Question 1

Based on its average density of 2970 kg/m3 compared with that of water at 1000 kg/m3, what is the internal structure of Jupiter's moon Europa thought to be?

Accepted Answer

A)   almost entirely water in liquid form or as ice
B)   large iron core, the rest rock
C)   half rock, half water and ice
D)   a metallic core of high density with one-quarter of its mass composed of water and iceE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 2

The required heating of the large Galilean moon Io of Jupiter in order to produce volcanic activity is probably caused by

Accepted Answer

A)   tidal distortion by Jupiter and its other moons.
B)   its original heat of formation.
C)   nuclear fission within its interior.
D)   radioactive elements in its surface.E) All of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 3

The predominant large-scale atmospheric circulation pattern on Jupiter is characterized by

Accepted Answer

A)   strong winds blowing eastward at all latitudes so that the entire atmosphere rotates faster than the planet.
B)   isolated cyclones (low-pressure areas)  and anticyclones (high-pressure areas) , similar to those on Earth.
C)   strong winds blowing parallel to the equator but in opposite directions at different latitudes.
D)   strong winds blowing westward at all latitudes so that the entire atmosphere rotates more slowly than the planet.E) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 4

Which is the only satellite in the solar system known to possess a permanent, dense atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   Titan
B)   Charon
C)   Callisto
D)   GanymedeE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 5

Which of the moons of the giant planets is known to have a significant and dense atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   Europa, a moon of Jupiter
B)   Titan, a moon of Saturn
C)   Triton, a moon of Neptune
D)   Io, a moon of JupiterE) C) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 6

Which of these objects rotates the MOST quickly around its own axis?

Accepted Answer

A)   Venus
B)   Earth's Moon
C)   Earth
D)   JupiterE) C) and D)
F) A) and D)

Question 7

Earth experiences an equinox when the day and night are of equal length everywhere on the planet. Does Uranus experience an equinox? If so, how often? (The orbital period of Uranus is 84 years.)

Accepted Answer

A)   No.
B)   Yes, every 6 months just like Earth.
C)   Yes, every 42 years.
D)   Yes, every 84 years.E) B) and C)
F) C) and D)

Question 8

Which one of these features has NOT been found on Enceladus?

Accepted Answer

A)   jets of ice water shooting into the atmosphere
B)   a uniformly and heavily cratered surface
C)   stripes of recently formed material
D)   a magnetic fieldE) A) and C)
F) A) and B)

Question 9

Which chemical or chemicals appear to play a prominent role in the "volcanoes" of Io?

Accepted Answer

A)   water and steam
B)   molten lava
C)   methane and ammonia
D)   sulfur and sulfur dioxideE) None of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 10

Figure 9-7 shows the three cloud layers of Jupiter and Saturn. What is the unlabeled blank space beneath these layers?

Accepted Answer

A)   gaseous hydrogen
B)   liquid hydrogen
C)   solid metallic hydrogen
D)   RocksE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 11

Callisto, the outer Galilean moon of Jupiter, has a surface consisting of

Accepted Answer

A)   an icy crust showing two interlocking types of terrain, one ancient and heavily cratered, the other younger with systems of parallel grooves.
B)   rock, heavily cratered like the highlands of Earth's Moon.
C)   a relatively young, icy crust covered with a network of streaks and cracks and only a few impact craters.
D)   a very dark and ancient icy crust covered with numerous craters, with no surface cracks or groove belts that would indicate internal activity.E) None of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 12

What is the pattern followed by the average densities of the Galilean moons of Jupiter with increasing distance from the planet?

Accepted Answer

A)   Average density increases with distance from the planet.
B)   Average density shows no pattern with distance; the highest-density moon is Ganymede, the largest moon.
C)   Average density is the same for all moons because they were made from the same material.
D)   Average density decreases with distance from the planet.E) B) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 13

Seasonal variations over a full Uranian year at a particular point on Uranus would

Accepted Answer

A)   not be present at any point on the planet because dense clouds shield it from climate changes.
B)   be nonexistent because such variations at any point on the planet will be smoothed out during its long "year" by the planet's rapid rotation.
C)   be almost nonexistent because Uranus moves in an almost perfectly circular orbit and its distance from the Sun remains constant.
D)   be extreme because its spin axis is nearly in its orbital plane.E) B) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 14

When Io passes between Jupiter and Europa, both moons experience gravitational stress. On Europa this is responsible for three of the features listed below. Which feature does NOT occur as a result of the gravitational flexing of Europa?

