Deck 11: Jovian Planet Systems

Question 1

Which of the following does not yield information on jovian planet interiors?

A)Earth-based observations of the mass and size of the planets
B)spacecraft measurements of magnetic and gravitational fields
C)laboratory studies and theoretical models
D)spectroscopy of the cloud layers
E)detailed observations of planetary shapes

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The four Galilean moons around Jupiter are

A)all made of rock.
B)all made of ice.
C)a mixture of rock and ice.
D)very similar to asteroids.
E)hydrogen and helium gas.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What is Jupiter's Great Red Spot?

A)the place where reddish particles from Io impact Jupiter's surface
B)a hurricane that comes and goes on Jupiter
C)a large mountain peak poking up above the clouds
D)a long-lived,high-pressure storm
E)the place where Jupiter's aurora is most visible

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Why do Uranus and Neptune have blue methane clouds but Jupiter and Saturn do not?

A)Methane does not condense into ice in the warmer atmospheric temperatures of Jupiter and Saturn.
B)Methane did not exist in the solar nebula at the radii of Jupiter and Saturn when the planets formed.
C)The greater gravitational force of Jupiter and Saturn prevents the methane from rising to the upper edges of the atmosphere.
D)Methane reacts with the abundant ammonia clouds in Jupiter and Saturn.
E)The relatively slow rotation of Uranus and Neptune allows methane to migrate to higher levels in the atmosphere and condense into clouds.

Question 5

What causes synchronous rotation?

A)Most jovian moons were formed out of their planet's nebula with the same rotational period as their parent planet.
B)Most jovian moons were formed out of their planet's nebula with the same orbital period.
C)A massive planet exerts a tidal force on a moon that causes the moon to obtain the same rotational period as its parent planet.
D)A massive planet exerts a tidal force on a moon that causes the moon to align itself such that its tidal bulges always point toward and away from the planet.
E)orbital resonances with other moons

Question 6

Why is Saturn almost as big as Jupiter,despite its smaller mass?

A)Jupiter's greater mass compresses it more,thus increasing its density.
B)Saturn's rings make the planet look bigger.
C)Saturn is further from the Sun,thus cooler,and therefore less compact.
D)Saturn has a larger proportion of hydrogen and helium than Jupiter,and is therefore less dense.
E)Jupiter's strong magnetic field constrains its size.

Question 7

How much energy does Jupiter emit compared with how much it receives from the Sun?

A)It emits 10 times as much.
B)It emits twice as much.
C)It emits half as much.
D)It emits 10 percent as much.
E)It emits 1 percent as much.

Question 8

The fact that most moons always show the same face to their planet is

A)very surprising and a great mystery.
B)a natural consequence of the fact that the entire solar nebula rotated in the same direction.
C)explained by the law of conservation of angular momentum.
D)a natural consequence of tidal forces acting on the moons.
E)a result of the fact that the moons once had atmospheres.

Question 9

How does Jupiter's core compare to Earth?

A)It is the same size and mass.
B)It is about 10 times larger both in size and mass.
C)It is about 10 times larger in size and the same mass.
D)It is about the same size but is 10 times more massive.
E)Jupiter doesn't have a core-it is made entirely from hydrogen and helium.

Question 10

Why is Jupiter denser than Saturn?

A)It is made of a different composition than Saturn,including a higher proportion of hydrogen compounds and rocks.
B)The extra mass of Jupiter compresses its interior to a greater extent than that of Saturn.
C)Its core is much larger than Saturn's.
D)It has a greater proportion of helium to hydrogen compared to Saturn.
E)It is unknown why this is so.

Question 11

The belts and zones of Jupiter are

A)alternating bands of rising and falling air at different latitudes.
B)cyclonic and anticyclonic storms.
C)names for different cloud layers on Jupiter.
D)alternating regions of charged particles in Jupiter's magnetic field.
E)the thermosphere and stratosphere respectively.

