Question 1

Mars has about one tenth the mass of Earth and half the Earth's radius.How does the acceleration of gravity on Mars compare to that on Earth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mars has about one tenth the mass...

Question 2

The Earth's rotation rate is slowing because of:

Accepted Answer

Tidal forces from the Moon cause a transfer of angular momentum from the Earth's rotation to the Moon's orbit, which is gradually increasing. This results in the Earth's rotation rate slowing down over time.

Question 3

How would the acceleration due to gravity on a planet that is 16 times as massive as Earth and 4 times its radius compared to the acceleration of gravity on the Earth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How would the acceleration due to gravity...

Question 4

The distance between Earth and the Moon is increasing because of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The distance between Earth and the Moon...

Question 5

Saturn has 95 times the mass of Earth,and its atmosphere extends outward 9.5 times the Earth's radius.How does the acceleration due to gravity at the edge of Saturn's atmosphere compare to that on the Earth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Saturn has 95 times the mass of...

Question 6

Tidal forces are caused by:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Tidal forces are caused by:
...

Question 7

The distance between Earth and the Moon:

Accepted Answer

The distance between Earth and the Moon is slowly increasing due to the tidal forces. The Moon is slowly moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) per year.

Question 8

Because of tidal forces,for every _________ time(s)it rotates on its axis,Mercury revolves around the Sun _________ time(s).

Accepted Answer

Mercury rotates on its axis three times for every two revolutions around the Sun. This is due to the tidal forces exerted by the Sun on the planet, causing it to slow down in its rotation. The ratio of 3:2 is called a resonance, and is a stable configuration for the planet's orbit.

Question 9

Because of the tidal force between the Earth and Moon:

Accepted Answer

The tidal force between the Earth and Moon causes a transfer of energy between their orbits and rotations. This results in the following changes: 
A) The Earth's rotation rate is decreasing, as the tidal bulge raised on the Earth's surface by the Moon's gravity causes a frictional force that slows down the rotation. 
B) The Moon's distance from Earth is increasing, as the transfer of energy from Earth's rotation to the Moon's orbit causes the Moon to gradually move away from Earth. 
C) The Moon's orbital period is increasing, as it moves away from Earth and its gravity becomes weaker, causing the Moon's velocity to decrease and its orbital period to increase. 
D) The Moon's rotational period is increasing, as it becomes tidally locked with Earth and rotates at the same rate as its orbital period. 
Therefore, all of the above choices are true.

Question 10

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the statements below are TRUE...

Question 11

The moon keeps the same hemisphere facing the Earth because the _________ is equal to the _________.

Accepted Answer

The Moon keeps the same hemisphere facing the Earth because its rotational period is equal to its orbital period around the Earth, a phenomenon known as synchronous rotation.

Question 12

The Moon always keeps the same face toward Earth because of:

Accepted Answer

The Moon always keeps the same face toward Earth due to tidal locking, which is a result of the gravitational forces between the two bodies. As the Moon orbits Earth, the gravitational forces cause the Moon's rotation and revolution to become synchronized, meaning the same side of the Moon always faces Earth.

Question 13

Tidal forces can affect:

Accepted Answer

Tidal forces can affect any object that has mass and is held together by gravity, including moons, galaxies, planets, and satellites.

Question 14

In a system with three gravitating bodies,there are _________ stable locations called _________ points for the third object to orbit in lockstep with the two more massive objects.

Accepted Answer

The two stable locations where a third object can orbit in lockstep with two more massive objects are called Lagrange points. Hence the answer is D, "2;Lagrange."

Question 15

Which one of the statements below about a planet's Roche limit is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which one of the statements below about...

Question 16

If you discovered a planet orbiting another star,and the planet had an orbital period of 2 years and a semimajor axis of 1 AU,what would be the mass of its parent star? You can assume the planet's mass is much less than the star's mass.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you discovered a planet orbiting another...

Question 17

_________ may have been instrumental in shaping the interface between Earth's land and oceans where the chemistry needed to develop life may have occurred.

Accepted Answer

The answer of _________ may have been instrumental in shaping...

Question 18

Lunar tides are approximately _________ solar tides.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lunar tides are approximately _________ solar tides.
...

Question 19

When the Sun and Moon are separated by 90 degrees in the sky,_________ tides occur on Earth when the strength of the tides are _________ than normal.

Accepted Answer

When the Sun and Moon are separated by 90 degrees in the sky, neap tides occur on Earth when the strength of the tides are smaller than normal. This is because the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon partially cancel each other out, resulting in weaker tides.