Accepted Answer

A)   cracks on the surface
B)   heat to keep subsurface water liquid
C)   water geysers
D)   lava/sulfur volcanoesE) None of the above
F) All of the above

Question 15

Which is the largest planetary satellite in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth's Moon
B)   Neptune's satellite Triton
C)   Jupiter's satellite Ganymede
D)   Saturn's satellite TitanE) B) and C)
F) A) and C)

Question 16

For how long has it been known that the planet Jupiter has moons?

Accepted Answer

A)   since the first spacecraft flybys by Pioneer I in 1979
B)   since 1948, when the Mount Palomar telescope was completed
C)   since Galileo turned his telescope toward the sky in 1610
D)   since the time of the ancient GreeksE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 17

What appears to be the origin of the light, grooved terrain on the surface of Ganymede?

Accepted Answer

A)   impacts by cometary debris
B)   cracking of the surface caused by shrinkage of the moon as it cooled
C)   cracking of the icy surface, releasing water that expanded as it froze into ice
D)   flow of water on the solid surface of the moon at some time in the past, which subsequently shrank as it froze into this distinctive terrainE) B) and C)
F) C) and D)

Question 18

What were the results of the impacts of the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A)   Holes punched through the clouds, and craters gouged Jupiter's surface.
B)   There were essentially no visible effects because the fragments plummeted deep below the cloud layers before being destroyed.
C)   Rings of debris were flung into orbit around Jupiter's equator.
D)   Fireballs hotter than the Sun's surface made dark splotches that lasted for months.E) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 19

Which of these satellites of planets in the solar system has a significant and dense atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   Triton, a moon of Neptune
B)   Io, a moon of Jupiter
C)   Titan, a moon of Saturn
D)   Earth's MoonE) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 20

Which satellite of Jupiter is volcanically active?

Accepted Answer

A)   Europa
B)   Io
C)   Callisto
D)   GanymedeE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Exam 9: The Outer Planets

Which of these satellites of planets in the solar system has a significant and dense atmosphere?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Earth experiences an equinox when the day and night are of equal length everywhere on the planet. Does Uranus experience an equinox? If so, how often? (The orbital period of Uranus is 84 years.)

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which is the largest planetary satellite in the solar system?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The required heating of the large Galilean moon Io of Jupiter in order to produce volcanic activity is probably caused by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which is the only satellite in the solar system known to possess a permanent, dense atmosphere?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

For how long has it been known that the planet Jupiter has moons?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What were the results of the impacts of the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into Jupiter?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the moons of the giant planets is known to have a significant and dense atmosphere?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which one of these features has NOT been found on Enceladus?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the pattern followed by the average densities of the Galilean moons of Jupiter with increasing distance from the planet?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What appears to be the origin of the light, grooved terrain on the surface of Ganymede?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Seasonal variations over a full Uranian year at a particular point on Uranus would

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which chemical or chemicals appear to play a prominent role in the "volcanoes" of Io?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these objects rotates the MOST quickly around its own axis?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Callisto, the outer Galilean moon of Jupiter, has a surface consisting of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Figure 9-7 shows the three cloud layers of Jupiter and Saturn. What is the unlabeled blank space beneath these layers?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The predominant large-scale atmospheric circulation pattern on Jupiter is characterized by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which satellite of Jupiter is volcanically active?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Based on its average density of 2970 kg/m3 compared with that of water at 1000 kg/m3, what is the internal structure of Jupiter's moon Europa thought to be?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When Io passes between Jupiter and Europa, both moons experience gravitational stress. On Europa this is responsible for three of the features listed below. Which feature does NOT occur as a result of the gravitational flexing of Europa?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Based on its average density of 2970 kg/m³ compared with that of water at 1000 kg/m³, what is the internal structure of Jupiter's moon Europa thought to be?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified