Deck 14: Comparative Planetology of the Jovian Planets

Question 1

What is Jupiter's core made of?

A)helium
B)heavy elements
C)hydrogen
D)carbon

Answer 1

heavy elements

Question 2

What is the grooved terrain found on Ganymede is believed to indicate?

A)flow channels for liquid water
B)flow channels for liquid methane
C)a system of faults in the crust
D)the peaks of water waves in a large ocean

Answer 2

a system of faults in the crust

Question 3

What is Cassini's division in Saturn's rings?

A)a location in the rings where the particle composition changes due to outgassing
B)a clump of ring particles produced by gravitational interaction with the moon Mimas
C)a separation between rings orbiting in different planes
D)a gap produced by gravitational interaction with the moon Mimas

Answer 3

a gap produced by gravitational interaction with the moon Mimas

Question 4

Where is belt-zone circulation found?

A)on Uranus and Neptune
B)among the asteroids
C)on Jupiter and Saturn
D)outside the orbit of Neptune

Question 5

The graph indicates the temperature of Saturn's atmosphere as a function of distance from the upper cloud layer.Water will condense to form droplets at a temperature of approximately 270 K in the atmosphere of Saturn.At what distance from the upper cloud layer will clouds of water vapour form?

A)-250 km
B)-150 km
C)0 km
D)150 km

Question 6

Which planets have liquid metallic hydrogen in their interiors?

A)Jupiter and Saturn
B)Saturn and Uranus
C)Uranus and Neptune
D)Jupiter and Neptune

Question 7

What is the term for the region around a planet where the magnetic field is able to deflect the solar wind and other charged particles?

A)aurora
B)magnetosphere
C)hydrosphere
D)corona

Question 8

Though Titan has a small mass,it is able to retain an atmosphere.Why?

A)because it is very cold
B)because it is very hot
C)because it has an iron surface
D)because it attracts gas from the solar wind

Question 9

In what way is the rocky material of Jupiter's core different from the rocks found on Earth?

A)It is much cooler because Jupiter is farther from the Sun.
B)It is much hotter and denser because of the extreme pressure at the core of Jupiter.
C)It is not composed of iron and nickel because this material would float on the surface.
D)It is composed entirely of ices that have frozen into a large rock-like structure.

Question 10

What phenomenon causes Jupiter and Saturn to emit more heat than they absorb from the Sun?

A)radioactive decay in their liquid metallic hydrogen cores
B)nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium in their liquid metallic hydrogen cores
C)heat left over from their formation
D)heat generated by the impact of meteorites in their atmospheres

Question 11

Which of the following objects may have organic particles on its surface as a result of the interaction of sunlight with methane in its upper atmosphere?

A)Io
B)Titan
C)Mimas
D)Ganymede

Question 12

What is the term for Kuiper belt objects that are in a 3 : 2 resonance orbit with the orbit of Neptune?

A)resonons
B)charons
C)trojans
D)plutinos

Question 13

How do the old surfaces of icy satellites of Jovian planets differ from the younger regions?

A)Old surfaces are darker in colour and have fewer impact craters.
B)Old surfaces are darker in colour and have more impact craters.
C)Old surfaces are lighter in colour and have fewer impact craters.
D)Old surfaces are lighter in colour and have more impact craters.

Question 14

What makes up most of Jupiter's mass?

A)rock
B)molten iron
C)water
D)hydrogen and helium

Question 15

As a moon in a very elliptical orbit moves closer to and then farther away from a planet,gravity flexes the moon with tides,and friction heats the interior.What is this process called?

A)tidal heating
B)occultation
C)vaporization
D)differentiation

Question 16

Which of these Galilean satellites is most geologically active?

A)Io
B)Europa
C)Callisto
D)Ganymede

Question 17

What is the Roche limit?

A)the distance from the Sun within which a planet cannot retain an atmosphere
B)the minimum mass of an object in the solar system that would be classified as a planet
C)the maximum separation distance between the Sun and a given planet
D)the distance from a planet within which a satellite cannot hold itself together

Question 18

What planet do the Galilean satellites orbit?

