Question 1

A large asteroid or comet should produce a 100 km crater once every __________ years?

Accepted Answer

A) 100,000 
B) 5 million 
C) 50 million 
D) 500 million 
A) 100,000 
B) 5 million 
C) 50 million 
D) 500 million

Question 2

Which of the following would not be a result of the Earth being struck by an asteroid several km in diameter or larger?

Accepted Answer

A) The Earth would be moved farther from the Sun by the impact 
B) Dust cloud that would block out sunlight 
C) Concentrated acid rain 
D) A thermal pulse as ejected material reentered the atmosphere 
A) The Earth would be moved farther from the Sun by the impact 
B) Dust cloud that would block out sunlight 
C) Concentrated acid rain 
D) A thermal pulse as ejected material reentered the atmosphere

Question 3

When happens to the tail and coma of a comet after the comet passes perihelion?

Accepted Answer

A) They shrink 
B) They continue to grow until the comet passes 1 AU 
C) They detach from the comet 
D) They disappear until the comet is far from the Sun again 
A) They shrink 
B) They continue to grow until the comet passes 1 AU 
C) They detach from the comet 
D) They disappear until the comet is far from the Sun again

Question 4

What eventually happens to most short-period comets?

Accepted Answer

A) They collide with the Sun 
B) They are captured by Jupiter 
C) The ice in their nuclei completely evaporates 
D) They become asteroids 
A) They collide with the Sun 
B) They are captured by Jupiter 
C) The ice in their nuclei completely evaporates 
D) They become asteroids

Question 5

Most meteorites are

Accepted Answer

A) Pieces of comets 
B) Pieces of planets 
C) Interstellar debris 
D) Asteroidal debris 
A) Pieces of comets 
B) Pieces of planets 
C) Interstellar debris 
D) Asteroidal debris

Question 6

Why do meteors seem to come from the same point in the sky (the radiant)during a meteor shower?

Accepted Answer

A) They are fragments of an explosion in the atmosphere 
B) They are following similar orbits through space 
C) They only become visible when they reach altitudes of a few hundred km 
D) They hit Earth after being ejected from the Moon by impacts 
A) They are fragments of an explosion in the atmosphere 
B) They are following similar orbits through space 
C) They only become visible when they reach altitudes of a few hundred km 
D) They hit Earth after being ejected from the Moon by impacts

Question 7

Comets in the Oort cloud are occasionally deflected into the inner solar system by

Accepted Answer

A) Passing stars 
B) Jupiter 
C) The sun 
D) Wandering asteroids 
A) Passing stars 
B) Jupiter 
C) The sun 
D) Wandering asteroids

Question 8

Which of the following is good evidence that the asteroids are not the remains of a shattered planet?

Accepted Answer

A) No fossils have been found in meteorites 
B) Meteorites appear to have cooled off quickly 
C) Nothing can shatter a planet 
D) Most asteroids have smooth rather than jagged surfaces 
A) No fossils have been found in meteorites 
B) Meteorites appear to have cooled off quickly 
C) Nothing can shatter a planet 
D) Most asteroids have smooth rather than jagged surfaces

Question 9

How do we know that the "new" comets are members of the solar system and not just interstellar objects passing near the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A) They follow parabolic orbits 
B) They follow elliptical orbits 
C) They follow circular orbits 
D) They follow hyperbolic orbits 
A) They follow parabolic orbits 
B) They follow elliptical orbits 
C) They follow circular orbits 
D) They follow hyperbolic orbits

Question 10

If the Earth were struck by an asteroid 10 km in diameter,which of the following would have the most serious consequences for life on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) The huge crater produced by the collision 
B) The atmospheric shock wave 
C) The dust cloud raised by the impact 
D) Molten rock brought to the surface of the Earth 
A) The huge crater produced by the collision 
B) The atmospheric shock wave 
C) The dust cloud raised by the impact 
D) Molten rock brought to the surface of the Earth

Question 11

Approximately how large must a meteoroid be in order to survive passage through the atmosphere and reach the ground as a meteorite?

