Question 1

Lakes of methane,ethane,and other hydrocarbons can be found on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

Ring material:

Accepted Answer

A) is made primarily of fine dust 
B) has always orbited the giant planets 
C) reflects more than 75 percent of the light that falls on them 
D) must constantly be renewed 
E) is made primarily of kilometer-sized rocks 
A) is made primarily of fine dust 
B) has always orbited the giant planets 
C) reflects more than 75 percent of the light that falls on them 
D) must constantly be renewed 
E) is made primarily of kilometer-sized rocks D

Question 3

Which of the giant planets does NOT have rings?

Accepted Answer

A) Jupiter 
B) Saturn 
C) Uranus 
D) Neptune 
E) All of the giant planets have rings. 
A) Jupiter 
B) Saturn 
C) Uranus 
D) Neptune 
E) All of the giant planets have rings. E

Question 4

Large regular moons probably formed:

Accepted Answer

A) when passing asteroids were captured by the gravitational field of their planet 
B) at the same time as their planets and grew by accretion 
C) after a collision between a planet and a large asteroid fractured off a piece of the planet 
D) after the period of heavy bombardment in the early Solar System 
E) after a planet got kicked out of its orbit and was gravitationally captured by another planet 
A) when passing asteroids were captured by the gravitational field of their planet 
B) at the same time as their planets and grew by accretion 
C) after a collision between a planet and a large asteroid fractured off a piece of the planet 
D) after the period of heavy bombardment in the early Solar System 
E) after a planet got kicked out of its orbit and was gravitationally captured by another planet

Question 5

Rings of giant planets are very thin compared to their diameters mainly because:

Accepted Answer

A) of collisions between ring particles 
B) moons that tidally disrupt have small diameters 
C) energy is conserved when a moon tidally disrupts 
D) the planets have large tidal forces 
E) shepherd moons force them to be extremely thin 
A) of collisions between ring particles 
B) moons that tidally disrupt have small diameters 
C) energy is conserved when a moon tidally disrupts 
D) the planets have large tidal forces 
E) shepherd moons force them to be extremely thin

Question 6

Saturn's rings are much brighter than the rings of the other giant planets because:

Accepted Answer

A) Saturn is closer to the Sun and receives a higher flux of sunlight 
B) the material in Saturn's rings is made mostly of ice rather than rock 
C) Saturn's rings have over 100 times more material in them 
D) Saturn's rings are tilted by a larger angle relative to our line of sight 
E) the material in Saturn's rings is much hotter than material in other ring systems 
A) Saturn is closer to the Sun and receives a higher flux of sunlight 
B) the material in Saturn's rings is made mostly of ice rather than rock 
C) Saturn's rings have over 100 times more material in them 
D) Saturn's rings are tilted by a larger angle relative to our line of sight 
E) the material in Saturn's rings is much hotter than material in other ring systems

Question 7

Based on the photo shown below,this moon:

Accepted Answer

A) is geologically active 
B) is possibly geologically active 
C) was geologically active in the past but is not longer active 
D) is geologically dead 
E) More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. 
A) is geologically active 
B) is possibly geologically active 
C) was geologically active in the past but is not longer active 
D) is geologically dead 
E) More information is needed before any conclusion can be made.

Question 8

Particles that make up the rings of Uranus and Neptune are composed of:

Accepted Answer

A) rocky material from tidally disrupted moons 
B) organic material that has darkened due to bombardment by high-energy,charged particles 
C) icy material from tidally disrupted comets 
D) magma from volcanic eruptions on the surfaces of their moons 
E) all of the above 
A) rocky material from tidally disrupted moons 
B) organic material that has darkened due to bombardment by high-energy,charged particles 
C) icy material from tidally disrupted comets 
D) magma from volcanic eruptions on the surfaces of their moons 
E) all of the above

Question 9

Io is one of the most geologically active moons in the Solar System.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Which moon gives rise to the particles that make up Saturn's E ring?

Accepted Answer

A) Titan 
B) Triton 
C) Callisto 
D) Enceladus 
E) Thethys 
A) Titan 
B) Triton 
C) Callisto 
D) Enceladus 
E) Thethys

Question 11

Explain how a planet obtains a regular moon orbiting it.

Accepted Answer

Regular moons are formed from

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a way to renew particles in a ring system?

Accepted Answer

A) shredding an object that came within a planet's Roche limit 
B) a collision between moons or other objects near the ring system 
C) eruptions on a nearby moon,sending particles into space 
D) a planet's gravity drawing particles from the nearby interstellar medium 
E) impacts on a nearby moon,sending particles into space 
A) shredding an object that came within a planet's Roche limit 
B) a collision between moons or other objects near the ring system 
C) eruptions on a nearby moon,sending particles into space 
D) a planet's gravity drawing particles from the nearby interstellar medium 
E) impacts on a nearby moon,sending particles into space

Question 13

If ultraviolet photons destroy methane,why do scientists think Titan has so much of it in its atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

Internal heating drives cryovo

Question 14

Eruptions of water-powered geysers have been seen on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Assume that we discover a new moon of Jupiter.It orbits Jupiter at a large distance and in the opposite direction that Jupiter rotates.It is much smaller than most of Jupiter's other moons and has a density close to that of Earth rocks.Therefore,this moon is most likely:

Accepted Answer

A) a regular moon that formed with Jupiter in the early solar system 
B) an irregular moon that is most likely a captured asteroid 
C) an irregular moon that is most likely a captured comet 
D) an irregular moon that is most likely a protoplanet which collided with Jupiter in the early solar system and then was caught in orbit by Jupiter's gravity 
E) more information is needed before any conclusion can be made 
A) a regular moon that formed with Jupiter in the early solar system 
B) an irregular moon that is most likely a captured asteroid 
C) an irregular moon that is most likely a captured comet 
D) an irregular moon that is most likely a protoplanet which collided with Jupiter in the early solar system and then was caught in orbit by Jupiter's gravity 
E) more information is needed before any conclusion can be made

Question 16

How does the thickness of Saturn's bright ring system compare to its diameter?

Accepted Answer

A) It's about 10 times thinner. 
B) It's about 1,000 times thinner. 
C) It's about 10,000 times thinner. 
D) It's about 100,000 times thinner. 
E) It's about 10 million times thinner. 
A) It's about 10 times thinner. 
B) It's about 1,000 times thinner. 
C) It's about 10,000 times thinner. 
D) It's about 100,000 times thinner. 
E) It's about 10 million times thinner.

Question 17

How do Uranus's rings differ from the ring systems of the other giant planets?

Accepted Answer

A) Uranus has only one ring made up of fine dust. 
B) Uranus has the most spectacular ring system with many bright,wide rings. 
C) Uranus has 13 rings that are narrow and widely spaced. 
D) Uranus has rings that are clumped into several arc-like segments. 
E) Uranus has rings that are solid enough to land on. 
A) Uranus has only one ring made up of fine dust. 
B) Uranus has the most spectacular ring system with many bright,wide rings. 
C) Uranus has 13 rings that are narrow and widely spaced. 
D) Uranus has rings that are clumped into several arc-like segments. 
E) Uranus has rings that are solid enough to land on.

Question 18

Which of the following is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) The sizes of planetary ring material ranges from tiny grains to house-sized boulders. 
B) Some rings around giant planets are made from particles that are ejected by its moons. 
C) Planetary rings can be made when a moon is torn apart by tidal forces. 
D) The material in planetary rings orbit the planet while obeying Kepler's third law. 
E) Planetary rings around the giant planets usually remain for tens of billions of years. 
A) The sizes of planetary ring material ranges from tiny grains to house-sized boulders. 
B) Some rings around giant planets are made from particles that are ejected by its moons. 
C) Planetary rings can be made when a moon is torn apart by tidal forces. 
D) The material in planetary rings orbit the planet while obeying Kepler's third law. 
E) Planetary rings around the giant planets usually remain for tens of billions of years.

Question 19

Why do we suspect that the inner planets do not have rings?

Accepted Answer

They lack small moons to act a

Question 20

The varied colors found on Io's surface are due to the presence of various molecules containing:

Accepted Answer

A) sulfur 
B) silicon 
C) iron 
D) mercury 
E) magnesium 
A) sulfur 
B) silicon 
C) iron 
D) mercury 
E) magnesium

Exam 11: Planetary Adornments Moons and Rings

Lakes of methane,ethane,and other hydrocarbons can be found on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Ring material:

Which of the giant planets does NOT have rings?

Large regular moons probably formed:

Rings of giant planets are very thin compared to their diameters mainly because:

Saturn's rings are much brighter than the rings of the other giant planets because:

Based on the photo shown below,this moon:

Particles that make up the rings of Uranus and Neptune are composed of:

Io is one of the most geologically active moons in the Solar System.

Which moon gives rise to the particles that make up Saturn's E ring?

Explain how a planet obtains a regular moon orbiting it.

Which of the following is NOT a way to renew particles in a ring system?

If ultraviolet photons destroy methane,why do scientists think Titan has so much of it in its atmosphere?

Eruptions of water-powered geysers have been seen on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

Assume that we discover a new moon of Jupiter.It orbits Jupiter at a large distance and in the opposite direction that Jupiter rotates.It is much smaller than most of Jupiter's other moons and has a density close to that of Earth rocks.Therefore,this moon is most likely:

How does the thickness of Saturn's bright ring system compare to its diameter?

How do Uranus's rings differ from the ring systems of the other giant planets?

Which of the following is FALSE?

Why do we suspect that the inner planets do not have rings?

The varied colors found on Io's surface are due to the presence of various molecules containing:

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquid the Giant Planets

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

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