Deck 13: The Outer Solar System

Question 1

Which of the following sets of planets has large diameters,locations in the outer solar system,and extensive gaseous atmospheres?

A)Earth,Mars,Jupiter,Saturn
B)Mercury,Venus,Earth,Mars
C)Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus,Neptune
D)Mercury,Venus,Mars,Uranus

Answer 1

Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus,Neptune

Question 2

Why is Leverrier acknowledged as the discoverer of the planet Neptune?

A)He was the first to see it through a telescope
B)He provided the telescope through which it was first seen
C)He predicted its position
D)He was the director of the observatory at which it was discovered

Answer 2

He predicted its position

Question 3

How is it possible for Pluto always to keep the same face turned toward its satellite Charon?

A)Pluto's rotation period is the same as Charon's orbital period
B)Pluto doesn't rotate
C)Pluto's rotation period is the same as Pluto's orbital period
D)Charon's orbital period is the same as Pluto's orbital period

Answer 3

Pluto's rotation period is the same as Charon's orbital period

Question 4

What is remarkable about the magnetic field of Neptune?

A)It is stronger than that of any other planet
B)It is tipped at a large angle with respect to the axis of rotation
C)There are two north magnetic poles
D)It vanishes and reappears every few minutes

Question 5

What is unusual about the orbit of Pluto?

A)Pluto is sometimes nearer the Sun than is Neptune
B)Pluto has an almost perfectly circular orbit
C)Pluto has the same orbital period as Neptune
D)Pluto is always on the other side of the Sun from Neptune

Question 6

What may have contributed to the major impacts on the Moon and other objects 3.9 billion years ago?

A)Encounters of Uranus and Neptune with Trans-Neptunian objects as Uranus and Neptune moved farther outward in their orbits.
B)Encounters of Uranus and Neptune with Trans-Neptunian objects as Uranus and Neptune moved farther inward in their orbits.
C)Encounters of Jupiter and Saturn with Trans-Neptunian objects as Jupiter and Saturn moved farther outward in their orbits.
D)Encounters of Jupiter and Saturn with Trans-Neptunian objects as Jupiter and Saturn moved farther inward in their orbits.

Question 7

How was the mass of Pluto determined?

A)By measuring the effect of its gravity on the terrestrial planets
B)By observing its effect on the motion of an unmanned flyby of Pluto
C)By determining the orbit of its satellite,Charon
D)By measuring how it bends light rays passing near it

Question 8

What event led to the demotion of Pluto from planet to dwarf planet?

A)The determination of Pluto's mass
B)The discovery of Mercury
C)The discovery of a tenth body that is larger than Pluto
D)The discovery of additional satellites of Pluto

Question 9

Why did William Herschel have to observe Uranus on more than one night before he could be sure it was a planet and not a star?

A)He had to see if it showed a full range of phases from new to full
B)He had to see if it moved among the stars from night to night
C)He had to see if it had satellites
D)He had to see if it varied in brightness from night to night

Question 10

Which of the following statements is a good description of the appearance of Neptune in the Voyager images

A)Deep blue color with a few prominent cloud features
B)Many conspicuous zones and belts in its cloud layer
C)Nearly featureless greenish ball
D)Distinctly nonspherical in shape

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the appearance of the rings of Uranus?

A)Several thin rings,widely separated
B)Many wide rings with small gaps
C)Only a single,very broad ring
D)Two thin,inner rings and a broad,outer ring

Question 12

Which of the following planets was discovered because of its gravitational effect on the orbits of other planets?

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

Question 13

What did astronomers learn about Pluto as a result of the discovery of its satellite,Charon?

A)Its size
B)Its mass
C)Its age
D)Its rotation period

Question 14

How was Neptune discovered?

A)By accident,while an astronomer was looking for comets
B)It passed in front of a bright star
C)By looking at a position predicted by calculations
D)This is a trick,it has been known since antiquity

Question 15

Which of the following planets sometimes has its polar axis pointed almost directly at the Sun?

A)Mars
B)Jupiter
C)Earth
D)Uranus

Question 16

The Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft were used to search for planets beyond Pluto.What property of such planets was searched for by the spacecraft?

A)Their gravitational attractions
B)Visible light reflected by them
C)Radio emission from them
D)Eclipses of the Sun by them

Question 17

What object is not considered to be a dwarf planet?

A)Eris
B)Pluto
C)Ceres
D)Ida

Question 18

What is remarkable about the rotation of Uranus?

A)Its rotation period is very long (about 12 years)
B)Its rotation axis lies in its orbital plane
C)Its rotation axis always points at the sun
D)It does not seem to be rotating

Question 19

Which of the following planets has physical properties most like that of Uranus?

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

Question 20

How is the magnetic axis of Uranus oriented with respect to the axis of rotation of the planet?

A)The two axes are almost perfectly aligned
B)The magnetic axis lies in the equatorial plane of the planet
C)There is no magnetic field of Uranus
D)The magnetic axis is tipped by about 55 degrees.

Question 21

According to current theories,what might be the influence of Trans-Neptunian objects on the outer planets?

A)Jupiter and Neptune moved inward,causing Saturn and Uranus to move outward.
B)Jupiter and Saturn moved inward,causing Neptune and Uranus to move inward,possibly switching orbits.
C)Jupiter and Saturn moved into a 2:1 resonance,causing Neptune and Uranus to move inward,possibly switching orbits.
D)Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus and Neptune all move inward,to their present orbits.

Question 22

Why will Pluto never collide with Neptune,despite the fact that it often crossing Neptune's orbit?

A)2:3 gravity resonance of Neptune with Pluto keeps the planets far apart.
B)The planets may someday collide,but a collision is not likely due to the large distances involved.
C)A near collision with Triton has thrown Pluto into a more distant orbit,far away from Neptune.
D)A 3:5 gravity resonance between Neptune and Jupiter keeps Neptune from getting near Pluto.

Question 23

What property of Pluto lead to its demotion from planet to dwarf planet?

A)Its non-spherical surface
B)Pluto does not dominate the space associated with its orbit.
C)Pluto is too small to be a true planet.
D)Pluto is made of ices,rather than rocks and metals.

Question 24

The total mass of Trans-Neptunian objects is thought to be ________

A)much greater than Earth's mass.
B)much less than Earth's mass.
C)about equal to Earth's mass
D)unknown,because it cannot be predicted from current theories.

Question 25

It is thought that what percentage of Trans-Neptunian objects were lost due to collisions with planets or from ejection in the early solar system?

A)25
B)50
C)75
D)99.9