Accepted Answer

A) As big as a fist 
B) As big as a penny 
C) As big as an automobile 
D) As big as a house 
A) As big as a fist 
B) As big as a penny 
C) As big as an automobile 
D) As big as a house

Question 12

The tail of a comet ____________________ .

Accepted Answer

A) always follows the comet. 
B) always leads the comet. 
C) always points away from the Sun. 
D) always points toward the Sun. 
A) always follows the comet. 
B) always leads the comet. 
C) always points away from the Sun. 
D) always points toward the Sun.

Question 13

Impact craters

Accepted Answer

A) Appear to have never been produced on the Earth 
B) Are observed only on the Moon 
C) Appear to be a widespread solar system phenomenon 
D) Were caused by volcanic caldera 
A) Appear to have never been produced on the Earth 
B) Are observed only on the Moon 
C) Appear to be a widespread solar system phenomenon 
D) Were caused by volcanic caldera

A large asteroid or comet should produce a 100 km crater once every __________ years?

Which of the following would not be a result of the Earth being struck by an asteroid several km in diameter or larger?

When happens to the tail and coma of a comet after the comet passes perihelion?

What eventually happens to most short-period comets?

Most meteorites are

Why do meteors seem to come from the same point in the sky (the radiant)during a meteor shower?

Comets in the Oort cloud are occasionally deflected into the inner solar system by

Which of the following is good evidence that the asteroids are not the remains of a shattered planet?

How do we know that the "new" comets are members of the solar system and not just interstellar objects passing near the Sun?

If the Earth were struck by an asteroid 10 km in diameter,which of the following would have the most serious consequences for life on Earth?

Approximately how large must a meteoroid be in order to survive passage through the atmosphere and reach the ground as a meteorite?

The tail of a comet ____________________ .

Impact craters

Journeys Start

Patterns in the Sky

Ancient Astronomy

Renaissance Astronomy

Gravity and Motion

Light and Telescopes

Overview of the Solar System

The Earth

The Moon

Mercury and Venus

Mars

Jupiter and Saturn

The Outer Solar System

Satellites

Basic Properties of Stars

The Sun

The Formation of Stars and Planets

The Evolution of Stars

White Dwarfs, neutron Stars, and Black Holes

Binary Star Systems

The Milky Way

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Galaxy Clusters and the Structure of the Universe

Cosmology

Life in the Universe

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Exam 15: Small Solar System Bodies

A large asteroid or comet should produce a 100 km crater once every __________ years?

Which of the following would not be a result of the Earth being struck by an asteroid several km in diameter or larger?

When happens to the tail and coma of a comet after the comet passes perihelion?

What eventually happens to most short-period comets?

Most meteorites are

Why do meteors seem to come from the same point in the sky (the radiant)during a meteor shower?

Comets in the Oort cloud are occasionally deflected into the inner solar system by

Which of the following is good evidence that the asteroids are not the remains of a shattered planet?

How do we know that the "new" comets are members of the solar system and not just interstellar objects passing near the Sun?

If the Earth were struck by an asteroid 10 km in diameter,which of the following would have the most serious consequences for life on Earth?

Approximately how large must a meteoroid be in order to survive passage through the atmosphere and reach the ground as a meteorite?

The tail of a comet ____________________ .

Impact craters

Journeys Start

Patterns in the Sky

Ancient Astronomy

Renaissance Astronomy

Gravity and Motion

Light and Telescopes

Overview of the Solar System

The Earth

The Moon

Mercury and Venus

Mars

Jupiter and Saturn

The Outer Solar System

Satellites

Basic Properties of Stars

The Sun

The Formation of Stars and Planets

The Evolution of Stars

White Dwarfs, neutron Stars, and Black Holes

Binary Star Systems

The Milky Way

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Galaxy Clusters and the Structure of the Universe

Cosmology

Life in the Universe

Filters