Question 1

Compare the orbital angular momentum of the Earth and Jupiter.Which is larger,and by how much? (Note that Jupiter's mass is 318 times that of the Earth,the semimajor axis of Jupiter's orbit is 5.2 AU,and Jupiter's orbital period is 12 years.)

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Question 2

Explain the two primary reasons why the inner solar nebula was hotter than the outer solar nebula.

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Question 3

Examine the figure below.Describe the conservation laws at play during the formation of a protostar and the accretion disk.

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Question 4

Briefly explain the four different observational methods we use to detect extrasolar planets.Which has detected the largest number of extrasolar planets to date?

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Question 5

Explain why an accretion disk forms around a protostar when an interstellar cloud collapses.

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Question 6

What does conservation of angular momentum mean?

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Question 7

Explain why an ice skater spins faster when she pulls her arms in compared to when her arms are stretched straight out.

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Question 8

How did the formation of our Moon differ from the formation of the Galilean moons of Jupiter?

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Question 9

How do astronomers explain the basic difference in composition between the inner planets and the outer planets?

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Question 10

What is the difference between refractory and volatile materials?

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Question 11

Approximately how massive are nearly all the extrasolar planets that have been discovered thus far,and how is this related to the way in which we detect them?

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Question 12

What evidence do we have that the accretion disk that formed the Solar System was initially very centrally condensed?

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Question 13

Explain why most of the extra-solar planets astronomers have detected are so-called "hot Jupiters."

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Question 14

The primordial atmosphere of the Earth consisted of what type of chemical elements and from where did it originate? What chemical elements did the secondary atmosphere of the Earth consist of and from where did it originate?

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Question 15

For a star that lies in the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun,how does the observed wavelength of the hydrogen absorption line at 656.28 nm in its spectrum change in wavelength (if at all)with the time of year?

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Question 16

Explain how astronomers use the Doppler effect to detect the presence of extra-solar planets.

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Question 17

Explain the process of protostar formation shown in the figure below.

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Question 18

Suppose you observe a star emitting a certain emission line of helium at 584.8 nm.The rest wavelength of this line is 587.6 nm.How fast is the star moving? Is it moving toward you or away from you?

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Question 19

Why might a newly discovered comet contain clues to the composition of the early solar nebula?

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Quiz 5: The Formation of Stars and Planets