Question 1

What is remarkable about the surface of Ganymede?

Accepted Answer

A) It shows evidence of ancient tectonic activity 
B) It is the most heavily cratered surface in the solar system 
C) It contains pockets of liquid water 
D) It is dotted with many volcanoes 
A) It shows evidence of ancient tectonic activity 
B) It is the most heavily cratered surface in the solar system 
C) It contains pockets of liquid water 
D) It is dotted with many volcanoes A

Question 2

Which of the following is true of the orbit of Triton?

Accepted Answer

A) It is direct (prograde)and getting larger 
B) It is direct (prograde)and getting smaller 
C) It is retrograde and getting larger 
D) It is retrograde and getting smaller 
A) It is direct (prograde)and getting larger 
B) It is direct (prograde)and getting smaller 
C) It is retrograde and getting larger 
D) It is retrograde and getting smaller D

Question 3

What is remarkable about Uranus's satellite,Miranda?

Accepted Answer

A) It has several distinct types of surface terrain 
B) It is more massive than any other satellite of Uranus 
C) It reflects essentially all the sunlight that strikes it 
D) It has a satellite of its own 
A) It has several distinct types of surface terrain 
B) It is more massive than any other satellite of Uranus 
C) It reflects essentially all the sunlight that strikes it 
D) It has a satellite of its own A

Question 4

Triton's decaying orbit around Neptune is caused by what interaction?

Accepted Answer

A) Tidal bulge of Neptune leads Tritons orbital position. 
B) Tidal bulge of Neptune lags Tritons orbital position. 
C) Triton had a near collision with a massive object,which threw it toward Neptune. 
D) Triton's spin axis is pulled on by Neptune's gravity,causing Triton's orbit to decay. 
A) Tidal bulge of Neptune leads Tritons orbital position. 
B) Tidal bulge of Neptune lags Tritons orbital position. 
C) Triton had a near collision with a massive object,which threw it toward Neptune. 
D) Triton's spin axis is pulled on by Neptune's gravity,causing Triton's orbit to decay.

Question 5

Why are no impact craters seen on Io?

Accepted Answer

A) It does not have a solid surface 
B) It has extensive volcanic activity 
C) Io is shielded by the gravitational influence of Jupiter 
D) Its icy surface heals very rapidly 
A) It does not have a solid surface 
B) It has extensive volcanic activity 
C) Io is shielded by the gravitational influence of Jupiter 
D) Its icy surface heals very rapidly

Question 6

What is the main reason why some of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter are denser than the others?

Accepted Answer

A) The denser ones contain more rocky material 
B) The denser ones are smaller 
C) The low density ones are made mostly of gas 
D) The denser ones are compressed more by gravity 
A) The denser ones contain more rocky material 
B) The denser ones are smaller 
C) The low density ones are made mostly of gas 
D) The denser ones are compressed more by gravity

Question 7

The satellites of Saturn are made up mostly of

Accepted Answer

A) Ice 
B) Rock 
C) Metal 
D) Gas 
A) Ice 
B) Rock 
C) Metal 
D) Gas

Question 8

Suppose a planet is orbited by a number of satellites.Which of the satellites will feel the weakest tidal forces due to the planet?

Accepted Answer

A) A large satellite in a close orbit 
B) A large satellite in a distant orbit 
C) A small satellite in a close orbit 
D) A small satellite in a distant orbit 
A) A large satellite in a close orbit 
B) A large satellite in a distant orbit 
C) A small satellite in a close orbit 
D) A small satellite in a distant orbit

Question 9

Bright patches on the surfaces of Callisto are thought to be freshly exposed ice.How did the ice get exposed?

Accepted Answer

A) Surface winds 
B) Meteoroid impacts 
C) Volcanic activity 
D) Plate tectonics 
A) Surface winds 
B) Meteoroid impacts 
C) Volcanic activity 
D) Plate tectonics

Question 10

Why do astronomers strongly suspect that there is an ocean of liquid water beneath the icy surface of Europa?

Accepted Answer

A) The surface shows many deep impact craters 
B) The surface is broken into many pieces that resemble arctic ice fields 
C) Geysers have been seen erupting on Europa 
D) There are gaps in the icy surface through which liquid water has been seen 
A) The surface shows many deep impact craters 
B) The surface is broken into many pieces that resemble arctic ice fields 
C) Geysers have been seen erupting on Europa 
D) There are gaps in the icy surface through which liquid water has been seen

Question 11

Which of the following is the best description of Jupiter's outermost Galilean satellite,Callisto?

Accepted Answer

A) Dotted with volcanoes 
B) Criss-crossed with many cracks and mountain ridges 
C) Heavily cratered 
D) Smooth,nearly featureless 
A) Dotted with volcanoes 
B) Criss-crossed with many cracks and mountain ridges 
C) Heavily cratered 
D) Smooth,nearly featureless

Question 12

How do we know that the surface of Io was formed very recently?

