We often think of the solar system as an unchanging mechanical system. But only one of the following features has remained unchanged over the past few decades. Which one?
A)the brightness of Neptune's rings
B)the Great Dark Spot on Neptune
C)the orbits of Uranus's small inner satellites
D)the unusual topography of Miranda, one of the larger satellites of Uranus

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unusual topography of Miranda, one of Uranus's larger satellites, has remained unchanged over the past few decades. This is because the surface features of a moon or planet typically change over much longer timescales than human lifetimes, unless impacted by a significant event like a collision. In contrast, the brightness of Neptune's rings, the Great Dark Spot on Neptune, and the orbits of Uranus's small inner satellites can change due to various dynamic processes in the solar system.

We Often Think of the Solar System as an Unchanging