Question 12

How many more times is the atmospheric pressure in Jupiter's core greater than the atmospheric pressure at Earth's surface?

A)10 thousand
B)100 thousand
C)1 million
D)10 million
E)100 million

Question 13

Why do the jovian planet interiors differ?

A)The more distant planets formed in a cooler region of the solar nebula and therefore contain a greater proportion of ices than the closer jovian planets.
B)They differ due to giant impacts at the late stages of planet formation.
C)Accretion took longer further from the Sun,so the more distant planets formed their cores later and captured less gas from the solar nebula than the closer jovian planets.
D)The solar heating is less for the more distant planets than the closer planets.
E)The more distant planets had longer to form than the closer planets,since the solar nebula lasted longer at greater distances from the Sun.

Question 14

How do the jovian planet interiors differ?

A)All have cores of about the same mass,but differ in the amount of surrounding hydrogen and helium.
B)The core mass decreases with the mass of the planet.
C)The composition changes from mostly ammonia in Jupiter and Saturn to mostly methane in Uranus and Neptune.
D)The composition changes from mostly hydrogen in Jupiter and Saturn to mostly helium in Uranus and Neptune.
E)All have about the same amount of hydrogen and helium but the proportion of rocks is greater in those planets closer to the Sun.

Question 15

Why is Neptune denser than Saturn?

A)It has a different composition than Saturn,including a higher proportion of hydrogen compounds and rocks.
B)It has a greater proportion of hydrogen than Saturn.
C)The extra mass of Neptune compresses its interior to a greater extent than that of Saturn.
D)Its hydrogen is molecular,whereas Saturn's hydrogen is atomic.
E)It is not denser than Saturn.

Question 16

How do astronomers think Saturn generates its internal heat?

A)radioactive decay
B)internal friction due to its high rotation rate
C)chemical processes
D)by raining dense helium droplets from higher to lower altitudes,resembling the process of differentiation
E)nuclear fusion in the core

Question 17

Why are there no impact craters on the surface of Io?

A)It is too small to have been bombarded by planetesimals in the early solar system.
B)Jupiter's strong gravity attracted the planetesimals more strongly than Io and thus none landed on its surface.
C)Io did have impact craters but they have all been buried in lava flows.
D)Any craters that existed have been eroded through the strong winds on Io's surface.
E)Io's thick atmosphere obscures the view of the craters.

Question 18

Why do jovian planets bulge around the equator,that is,have a "squashed" appearance?

A)They are much more massive than the terrestrial planets.
B)Their large systems of moons and rings gravitationally attract the mass around the equator more.
C)Their rapid rotation flings the mass near the equator outward.
D)Their internal heat sources exert a pressure against the sides of the planets.
E)all of the above

Question 19

Why does Jupiter have several distinct cloud layers?

A)Different layers represent clouds made of gases that condense at different temperatures.
B)Different layers represent the various regions where the temperature is cool enough for liquid water to condense.
C)Different gases are present at different altitudes in Jupiter's atmosphere.
D)Winds prevent clouds from forming at some altitudes,so we see clouds only at the other altitudes.
E)Clouds form randomly,so on average there are always several layers.

Question 20

How do astronomers think Jupiter generates its internal heat?

A)radioactive decay
B)internal friction due to its high rotation rate
C)chemical processes
D)nuclear fusion in the core
E)by contracting,changing gravitational potential energy into thermal energy

Question 21

If Jupiter were 10 times more massive,it would actually have a smaller radius.

Question 22

Which previously unknown planet's location was predicted from mathematical calculations of orbital motions?

A)Mercury
B)Uranus
C)Neptune
D)Pluto
E)all of the above

Question 23

Given the differences in size and composition of the jovian planets in our solar system,how many groups is it appropriate to sort them into?

A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question 24

What mechanism is most responsible for generating the internal heat of Io that drives the volcanic activity?

A)accretion
B)radioactive decay
C)differentiation
D)tidal heating
E)bombardment

Question 25

Which of the following statements about the rings of the four jovian planets is not true?

A)All rings lie within their planet's Roche zone.
B)All the particle orbits are fairly circular,near their planet's equatorial plane.
C)All have gaps and ringlets,probably due to gap moons,shepherd moons,and orbital resonances.
D)All probably look much like they did when the solar system first formed.
E)All are made of individual particles of rock or ice that orbit in accord with Kepler's laws: inner ring particles orbiting faster,and outer ring particles orbiting slower.

Question 26

What is the most abundant gas in Titan's atmosphere?

A)methane
B)nitrogen
C)hydrogen compounds
D)oxygen
E)argon

Question 27

Which of the following statements about Titan is not true?

A)It may have an ocean of liquid ethane.
B)Its atmosphere is mostly nitrogen.
C)Its temperature is too cold for liquid water to exist.
D)Its surface is hidden from view by its thick atmosphere.
E)It is the coldest moon in the solar system.

Question 28

Which of the jovian planets have rings?

A)Jupiter
B)Saturn
C)Uranus
D)Neptune
E)all of the above

Question 29

How thick are Saturn's rings from top to bottom?

A)a few million kilometers
B)a few tens of thousands of kilometers
C)a few hundred kilometers
D)a few kilometers
E)a few tens of meters

Question 30

Why do astronomers think Miranda has such an unusual surface?

A)It underwent an episode of tidal heating in the past.
B)It was squashed by a giant impact.
C)It formed from the remains of a giant impact relatively recently.
D)Its surface is covered with a powdery dust from micrometeorite impacts.
E)Its low temperature affects the colors of its surface ice.

Question 31

Which of the following is not due to tidal forces?

A)the synchronous rotation of the Moon around Earth
B)the volcanos on Io (a moon of Jupiter)
C)the rings of Saturn
D)the grooved terrain of Enceladus (a moon of Saturn)
E)the backward orbit of Triton (a moon of Neptune)

Question 32

Why are Saturn's rings so thin?

A)Saturn's gravity prevents particles from migrating upwards out of the rings.
B)The "gap" moons shepherd the particles and maintain its thin profile.
C)Any particle in the ring with an orbital tilt would collide with other ring particles,flattening its orbit.
D)Solar radiation pressure keeps particles pressed into the rings.
E)The current thinness is a short-lived phenomenon that is special to this time.

Question 33

Which moon has the most substantial atmosphere?

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

Question 34

Planetary rings are

A)nearer to their planet than any of the planet's large moons.
B)orbiting in the equatorial plane of their planet.
C)composed of a large number of individual particles that orbit their planet in accord with Kepler's third law.
D)known to exist for all of the jovian planets.
E)all of the above

Question 35

What is the most important reason why an icy moon is more likely to be geologically active than a rocky moon of the same size?

A)Ice has a lower melting point than rock.
B)Ice is less rigid than rock.
C)Ice contains more radioactive elements than rock.
D)Ice is affected by tidal forces to a greater extent than rock.
E)Ice is less dense than rock.

Question 36

Why does Titan have such a nitrogen-rich atmosphere?

A)It was formed that way in the solar nebula.
B)The nitrogen comes from the breakup of ammonia (NH₃)by solar radiation and subsequent thermal escape of the hydrogen.
C)The nitrogen was formed from the chemical reaction of sulphuric acid with surface rocks.
D)Through the impact of nitrogen rich comets during the early solar system.
E)The nitrogen was created through a chain of fusion reactions in Titan's core.

Question 37

Why do astronomers believe Triton may have been a planet that was captured by Neptune?

A)It orbits Neptune in the opposite direction of Neptune's rotation.
B)It is too large to have been formed in the jovian nebula that formed Neptune.
C)It has an atmosphere and a measurable greenhouse effect.
D)It undergoes seasonal changes.
E)It is colder than any other moon or planet.

Question 38

What is the Cassini division of Saturn's rings?

A)a dark ring,visible from Earth,composed of dark,dusty particles
B)a large gap,visible from Earth
C)the imaginary circle marking the halfway point of Saturn's rings
D)the widest ring of Saturn,located between two large ring gaps
E)the most opaque ring of Saturn,made of highly reflective ice particles

Question 39

Which of the following planets cannot be seen with the naked eye?

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

Question 40

Of the four jovian planets,which likely formed first?

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

Question 41

Why is there no large temperature variation from the poles to the equator on Jupiter?

Question 42

What is "ice geology"? Give an example illustrating why it is important in the outer solar system.

Question 43

Hydrogen exists as a gas,liquid,and solid within Jupiter.

Question 44

Both the existence and the location of Neptune were predicted mathematically before the planet actually was detected by telescope.

Question 45

Describe the possible origins of Jupiter's vibrant colors.Contrast these with the origins of the colors of the other jovian planets.

Question 46

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a low-pressure storm like a hurricane on Earth.

Question 47

Jupiter is slowly shrinking through gravitational contraction today.

Question 48

The satellite Amalthea orbits Jupiter at just about the same distance in kilometers at which Mimas orbits Saturn.Yet Mimas takes almost twice as long to orbit.What can you deduce from this difference qualitatively? Since Jupiter and Saturn are not very different in radius,what else can you conclude?

Question 49

Explain how the resonance among Io,Europa,and Ganymede makes their orbits slightly elliptical.

Question 50

Some of the moons of the jovian planets have significant atmospheres.

Question 51

Jupiter likely formed first since it is the largest jovian planet and closest to the Sun.

Question 52

If Jupiter were 10 times more massive,it would generate nuclear fusion in its core and be a star instead of a planet.

Question 53

Synchronous rotation is when a moon's rotation period and orbital period are the same.

Question 54

Process of Science: A prediction based on Newton's theory of gravity led to the discovery of Neptune.

Question 55

Pluto exerts a noticeable gravitational influence on Uranus.

Question 56

Contrast Jupiter's magnetosphere with that of Earth and of the other jovian planets.

Question 57

Uranus continues to generate internal heat through gravitational contraction.

Question 58

Why does it make sense that the jovian planets farther from the Sun have less mass?

Question 59

Jupiter does not have seasons because it has no appreciable axis tilt.

Question 60

Suppose the jovian planet atmospheres were composed 100 percent of hydrogen and helium rather than 98 percent of hydrogen and helium.How would the atmospheres be different in terms of color and weather?

Question 61

Process of Science: Why do we think the source of Jupiter's large internal energy come from gravitational contraction?

Question 62

The energy in the atmospheres of most of the jovian planets comes

A)almost entirely from the Sun.
B)almost entirely from their interiors.
C)both the Sun and their interiors,in roughly equal proportions.
D)tidal heating.

Question 63

Process of Science: What evidence is there of a subsurface ocean on Europa? Do you find it compelling?

Question 64

Why is Triton such an unusual satellite?

Question 65

It is very cold,but otherwise quite comfortable.You breathe deeply.Although there is no oxygen (not to worry-your life-support belt will take care of that problem),the air pressure is quite tolerable and seems almost Earth-like (because it is mostly nitrogen).Your vista might even include such breathtaking sights as an ocean of liquid methane before you,and snow-capped (methane snow)mountains behind (although the atmosphere is very smoggy and the visibility consequently is limited).Your solar day is about 16 Earth days long.A large,ringed object seems to hang in your sky,never rising or setting;however,it goes through phases from new to full and back to new again with the same 16-day period as the rising and setting of the Sun.

Question 66

Use these choices for the following questions.
A.the most volcanically active body in the solar system
B.thought to have a deep,subsurface ocean of liquid water
C.probably a captured moon
D.the target of the Huygens probe,which landed on the surface in 2005
E.the largest moon in the solar system
Which of the above applies to Titan?

Question 67

Process of Science: Scientists have not observed Io's interior nor measured its internal temperature.What evidence do we have of Io's strong tidal heating from Jupiter?

Question 68

Use these choices for the following questions.
A.the most volcanically active body in the solar system
B.thought to have a deep,subsurface ocean of liquid water
C.probably a captured moon
D.the target of the Huygens probe,which landed on the surface in 2005
E.the largest moon in the solar system
Which of the above applies to Europa?

Question 69

Briefly explain how Uranus and Neptune were discovered.

Question 70

Use these choices for the following questions.
A.the most volcanically active body in the solar system
B.thought to have a deep,subsurface ocean of liquid water
C.probably a captured moon
D.the target of the Huygens probe,which landed on the surface in 2005
E.the largest moon in the solar system
Which of the above applies to Triton?

Question 71

Describe the leading scenarios for the origin of the planetary rings.What makes us think that ring systems must be continually replenished?

Question 72

Which of the following is not a general characteristic of the four jovian planets in our solar system?

A)They lack solid surfaces.
B)They are composed mainly of hydrogen,helium,and hydrogen compounds.
C)They are higher in average density than are the terrestrial planets.
D)They are much more massive then any of the terrestrial planets.

Question 73

Use these choices for the following questions.
A.the most volcanically active body in the solar system
B.thought to have a deep,subsurface ocean of liquid water
C.probably a captured moon
D.the target of the Huygens probe,which landed on the surface in 2005
E.the largest moon in the solar system
Which of the above applies to Ganymede?

Question 74

Jupiter's colors come in part from its three layers of clouds.Which of the following is not the primary constituent of one of Jupiter's cloud layers?

A)clouds of sulfuric acid
B)clouds of water
C)clouds of ammonium hydrosulfide
D)clouds of ammonia

Question 75

Following a series of experiments in which you are flung against walls to test the resiliency of the human body,you are ejected from the ship and find yourself in a maelstrom.Whipped by winds gusting at 10,000 km/hr,rising and falling in convective currents,you are not having a good time.On the rare occasions when you can assess your surroundings,you notice a horizon that seems to go on "forever" (or,at least,much farther than the horizon on Earth),and no solid surface anywhere.You get a glimpse of several large moons.The Sun races through your sky,requiring only about 5 hours to rise nearly due east,cross the meridian at an altitude of about 55° in the north,and then set due west.

Question 76

Use these choices for the following questions.
A.the most volcanically active body in the solar system
B.thought to have a deep,subsurface ocean of liquid water
C.probably a captured moon
D.the target of the Huygens probe,which landed on the surface in 2005
E.the largest moon in the solar system
Which of the above applies to Io?

Question 77

Which of the following statements comparing the jovian interiors is not thought to be true?

A)They all have cores of roughly the same mass.
B)They all have the same exact set of internal layers,though these layers differ in size.
C)They all have cores that contain at least some rock and metal.
D)Deep inside them,they all have pressures far higher than that found on the bottom of the ocean on Earth.

Question 78

Which of the following best describes the internal layering of Jupiter,from the center outward?

A)core of rock,metal,and hydrogen compounds;thick layer of metallic hydrogen;layer of liquid hydrogen;layer of gaseous hydrogen;cloud layer
B)core of rock and metal;mantle of lower density rock;upper layer of gaseous hydrogen;cloud layer
C)solid rock core;layer of solid metallic hydrogen;layer of pure liquid hydrogen;cloud layer
D)liquid core of hydrogen compounds;liquid hydrogen layer;metallic hydrogen layer;gaseous hydrogen layer;cloud layer

Question 79

Overall,Jupiter's composition is most like that of

A)Earth.
B)a comet.
C)an asteroid.
D)the Sun.

Question 80

Does it make sense that there are such noticeable differences in the jovian planets? Why or why not?