Accepted Answer

A) It has no impact craters 
B) It is still hot from radioactive decays 
C) No rocks have yet had a chance to form 
D) Io is larger than it would be if it were very old 
A) It has no impact craters 
B) It is still hot from radioactive decays 
C) No rocks have yet had a chance to form 
D) Io is larger than it would be if it were very old

Question 13

What surface features of Triton are caused by geyser-like activity?

Accepted Answer

A) Dark streaks 
B) Long ridge systems 
C) Large impact craters 
D) Icy mounds that are several km high 
A) Dark streaks 
B) Long ridge systems 
C) Large impact craters 
D) Icy mounds that are several km high

Question 14

The volcanic activity of Io is a consequence of

Accepted Answer

A) Tidal heating 
B) Radioactive materials in Io's interior 
C) Frequent meteoroid impacts 
D) Frictional heating due to atmospheric winds 
A) Tidal heating 
B) Radioactive materials in Io's interior 
C) Frequent meteoroid impacts 
D) Frictional heating due to atmospheric winds

Question 15

Except for Titan,the other satellites of Saturn seem to be made primarily of

Accepted Answer

A) Metal 
B) Rock 
C) Ice 
D) Hydrogen and helium 
A) Metal 
B) Rock 
C) Ice 
D) Hydrogen and helium

Question 16

The largest Gallilean satellite,Ganymede,is comparable to which planet in size?

Accepted Answer

A) Pluto 
B) Earth 
C) Venus 
D) Mercury 
A) Pluto 
B) Earth 
C) Venus 
D) Mercury

Question 17

Why did the Cassini spacecraft use infrared detectors to obtain images of Titan?

Accepted Answer

A) Titan is too cold to emit visible light 
B) Titan is too bright in the visible part of the spectrum 
C) High clouds emit brightly in the infrared 
D) Infrared from the surface can escape through the atmosphere 
A) Titan is too cold to emit visible light 
B) Titan is too bright in the visible part of the spectrum 
C) High clouds emit brightly in the infrared 
D) Infrared from the surface can escape through the atmosphere

Question 18

Which of the following is a possible cause of the division of the surface of Ganymede into two distinct types of terrain?

Accepted Answer

A) Impact cratering 
B) Snowfall only at high elevations 
C) Covering and uncovering of surface features by dust 
D) Ancient plate tectonics 
A) Impact cratering 
B) Snowfall only at high elevations 
C) Covering and uncovering of surface features by dust 
D) Ancient plate tectonics

Question 19

If you fell off of the 20 Km high cliff on Miranda,what would happen to you?

Accepted Answer

A) Your acceleration would be low,and you final velocity on impact would also be low. 
B) Your acceleration would be high,but your final velocity on impact would be low. 
C) Your acceleration would be low,and you final velocity on impact would be high. 
D) Your acceleration would be high,and you final velocity on impact would also be high. 
A) Your acceleration would be low,and you final velocity on impact would also be low. 
B) Your acceleration would be high,but your final velocity on impact would be low. 
C) Your acceleration would be low,and you final velocity on impact would be high. 
D) Your acceleration would be high,and you final velocity on impact would also be high.

Question 20

What are the most notable surface features of Jupiter's satellite Io?

Accepted Answer

A) Volcanoes 
B) Grooved ridge systems 
C) Regions with high impact crater densities 
D) Smooth regions produced by flows of liquid water 
A) Volcanoes 
B) Grooved ridge systems 
C) Regions with high impact crater densities 
D) Smooth regions produced by flows of liquid water

Exam 14: Satellites

What is remarkable about the surface of Ganymede?

Which of the following is true of the orbit of Triton?

What is remarkable about Uranus's satellite,Miranda?

Triton's decaying orbit around Neptune is caused by what interaction?

Why are no impact craters seen on Io?

What is the main reason why some of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter are denser than the others?

The satellites of Saturn are made up mostly of

Suppose a planet is orbited by a number of satellites.Which of the satellites will feel the weakest tidal forces due to the planet?

Bright patches on the surfaces of Callisto are thought to be freshly exposed ice.How did the ice get exposed?

Why do astronomers strongly suspect that there is an ocean of liquid water beneath the icy surface of Europa?

Which of the following is the best description of Jupiter's outermost Galilean satellite,Callisto?

How do we know that the surface of Io was formed very recently?

What surface features of Triton are caused by geyser-like activity?

The volcanic activity of Io is a consequence of

Except for Titan,the other satellites of Saturn seem to be made primarily of

The largest Gallilean satellite,Ganymede,is comparable to which planet in size?

Why did the Cassini spacecraft use infrared detectors to obtain images of Titan?

Which of the following is a possible cause of the division of the surface of Ganymede into two distinct types of terrain?

If you fell off of the 20 Km high cliff on Miranda,what would happen to you?

What are the most notable surface features of Jupiter's satellite Io?

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