A)Jupiter
B)Saturn
C)Uranus
D)Neptune

Question 19

Why do the newly created surface regions on Jupiter's icy satellites appear so bright?

A)Jupiter focuses sunlight on the satellites.
B)The many impact craters are made of reflective metal.
C)Fresh ice is very reflective.
D)The satellites have small, active volcanoes.

Question 20

Which of the following do Jupiter and Saturn have in common?

A)liquid metallic helium in their interiors
B)large, permanent storms
C)moons with thick atmospheres
D)radiating more energy than they receive from the Sun

Question 21

What is unusual about Triton's orbit around Neptune?

A)Triton orbits in the same direction as Neptune rotates on its axis.
B)Triton orbits in the opposite direction to the way Neptune rotates on its axis.
C)Triton's rotation axis always points toward Neptune.
D)Triton's rotation is in the opposite direction to its orbital direction.

Question 22

What is the best explanation for the narrowness of the rings of Uranus and Neptune?

A)gravitational interactions between ring particles
B)a spiral density wave that confines them
C)the magnetic field that holds them in place
D)small shepherd moons that orbit near the rings

Question 23

The reddish particles in Jupiter's rings are less than 1 percent as reflective as Saturn's whiter particles.Based on this information,what can you conclude about the composition of the ring particles?

A)Saturn's are icy; Jupiter's are rocky.
B)Saturn's are rocky; Jupiter's are icy.
C)Both planets have icy ring particles.
D)Both planets have rocky ring particles.

Question 24

Which of the following has an atmosphere composed of mostly nitrogen with some methane?

A)Jupiter
B)Earth's moon
C)Callisto
D)Titan

Question 25

The graph plots the escape velocity of several solar system objects along the vertical axis and the surface temperature along the horizontal.The lines plotted in the figure are the fastest speeds of gas particles as a function of temperature for various gases.Which of the gases plotted in this diagram could be retained by Ganymede?

A)only CO₂
B)NH₃ and O₂
C)CO₂, NH₃, and O₂
D)CO₂ and O₂

Question 26

The graph plots the escape velocity of several solar system objects along the vertical axis and the surface temperature along the horizontal axis.The lines plotted in the figure are the speeds of the fastest gas particles as a function of temperature for various gases.Which of the objects in this diagram has the highest surface temperature?

A)Ganymede
B)Titan
C)Triton
D)Pluto

Question 27

The diagram shows a cross-section of the interior of Uranus.Which region do current computer models suggest is composed primarily of liquid water? Hint: The lowest pressure regions will be gaseous.

A)region 1
B)region 2
C)region 3

Question 28

What causes some rings of Saturn to be narrow,as seen in space probe photos?

A)gravitational interactions between ring particles
B)a spiral density wave that confines them
C)the magnetic field that holds them in place
D)small shepherd moons that orbit inside and outside the rings

Question 29

Why do Uranus and Neptune appear blue or blue-green?

A)Their atmospheres absorb blue light very efficiently.
B)Their solid airless surfaces are this colour.
C)Their surfaces are covered with liquid water with no atmosphere.
D)Traces of methane in their atmospheres absorb red light very efficiently.

Question 30

In what way is the rotation of Uranus peculiar?

A)It is very slow, nearly zero.
B)It is much faster than is typical for Jovian planets.
C)The rotation is in the opposite direction to the planet's orbital direction
D)The axis is nearly parallel to the plane of the planet's orbit.

Question 31

Which of these planets has the most featureless appearance,as revealed visually by space probes?

A)Jupiter
B)Saturn
C)Uranus
D)Neptune

Question 32

Which of the following are found on Triton?

A)volcanoes
B)lobate scarps
C)a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere
D)a thin nitrogen atmosphere

Question 33

Which of these is (are)aligned with the orbital plane of Uranus?

A)Uranus's poles
B)the orbital planes of Uranus's major satellites
C)the orbital plane of Uranus's rings
D)Uranus's equator

Question 34

On its icy surface,Uranus's satellite Ariel has smooth valleys with few craters,as well as rough areas with many craters.Based on this,what can be concluded?

A)The valleys are young and the rough areas are old.
B)The valleys are old and the rough areas are young.
C)Both valleys and rough areas are young.
D)Both valleys and rough areas are old.

Question 35

How are the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune peculiar?

A)They are highly inclined to their planet's axis of rotation.
B)They are very weak (virtually zero).
C)They are produced by the solar wind.
D)They are produced by disturbances caused by the orbits of the moons.

Question 36

How can we be sure that the particles in the rings of Neptune are very small?

A)The rings are faint in forward scattered light.
B)The rings are bright in forward scattered light.
C)Only small particles are produced in comet impacts with larger moons.
D)The magnetic field of Neptune would quickly force large particles out of the rings.

Question 37

When were the rings of Uranus discovered?

A)during an occultation of a star by the planet and its rings
B)during an eclipse of one of the moons by the rings
C)when Uranus and the rings passed behind Jupiter
D)during an encounter by the Voyager 1 space probe

Question 38

Which of the following does Jupiter lack?

A)a hot interior
B)convection occurring in its atmosphere
C)crustal plates on its surface
D)any rings

Question 39

Which of the following is a satellite of Pluto?

A)Miranda
B)Charon
C)Eris
D)Nereid

Question 40

Why do Uranus and Neptune contain no liquid metallic hydrogen?

A)They are not massive enough.
B)They contain mostly helium.
C)They are too far from the Sun.
D)Their magnetic fields are much too weak.

Question 41

____________________ is the smallest of the large moons of Uranus and its surface has features called ovoids.These ovoids may have been formed by the upheaval of material by convection in the interior.

Question 42

Why does Europa have so few craters?

A)It is protected from impacts by Jupiter's gravity.
B)It does not have a solid surface.
C)It has erased craters nearly as fast as they have formed.
D)Its surface is not strong enough to support craters.

Question 43

In what way are Saturn's F ring and the rings of Uranus similar?

A)They are made of dark material.
B)They are made of icy material.
C)They show well-defined spokes.
D)They are very narrow.

Question 44

The largest satellites of Jupiter are known as the ____________________ satellites.

Question 45

Which pair of outer planet moons is most similar in terms of composition?

A)Io and Charon
B)Triton and Callisto
C)Mimas and Enceladus
D)Titan and Ganymede

Question 46

How do the particles in Saturn's rings orbit the planet?

A)in the plane of the planet's equator, as a solid disk
B)in the plane of the planet's equator, in individual orbits for each particle
C)in the plane of the planet's equator, outside the Roche limit
D)around the planet's poles, in individual orbits for each particle

Question 47

Pluto's density is 1.8 g/cm³.Iron has a density of about 5 g/cm³.Rock (e.g.basalt)has a density of about 3 g/cm³.Ice and water have densities of 1.0 g/cm³.Which of the following can be deduced from those densities?

A)Pluto has a large iron-nickel core.
B)Pluto is about one-third water and two-thirds rocky material.
C)Pluto is solid rock all the way through.
D)Pluto is composed entirely of water or water ice.

Question 48

The results of volcanism are apparent on many objects in the solar system.However,volcanic activity is known to be currently occurring only on Earth and on Jupiter's satellite _____________.

Question 49

How are the Great Red Spot and Great Dark Spot different from weather patterns on Earth?

A)They are related to the planets' magnetic fields.
B)They come and go much faster than hurricanes and cyclones on Earth.
C)They are much longer-lasting than weather systems on Earth.
D)They are related to the planets' rotation.

Question 50

Compared to Jupiter,how much energy per square metre does Neptune get from the Sun?

A)about 1/36 as much
B)about 1/9 as much
C)about 1/2 as much
D)about 3/4 as much

Question 51

Which of the following is a feature of Saturn's atmosphere?

A)more distinctive zones and belts than Jupiter's atmosphere
B)free oxygen
C)methane clouds and haze
D)a blue-green colour

Question 52

What causes the geological activity seen on some of the inner moons of Jupiter?

A)Constant collisions with space debris provide a power source for geological activity.
B)The strong magnetic field of Jupiter heats up the surface of the inner moons.
C)Tidal friction caused by Jupiter's gravity heats up the interiors of the moons.
D)Solar radiation reflected off Jupiter's surface provides a power source for the moons' geological activity.

Question 53

The region of Jupiter that is responsible for the magnetic field is composed of _________________.

Question 54

Which of the following are part of the Kuiper belt?

A)Quaoar, Orcus, and Triton
B)Pluto, Sedna, and Eris
C)Io, Ganymede, and Callisto
D)Ceres, Vesta, and Phobos

Question 55

Which pair of planets has the greatest difference in density?

A)Uranus and Neptune
B)Jupiter and Saturn
C)Jupiter and Uranus
D)Jupiter and Neptune

Question 56

What type of geological activity is seen on Neptune's moon Triton?

A)Earthquakes resulting from plate tectonics are a common occurrence on Triton.
B)Volcanoes of molten lava, similar to those on Earth, have been seen on Triton.
C)Geysers of liquid nitrogen are seen erupting from Triton's surface.
D)Geysers of liquid water are seen erupting from Triton's surface.

Question 57

Why is Saturn oblate in shape?

A)The gravitational force of its moons flattens the planet.
B)The rapid rotation of the planet flattens it.
C)It formed that way originally and has no way to reshape itself.
D)Its magnetic field pulls the polar regions toward the planet's centre.

Question 58

The one object in the solar system besides the Earth that is suspected of currently having a liquid on its surface is __________________.

Question 59

The rings of ____________________ were discovered when they occulted a star.

Question 60

Why is it believed that the rings of Saturn could not have formed at the same time as the planet itself formed?

A)Over time, the solar wind should have blown away the particles in the rings.
B)The particles in the rings should eventually fall into the planet, in a time much shorter than the age of the planet.
C)The rings are made of ice particles, which would have been vaporized by the heat released as Saturn formed.
D)The outer planets do not have enough mass to hold onto the rings.

Question 61

Both Jupiter and Saturn contain liquid metallic hydrogen.

Question 62

The rings around Uranus and Neptune are confined by shepherd satellites.

Question 63

Satellites that lack craters are generally old,inactive bodies.

Question 64

Saturn's belts and zones are obscured by haze high up in its atmosphere.

Question 65

Pluto is no longer classified as a planet;instead it is now classified as a(n)____________________.

Question 66

For an observer on Uranus,the plane of the ecliptic passes only a few degrees from the celestial poles.

Question 67

Shepherd satellites keep Saturn's F ring narrow.

Question 68

Jupiter's rings are composed of particles of frozen ice.

Question 69

Nereid's orbit is peculiar in that it is highly elliptical.

Question 70

Jupiter's interior is mostly liquid helium.

Question 71

How do we know that the interior of Jupiter is a liquid metallic material?

Question 72

What evidence do we have that volcanism occurs on Io? on Europa? on Enceladus?

Question 73

Jupiter's intense magnetic field traps high-energy particles from the solar wind and forms a radiation belt around the planet.

Question 74

Describe the theories that try to account for the belt-zone circulation on Jupiter.

Question 75

Why are the belts and zones on Saturn less distinct than those on Jupiter?

Question 76

Saturn's rings are composed of icy particles.

Question 77

What do the densities of the moons of Jupiter tell us about their origin?

Question 78

Jupiter radiates less heat than it absorbs from the Sun.

Question 79

Although Uranus and Neptune have no liquid metallic hydrogen in their interiors,they do have magnetic fields.

Question 80

The rings of Uranus were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft.