Question 1

The solid form of a volatile material is generally referred to as a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  metal 
B)  silicate 
C)  ice 
D)  rock 
E)  refractory material 
A)  metal 
B)  silicate 
C)  ice 
D)  rock 
E)  refractory material

Question 2

Comets and asteroids are:

Accepted Answer

A)  other names for moons of the planets 
B)  primarily located within 1 AU of the Sun 
C)  all more massive than Earth's Moon 
D)  material left over from the formation of the planets 
E)  other names for meteors 
A)  other names for moons of the planets 
B)  primarily located within 1 AU of the Sun 
C)  all more massive than Earth's Moon 
D)  material left over from the formation of the planets 
E)  other names for meteors

Question 3

According to the conservation of angular momentum, if an ice skater starts spinning with her arms out wide, then slowly pulls them close to her body, this will cause her to:

Accepted Answer

A)  spin faster 
B)  spin slower 
C)  maintain a constant rate of spin 
D)  fall down 
A)  spin faster 
B)  spin slower 
C)  maintain a constant rate of spin 
D)  fall down

Question 4

How do astronomers explain the basic difference in composition between the inner planets and the outer planets?

Accepted Answer

The inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth

Question 5

What evidence do we have that the accretion disk that formed the Solar System was initially very centrally condensed?

Accepted Answer

The Sun contains 99

Question 6

How much material in an accretion disk goes into forming the planets, moons, and smaller objects?

Accepted Answer

A)  most of it 
B)  roughly half of it 
C)  none; these objects were not formed in the accretion disk 
D)  a small amount of it 
A)  most of it 
B)  roughly half of it 
C)  none; these objects were not formed in the accretion disk 
D)  a small amount of it

Question 7

The difference in composition between the giant planets and the terrestrial planets is most likely caused by the fact that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the giant planets are much larger 
B)  only the terrestrial planets have iron cores 
C)  the terrestrial planets are closer to the Sun 
D)  the giant planets are made mostly of carbon 
E)  only small differences in chemical composition existed in the solar nebula 
A)  the giant planets are much larger 
B)  only the terrestrial planets have iron cores 
C)  the terrestrial planets are closer to the Sun 
D)  the giant planets are made mostly of carbon 
E)  only small differences in chemical composition existed in the solar nebula

Question 8

Explain the nebular hypothesis, and describe two observations that support it.

Accepted Answer

In the nebular hypothesis, a rotating cl

Question 9

Why do the outer giant planets have massive gaseous atmospheres of hydrogen and helium while the inner planets do not?

Accepted Answer

A)  These gases were more abundant in the outer regions of the accretion disk where the outer planets formed. 
B)  The outer planets grew massive quickly enough to gravitationally hold on to these gases before the solar wind dispersed the accretion disk. 
C)  The inner planets were too close to the Sun, and the solar wind blew away their original gaseous atmospheres. 
D)  Frequent early collisions by comets with the inner planets caused most of their original atmospheres to dissipate. 
E)  Temperatures were too high in the region of the Solar System that contains the inner planets. 
A)  These gases were more abundant in the outer regions of the accretion disk where the outer planets formed. 
B)  The outer planets grew massive quickly enough to gravitationally hold on to these gases before the solar wind dispersed the accretion disk. 
C)  The inner planets were too close to the Sun, and the solar wind blew away their original gaseous atmospheres. 
D)  Frequent early collisions by comets with the inner planets caused most of their original atmospheres to dissipate. 
E)  Temperatures were too high in the region of the Solar System that contains the inner planets.

Question 10

The atmosphere of which of these Solar System bodies is primary, as opposed to secondary, in origin?

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus 
B)  Earth 
C)  Saturn's moon Titan 
D)  Saturn 
E)  Mars 
A)  Venus 
B)  Earth 
C)  Saturn's moon Titan 
D)  Saturn 
E)  Mars

Question 11

An observer located outside our Solar System, who monitors the velocity of our Sun over time, will find that its velocity varies by $\pm$12 m/s over a period of 12 years, because of:

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter's gravitational pull 
B)  Earth's gravitational pull 
C)  variations in its brightness 
D)  convection on the Sun's surface 
E)  the sunspot cycle 
A)  Jupiter's gravitational pull 
B)  Earth's gravitational pull 
C)  variations in its brightness 
D)  convection on the Sun's surface 
E)  the sunspot cycle

Question 12

What is the age of our Solar System?

Accepted Answer

A)  4.6 billion years 
B)  4.6 million years 
C)  13.7 trillion years 
D)  13.7 billion years 
E)  13.7 million years 
A)  4.6 billion years 
B)  4.6 million years 
C)  13.7 trillion years 
D)  13.7 billion years 
E)  13.7 million years

Question 13

Whether or not a planet is composed mostly of rock or gas is set by:

Accepted Answer

A)  its mass 
B)  its temperature 
C)  its distance from the star when it formed 
D)  a combination of all three of the above 
A)  its mass 
B)  its temperature 
C)  its distance from the star when it formed 
D)  a combination of all three of the above

Question 14

What prevented the Moon from maintaining any atmosphere with which it originally formed?

Accepted Answer

A)  It repeatedly collided with planetesimals. 
B)  It is too close to the Sun. 
C)  The solar wind blew it away. 
D)  It is not massive enough. 
E)  It is tidally locked to Earth. 
A)  It repeatedly collided with planetesimals. 
B)  It is too close to the Sun. 
C)  The solar wind blew it away. 
D)  It is not massive enough. 
E)  It is tidally locked to Earth.

Question 15

Our Solar System is the only planetary system in our galaxy.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The figure below shows data from Doppler effect studies of three different stars: A, B, and C. Assume that all the stars are similar in mass to the Sun. Which star has the planet with the smallest semimajor axis?

Accepted Answer

A)  A has the smallest. 
B)  B has the smallest. 
C)  C has the smallest. 
D)  A, B, and C are all the same distance from their stars. 
E)  It is impossible to determine from the data given. 
A)  A has the smallest. 
B)  B has the smallest. 
C)  C has the smallest. 
D)  A, B, and C are all the same distance from their stars. 
E)  It is impossible to determine from the data given.

Question 17

What is the ratio of the orbital angular momentum of Jupiter to its spin angular momentum? Jupiter's orbit has a semimajor axis of 5 AU and period of 12 years, and Jupiter has a rotation period of 0.4 day and a radius of 70,000 km.

Accepted Answer

A)  650,000 
B)  26,000 
C)  920 
D)  38 
E)  4.5 
A)  650,000 
B)  26,000 
C)  920 
D)  38 
E)  4.5

Question 18

In protoplanetary environments, the plane of an accretion disk is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the interstellar cloud out of which it forms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Figure 1
-Using the Doppler effect data shown in Figure 1, determine the approximate orbital period of the extrasolar planet.

Accepted Answer

A)  1 year 
B)  3 years 
C)  6 years 
D)  8 years 
E)  12 years 
A)  1 year 
B)  3 years 
C)  6 years 
D)  8 years 
E)  12 years

Question 20

Conservation of angular momentum slows a cloud's collapse:

Accepted Answer

A)  equally in all directions 
B)  only when the cloud is not rotating initially 
C)  mostly along directions perpendicular to the cloud's axis of rotation 
D)  mostly at the poles that lie along the cloud's axis of rotation 
E)  to a complete stop 
A)  equally in all directions 
B)  only when the cloud is not rotating initially 
C)  mostly along directions perpendicular to the cloud's axis of rotation 
D)  mostly at the poles that lie along the cloud's axis of rotation 
E)  to a complete stop

Exam 7: The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

The solid form of a volatile material is generally referred to as a(n):

Comets and asteroids are:

According to the conservation of angular momentum, if an ice skater starts spinning with her arms out wide, then slowly pulls them close to her body, this will cause her to:

How do astronomers explain the basic difference in composition between the inner planets and the outer planets?

What evidence do we have that the accretion disk that formed the Solar System was initially very centrally condensed?

How much material in an accretion disk goes into forming the planets, moons, and smaller objects?

The difference in composition between the giant planets and the terrestrial planets is most likely caused by the fact that:

Explain the nebular hypothesis, and describe two observations that support it.

Why do the outer giant planets have massive gaseous atmospheres of hydrogen and helium while the inner planets do not?

The atmosphere of which of these Solar System bodies is primary, as opposed to secondary, in origin?

An observer located outside our Solar System, who monitors the velocity of our Sun over time, will find that its velocity varies by ±\pm± 12 m/s over a period of 12 years, because of:

What is the age of our Solar System?

Whether or not a planet is composed mostly of rock or gas is set by:

What prevented the Moon from maintaining any atmosphere with which it originally formed?

Our Solar System is the only planetary system in our galaxy.

The figure below shows data from Doppler effect studies of three different stars: A, B, and C. Assume that all the stars are similar in mass to the Sun. Which star has the planet with the smallest semimajor axis?

What is the ratio of the orbital angular momentum of Jupiter to its spin angular momentum? Jupiter's orbit has a semimajor axis of 5 AU and period of 12 years, and Jupiter has a rotation period of 0.4 day and a radius of 70,000 km.

In protoplanetary environments, the plane of an accretion disk is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the interstellar cloud out of which it forms.

Figure 1 -Using the Doppler effect data shown in Figure 1, determine the approximate orbital period of the extrasolar planet.

Conservation of angular momentum slows a cloud's collapse:

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquid the Giant Planets

Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

The Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

An observer located outside our Solar System, who monitors the velocity of our Sun over time, will find that its velocity varies by $\pm$ 12 m/s over a period of 12 years, because of: