A future news release might report that a new planet has been found around a star very similar to our sun. This newly discovered planet is claimed to have a mass 40 times that of Earth and is located nearly 25 AU from the star it orbits. Which of the following would be a reasonable prediction about this planet?
I. The planet will probably have a mean density of around 5 g/cm 3 .
II. The planet will probably have a radius of around five to ten times greater than Earth s.
III. The planet will probably have several satellites.
IV. The planet will probably have a composition that is mostly hydrogen and helium.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The planet's large mass and distance from its star suggest it is a gas giant, similar to Jupiter or Saturn, which have low densities, large radii, multiple satellites, and compositions primarily of hydrogen and helium.

A Future News Release Might Report That a New Planet