Question 20

Assume that a planet just like Earth orbits the bright star named Sirius.If this Earth-like planet orbits with a semimajor axis of 1 AU and an orbital period of 7 months,what is the mass of Sirius?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Assume that a planet just like Earth...

Quiz 4: Gravity and Orbits

Mars has about one tenth the mass of Earth and half the Earth's radius.How does the acceleration of gravity on Mars compare to that on Earth?

The Earth's rotation rate is slowing because of:

How would the acceleration due to gravity on a planet that is 16 times as massive as Earth and 4 times its radius compared to the acceleration of gravity on the Earth?

The distance between Earth and the Moon is increasing because of:

Saturn has 95 times the mass of Earth,and its atmosphere extends outward 9.5 times the Earth's radius.How does the acceleration due to gravity at the edge of Saturn's atmosphere compare to that on the Earth?

Tidal forces are caused by:

The distance between Earth and the Moon:

Because of tidal forces,for every _ time(s) it rotates on its axis,Mercury revolves around the Sun _ time(s) .

Because of the tidal force between the Earth and Moon:

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet?

The moon keeps the same hemisphere facing the Earth because the _ is equal to the _.

The Moon always keeps the same face toward Earth because of:

Tidal forces can affect:

In a system with three gravitating bodies,there are _ stable locations called _ points for the third object to orbit in lockstep with the two more massive objects.

Which one of the statements below about a planet's Roche limit is FALSE?

If you discovered a planet orbiting another star,and the planet had an orbital period of 2 years and a semimajor axis of 1 AU,what would be the mass of its parent star? You can assume the planet's mass is much less than the star's mass.

_________ may have been instrumental in shaping the interface between Earth's land and oceans where the chemistry needed to develop life may have occurred.

Lunar tides are approximately _________ solar tides.

When the Sun and Moon are separated by 90 degrees in the sky,_ tides occur on Earth when the strength of the tides are _ than normal.

Assume that a planet just like Earth orbits the bright star named Sirius.If this Earth-like planet orbits with a semimajor axis of 1 AU and an orbital period of 7 months,what is the mass of Sirius?

Quiz 4: Gravity and Orbits

Mars has about one tenth the mass of Earth and half the Earth's radius.How does the acceleration of gravity on Mars compare to that on Earth?

The Earth's rotation rate is slowing because of:

How would the acceleration due to gravity on a planet that is 16 times as massive as Earth and 4 times its radius compared to the acceleration of gravity on the Earth?

The distance between Earth and the Moon is increasing because of:

Saturn has 95 times the mass of Earth,and its atmosphere extends outward 9.5 times the Earth's radius.How does the acceleration due to gravity at the edge of Saturn's atmosphere compare to that on the Earth?

Tidal forces are caused by:

The distance between Earth and the Moon:

Because of tidal forces,for every _________ time(s) it rotates on its axis,Mercury revolves around the Sun _________ time(s) .

Because of the tidal force between the Earth and Moon:

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet?

The moon keeps the same hemisphere facing the Earth because the _________ is equal to the _________.

The Moon always keeps the same face toward Earth because of:

Tidal forces can affect:

In a system with three gravitating bodies,there are _________ stable locations called _________ points for the third object to orbit in lockstep with the two more massive objects.

Which one of the statements below about a planet's Roche limit is FALSE?

If you discovered a planet orbiting another star,and the planet had an orbital period of 2 years and a semimajor axis of 1 AU,what would be the mass of its parent star? You can assume the planet's mass is much less than the star's mass.

_________ may have been instrumental in shaping the interface between Earth's land and oceans where the chemistry needed to develop life may have occurred.

Lunar tides are approximately _________ solar tides.

When the Sun and Moon are separated by 90 degrees in the sky,_________ tides occur on Earth when the strength of the tides are _________ than normal.

Assume that a planet just like Earth orbits the bright star named Sirius.If this Earth-like planet orbits with a semimajor axis of 1 AU and an orbital period of 7 months,what is the mass of Sirius?

Because of tidal forces,for every _ time(s) it rotates on its axis,Mercury revolves around the Sun _ time(s) .

The moon keeps the same hemisphere facing the Earth because the _ is equal to the _.

In a system with three gravitating bodies,there are _ stable locations called _ points for the third object to orbit in lockstep with the two more massive objects.

When the Sun and Moon are separated by 90 degrees in the sky,_ tides occur on Earth when the strength of the tides are _ than normal.