what would be its orbital period compared with that of Jupiter,which is 11.86 years?

What is the average distance between asteroids?

What is the purpose of the Stardust space probe?

When investigators reached the site of the 1908 Tunguska event,they found all of the following except oneEXCEPT ONE.Which did they not findwas the exception?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

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Exam 8: Vagabonds of the Solar System

Which planet or dwarf planet in our solar system has the moon with the largest LARGEST diameter compared with the diameter of the planet or dwarf planet itself?

The huge hydrogen cloud that surrounds the nucleus of a comet,discovered by its UV emission,has a typical diameter of about:

One of the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt is described as "3/7 of Jupiter''s orbital period.".What does this mean?

A useful technique for estimating the shapes of many asteroids has been:

The dust tail of a comet has which group of characteristics?

The orbits of periodic comets:

If all the material in the asteroid belt were to be combined to produce a planet,how big would it be?

What is the difference between an Apollo asteroid and an Amor asteroid?

The estimated total infall of meteoritic and extraterrestrial material from space per day on the EarthEarth is:

Haumea is all of the following exceptNOT a(n):

Which solar system object was found on January 1,1801,located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?

Some of the definitions of the different types of objects in the solar system overlap.Which one of the following pairs does not NOT overlap? That is,if an object can be described by one of the labels,it cannot be described by the other.

The average sidereal period for an asteroid moving around the Sun in the asteroid belt,according to Kepler''s law,is:

The number of asteroids with diameters greater than 100 km is:

Which one of the followingobject is a small solar system body?

Pluto was discovered in:

If an asteroid were found to be orbiting in a circular path around the Sun at the same distance as Jupiter (5.2 AU),what would be its orbital period compared with that of Jupiter,which is 11.86 years?

What is the average distance between asteroids?

What is the purpose of the Stardust space probe?

When investigators reached the site of the 1908 Tunguska event,they found all of the following except oneEXCEPT ONE.Which did they not findwas the exception?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters