OpenStax Astronomy/Test 3 Study guide
Astronomy midterm Test 3 Study Guide
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Astronomy midterm Test 3 Study Guide-v1s1
edit- ___ a) vulcanism
- ___ b) low surface gravity
- ___ c) micrometeorite erosion
- ___ d) meteorite erosion
- ___ e) rilles
2. Rilles are caused by
- ___ a) impacts
- ___ b) meteorites
- ___ c) meteors
- ___ d) water
- ___ e) lava
3. In the Wikipedia excerpt on "Planetary Astronomy" the mechanism by which a meander grows over time was discussed. Which of the the following is best describes why meanders grow? (Pick only one best answer)
- ___ a) wind erosion
- ___ b) a combination of deposition and erosion
- ___ c) combination of erosion and underlying bedrock strength
- ___ d) occasional periods of intense flooding
- ___ e) combination of deposition and underlying bedrock strength
4. When imaged in visible light Venus appears like ______ rather than ______.
- ___ a) Venus ... Mars
- ___ b) an asteroid ... a terrestrial planet
- ___ c) a gas dwarf ... a rocky planet
- ___ d) Mars ... Venus
5. The clouds on Venus are made of
- ___ a) carbon dioxide
- ___ b) water
- ___ c) steam
- ___ d) nitrogen
- ___ e) sulfuric acid
6. The geology of Venus is predominantly
- ___ a) Picrite
- ___ b) Andesite
- ___ c) Basalt
7. Basalt is what type of rock?
- ___ a) Sedimentary
- ___ b) Metamorphic
- ___ c) Igneous
8. The rocks on Venus are mostly
- ___ a) associated with plate tectonics
- ___ b) from the seabed of a now non-existent ocean
- ___ c) from volcanoes
9. The rocky surface of the planet Venus can be detected when Venus is observed using infrared astronomy.
- ___ a) TRUE
- ___ b) FALSE
10. When Venus is viewed in the ultraviolet, its color appears brownish.
- ___ a) TRUE
- ___ b) FALSE
11. Moldavite is a mineral that may be associated with what radiation astronomy phenomenon?
- ___ a) evidence that Venus was once a comet
- ___ b) lightening strikes
- ___ c) predicting when currently dormant volcanoes will erupt
- ___ d) meteorite impacts and fireballs
12. According to Wikipedia, a "mineral" is a naturally occurring solid that
- ___ a) is heterogeneous
- ___ b) does not contain carbon
- ___ c) is by a chemical formula
- ___ d) contains carbon
- ___ e) has useful value
13. Which types of radiation astronomy directly observe the rocky-object surface of Venus?
- ___ a) X-ray astronomy
- ___ b) visual astronomy
- ___ c) radio astronomy
- ___ d) ultraviolet astronomy
- ___ e) infrared astronomy
14. One reason that Venus's atmosphere has more carbon dioxide than Earth's is that
- ___ a) Venus was too hot for oceans that could absorb the carbon dioxide
- ___ b) the mass of Venus is slightly higher
- ___ c) Venus has a lower magnetic field that disassociates carbon dioxide
- ___ d) Venus is exposed to a stronger solar wind strips away the other gasses
15. The surface temperature of Venus is about
- ___ a) 850 Fahrenheit (730 Kelvin or 230 Celsius)
- ___ b) 450 Fahrenheit (500 Kelvin or 66 Celsius)
- ___ c) 150 Fahrenheit (340 Kelvin or 66 Celsius)
16. The Venetian atmosphere consists of mostly carbon dioxide and
- ___ a) oxygen
- ___ b) helium
- ___ c) nitrogen
- ___ d) sulfuric acid
- ___ e) hydrogen
- ___ a) rift valleys
- ___ b) optical illusions
- ___ c) slip faults
- ___ d) subduction zones
- ___ e) rilles
18. Antipodal to the Tharsis bulge is
- ___ a) What Wikipedia contends IS an active volcano
- ___ b) the northern lowlands
- ___ c) What Wikipedia contends MIGHT BE an impact basin
- ___ d) What Wikipedia contends IS an impact basin
- ___ e) What Wikipedia contends MIGHT BE an active volcano
}
- ___ a) wind erosion
- ___ b) plate tectonics
- ___ c) water flow
- ___ d) dust storms
- ___ e) lava flow
20. The Martian dichotomy separates
- ___ a) the crust from the mantle
- ___ b) the rift valley from the volcanoes
- ___ c) the highlands from the lowlands
- ___ d) the Tharsus buldge from Hellas basin
- ___ e) Valles Marineris from Olympus Mons
21. According to Wikipedia, ______ was formed due to swelling of the Tharsis bulge which caused the crust to collapse
- ___ a) Hellas basin
- ___ b) the northern lowlands
- ___ c) the southern lowlands
- ___ d) Valles Marineris
- ___ e) Elysium
- ___ a) irrefutable evidence that Mars once had life
- ___ b) evidence that Mars once had active volcanoes
- ___ c) evidence that Mars once had oceans
- ___ d) controversial evidence that Mars once had life
- ___ e) evidence that Mars now has active volcanoes
23. The polar ice caps on Mars are ___
- ___ a) actually clouds above the surface of Mars
- ___ b) a nearly equal mix of water and carbon dioxide
- ___ c) caused by geysers
- ___ d) mostly water
- ___ e) mostly carbon dioxide
24. Liquid water cannot exist on Mars due to ___
- ___ a) the solar wind
- ___ b) high pressure
- ___ c) low pressure
- ___ d) high temperature
- ___ e) low temperature
- ___ a) controversial evidence that Mars once had life
- ___ b) evidence that Mars now has active volcanoes
- ___ c) evidence that Mars once had active volcanoes
- ___ d) evidence that Mars once had oceans
- ___ e) irrefutable evidence that Mars once had life
26. It is important to distinguish between molecules (collectively) in a gas and one individual molecule. This question is about an individual molecule. For a planet with a given mass, size, and density, which has the greater escape velocity?
- ___ a) the heavier molecule has the greater escape velocity
- ___ b) no molecules have escape velocity
- ___ c) the lighter molecule has the greater escape velocity
- ___ d) all molecules move at the escape velocity
- ___ e) all molecules have the same escape velocity
27. It is important to distinguish between molecules (collectively) in a gas and one individual molecule. This question is about a typical molecule in the gas. For a planet with a given mass, size, and density, which type of gas is more likely to escape?
- ___ a) all types of gas are equally likely to escape
- ___ b) atoms in a denser gas are more likely to escape
- ___ c) atoms in a hotter gas is more likely to escape
- ___ d) atoms in a colder gas are more likely to escape
- ___ e) atoms in a gas with more atomic mass are more likely to escape
28. Which type of gas is likely to have the faster particles?
- ___ a) a hot gas with high mass atoms
- ___ b) a cold gas with low mass atoms
- ___ c) all gasses on a given planet have the same speed
- ___ d) a cold gas with high mass atoms
- ___ e) a hot gas with low mass atoms
29. What is it about the isotopes of Argon-36 and Argon-38 that causes their relative abundance to be so unusual on Mars?
- ___ a) different speed
- ___ b) different half-life
- ___ c) identical abundance
- ___ d) different chemical properties
- ___ e) identical mass
30. In the formula, , which of the following is FALSE?
- ___ a) the formula is valid for all launch angles
- ___ b) the formula can be used to estimate how fast an atom must move before exiting the planet
- ___ c) vescape is independent of matom
- ___ d) the formula is valid only if the particle is launched from the surface of planet of radius rplanet
- ___ e) the particle is assumed to have been launched vertically
31. What statement is FALSE about ?
- ___ a) This equation does not involve the size or mass of the planet.
- ___ b) The average speed of a low mass particle is higher than the average speed of a high mass particle
- ___ c) Temperature is measured in Centigrades
- ___ d) The kinetic energy is directly proportional to temperature.
- ___ e) Temperature is measured in Kelvins
32. , where T is temperature on the Kelvin scale. This formula describes:
- ___ a) The speed of a typical atom, where m is the mass of the atom.
- ___ b) The the speed an atom needs to escape the planet, where m is the mass planet.
- ___ c) The speed an atom needs to orbit the planet, where m is the mass of the atom.
- ___ d) The speed an atom needs to escape the planet, where m is the mass of the atom.
- ___ e) The speed of a typical atom, where m is the mass of the planet.
33. How does the density of a Galilean moon depend on its distance from Jupiter?
- ___ a) the density of the moons is unknown
- ___ b) all the moons have nearly the same density
- ___ c) the more dense moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
- ___ d) the less dense moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
- ___ e) the most dense moon is neither the closest nor the most distant
34. How does the mass of a Galilean moon depend on its distance from the central body?
- ___ a) all the moons have nearly the same mass
- ___ b) the most massive moon is neither the closest nor the most distant
- ___ c) the less massive moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
- ___ d) the mass of the moons is unknown
- ___ e) the more massive moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
35. Does Jupiter's moon Io have craters?
- ___ a) yes, from impacts
- ___ b) yes, from volcanoes
- ___ c) yes, about half from impacts and the others from volcanoes
- ___ d) no, the surface is too old
- ___ e) no, the surface is too new
36. The mechanism that heats the cores of the Galilean moons is
- ___ a) radioactive decay of heavy elements
- ___ b) tides from the other moons and Jupiter
- ___ c) radiation from the Sun
- ___ d) tides from Jupiter
- ___ e) radiation from the Sun and from Jupiter
37. Immediately after publication of Newton's laws of physics (Principia), it was possible to "calculate" the mass of Jupiter. What important caveat applied to this calculation?
- ___ a) tides from the other moons and Jupiter.
- ___ b) Only the mass of Jupiter relative to that of the Sun could be determined.
- ___ c) They needed to wait over a decade for Jupiter to make approximately one revolution around the Sun.
- ___ d) The different moons yielded slightly different values for the mass of Jupiter.
- ___ e) The different moons yielded vastly different values for the mass of Jupiter.
38. Ganymede, Europa, and Io have ratios in __________ that are 1:2:4.
- ___ a) orbital period
- ___ b) density
- ___ c) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- ___ d) rotational period
- ___ e) Argon isotope abundance
39. Which of Jupiter's moons has an anhydrous core?
- ___ a) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- ___ b) Ganymede
- ___ c) Io
- ___ d) Europa
- ___ e) Ganymede
40. The 1982 Voyager flyby of Miranda (a moon of Uranus) established that _____
- ___ a) Miranda has the largest active volcano in the solar system
- ___ b) Miranda probably has an iron core
- ___ c) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- ___ d) inspired a theory a previous incarnation was destroyed by a collision
- ___ e) Miranda has geysers.
41. It has been suggested that Miranda's "racetrack"
- ___ a) is antipodal to an impact crater
- ___ b) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- ___ c) is an impact crater
- ___ d) is associated with tidal heating
- ___ e) is a series of rifts created by an upwelling of warm ice
42. According to Wikipedia, the largest lakes on Titan are probably fed by
- ___ a) rivers from the highlands
- ___ b) geysers
- ___ c) underground aquifers
- ___ d) methane rain
- ___ e) liquid water rain
The bright spot on Saturn's moon Titan is
- ___ a) a lake
- ___ b) a volcano
- ___ c) aurora borealis (northern lights)
- ___ d) solar wind particles striking the atmosphere
- ___ e) lightening
44. One "year" on Saturn's largest moon Titan lasts
- ___ a) 3 hours
- ___ b) 30 hours
- ___ c) 30 years
- ___ d) 300 days
- ___ e) 3 years
The photographs compare
- ___ a) wet and dry seasons
- ___ b) winter windstorms and summer doldrums
- ___ c) summer windstorms and winter doldrums
- ___ d) Titan and Earth
- ___ e) northern and southern hemispheres
46. The liquid water ocean of Saturn's largest moon Titan,
- ___ a) is known to contain life
- ___ b) explains how the elevation of a smooth planet seems to rise and fall
- ___ c) Two other answers are correct
- ___ d) is postulated to cover 15-30% of its surface
- ___ e) is less than one meter in depth
The black spot in this image of Jupiter is
- ___ a) a solar eclipse
- ___ b) an electric storm
- ___ c) the shadow of a moon
- ___ d) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- ___ e) a magnetic storm
48. Which of the following statements is FALSE?
- ___ a) Jupiter emits more energy than it receives from the Sun
- ___ b) Jupiter has four large moons and many smaller ones
- ___ c) The Great Red Spot is a storm that has raged for over 300 years
- ___ d) Jupiter has a system of rings
- ___ e) Jupiter is the largest known planet
49. What is the mechanism that heats the interior of Jupiter?
- ___ a) rain
- ___ b) radioactivity
- ___ c) magnetism
- ___ d) tides
- ___ e) electricity
50. Why is Jupiter an oblate spheroid?
- ___ a) rotation about axis
- ___ b) tides from the Jupiter's moons
- ___ c) tides from the Sun
- ___ d) revolution around Sun
- ___ e) tides from other gas planets
51. What statement best describes the Wikipedia's explanation of the helium (He) content of Jupiter's upper atmosphere (relative to the hydrogen (H) content)?
- ___ a) Jupiter and the Sun have nearly the same ratio of He to H.
- ___ b) Jupiter's atmosphere has 80% more He because Jupiter's hydrogen fell to the core.
- ___ c) Jupiter's atmosphere has 80% more He because Jupiter's hydrogen escaped into space.
- ___ d) Jupiter's atmosphere has only 80% as much helium because the He escaped into space.
- ___ e) Jupiter's atmosphere has only 80% as much helium because the He fell to the core.
52. Where is the Sun-Jupiter barycenter?
- ___ a) At the center of Jupiter
- ___ b) The question remains unresolved
- ___ c) Just above the Sun's surface
- ___ d) Just above Jupiter's surface
- ___ e) At the center of the Sun
53. The barycenter of two otherwise isolated celestial bodies is?
- ___ a) both of these are true
- ___ b) the focal point of two elliptical orbital paths
- ___ c) a place where two bodies exert equal and opposite gravitational forces
54. Knowing the barycenter of two stars is useful because it tells us the total mass
- ___ a) TRUE
- ___ b) FALSE
55. Knowing the barycenter of two stars is useful because it tells us the ratio of the two masses
- ___ a) TRUE
- ___ b) FALSE
56. Although there is some doubt as to who discovered Jupiter's great red spot, it is generally credited to
- ___ a) Galileo in 1605
- ___ b) Messier in 1771
- ___ c) Newton in 1668
- ___ d) Cassini in 1665
- ___ e) Tycho in
57. The bands in the atmosphere of Jupiter are associated with a patter of alternating wind velocities that are
- ___ a) easterly and westerly
- ___ b) updrafts and downdrafts
- ___ c) both of these
58. As one descends down to Jupiter's core, the temperature
- ___ a) stays about the same
- ___ b) decreases
- ___ c) increases
59. Which of the following is NOT used to measure the mass of a planet
- ___ a) the motion of an artificial satellite
- ___ b) the motion of a moon
- ___ c) the rotation of the planet about its axis
- ___ d) the motion of a neighboring planet
- ___ e) all of these have been used
60. What is unusual about calculations of the mass of Pluto made in the early part of the 20th century?
- ___ a) It was the first time a planet's period of orbit around the sun was used to calculate the planet's mass
- ___ b) The estimates were too low. Pluto was actually more massive than they thought.
- ___ c) The estimates were high. Pluto was less massive than they calculated
- ___ d) It was the first time a moon was used to calculate the mass of a planet
- ___ e) The estimates were correct to within less than 10%
61. Why was the discovery of Pluto peculiar?
- ___ a) It was discovered during a survey looking for stars
- ___ b) It was the first time a planet's period of orbit around the sun was used to calculate the planet's mass
- ___ c) It was seen by Galileo, who thought it was a star
- ___ d) It was seen by Halley, who was looking for comets
- ___ e) It was discovered by a calculation based on flawed assumptions
62. Which of the following is NOT used to measure the mass of a planet
- ___ a) the motion of an artificial satellite
- ___ b) the motion of a moon
- ___ c) the motion of a neighboring planet
- ___ d) all of these have been used
63. Which statement describes the relation between Pluto and Neptune
- ___ a) Pluto's orbit intersects Neptune's orbit an the two bodies will eventually collide
- ___ b) Pluto's orbit intersects Neptune's orbit but they don't collide because of an orbital resonance between the two
- ___ c) Pluto's orbit intersects Neptune's orbit but they avoid each other because Pluto's mass is too small
- ___ d) Pluto's orbit lies outside Neptune's orbit
Key to Astronomy midterm Test 3 Study Guide-v1s1
edit- + a) vulcanism
- - b) low surface gravity
- - c) micrometeorite erosion
- - d) meteorite erosion
- - e) rilles
2. Rilles are caused by
- - a) impacts
- - b) meteorites
- - c) meteors
- - d) water
- + e) lava
3. In the Wikipedia excerpt on "Planetary Astronomy" the mechanism by which a meander grows over time was discussed. Which of the the following is best describes why meanders grow? (Pick only one best answer)
- - a) wind erosion
- + b) a combination of deposition and erosion
- - c) combination of erosion and underlying bedrock strength
- - d) occasional periods of intense flooding
- - e) combination of deposition and underlying bedrock strength
4. When imaged in visible light Venus appears like ______ rather than ______.
- - a) Venus ... Mars
- - b) an asteroid ... a terrestrial planet
- + c) a gas dwarf ... a rocky planet
- - d) Mars ... Venus
5. The clouds on Venus are made of
- - a) carbon dioxide
- - b) water
- - c) steam
- - d) nitrogen
- + e) sulfuric acid
6. The geology of Venus is predominantly
- - a) Picrite
- - b) Andesite
- + c) Basalt
7. Basalt is what type of rock?
- - a) Sedimentary
- - b) Metamorphic
- + c) Igneous
8. The rocks on Venus are mostly
- - a) associated with plate tectonics
- - b) from the seabed of a now non-existent ocean
- + c) from volcanoes
9. The rocky surface of the planet Venus can be detected when Venus is observed using infrared astronomy.
- - a) TRUE
- + b) FALSE
10. When Venus is viewed in the ultraviolet, its color appears brownish.
- - a) TRUE
- + b) FALSE
11. Moldavite is a mineral that may be associated with what radiation astronomy phenomenon?
- - a) evidence that Venus was once a comet
- - b) lightening strikes
- - c) predicting when currently dormant volcanoes will erupt
- + d) meteorite impacts and fireballs
12. According to Wikipedia, a "mineral" is a naturally occurring solid that
- - a) is heterogeneous
- - b) does not contain carbon
- + c) is by a chemical formula
- - d) contains carbon
- - e) has useful value
13. Which types of radiation astronomy directly observe the rocky-object surface of Venus?
- - a) X-ray astronomy
- - b) visual astronomy
- + c) radio astronomy
- - d) ultraviolet astronomy
- - e) infrared astronomy
14. One reason that Venus's atmosphere has more carbon dioxide than Earth's is that
- + a) Venus was too hot for oceans that could absorb the carbon dioxide
- - b) the mass of Venus is slightly higher
- - c) Venus has a lower magnetic field that disassociates carbon dioxide
- - d) Venus is exposed to a stronger solar wind strips away the other gasses
15. The surface temperature of Venus is about
- + a) 850 Fahrenheit (730 Kelvin or 230 Celsius)
- + b) 450 Fahrenheit (500 Kelvin or 66 Celsius)
- + c) 150 Fahrenheit (340 Kelvin or 66 Celsius)
16. The Venetian atmosphere consists of mostly carbon dioxide and
- - a) oxygen
- - b) helium
- + c) nitrogen
- - d) sulfuric acid
- - e) hydrogen
- - a) rift valleys
- + b) optical illusions
- - c) slip faults
- - d) subduction zones
- - e) rilles
18. Antipodal to the Tharsis bulge is
- - a) What Wikipedia contends IS an active volcano
- - b) the northern lowlands
- - c) What Wikipedia contends MIGHT BE an impact basin
- + d) What Wikipedia contends IS an impact basin
- - e) What Wikipedia contends MIGHT BE an active volcano
}
- - a) wind erosion
- - b) plate tectonics
- - c) water flow
- - d) dust storms
- + e) lava flow
20. The Martian dichotomy separates
- - a) the crust from the mantle
- - b) the rift valley from the volcanoes
- + c) the highlands from the lowlands
- - d) the Tharsus buldge from Hellas basin
- - e) Valles Marineris from Olympus Mons
21. According to Wikipedia, ______ was formed due to swelling of the Tharsis bulge which caused the crust to collapse
- - a) Hellas basin
- - b) the northern lowlands
- - c) the southern lowlands
- + d) Valles Marineris
- - e) Elysium
- - a) irrefutable evidence that Mars once had life
- - b) evidence that Mars once had active volcanoes
- + c) evidence that Mars once had oceans
- - d) controversial evidence that Mars once had life
- - e) evidence that Mars now has active volcanoes
23. The polar ice caps on Mars are ___
- - a) actually clouds above the surface of Mars
- - b) a nearly equal mix of water and carbon dioxide
- - c) caused by geysers
- + d) mostly water
- - e) mostly carbon dioxide
24. Liquid water cannot exist on Mars due to ___
- - a) the solar wind
- - b) high pressure
- + c) low pressure
- - d) high temperature
- - e) low temperature
- + a) controversial evidence that Mars once had life
- - b) evidence that Mars now has active volcanoes
- - c) evidence that Mars once had active volcanoes
- - d) evidence that Mars once had oceans
- - e) irrefutable evidence that Mars once had life
26. It is important to distinguish between molecules (collectively) in a gas and one individual molecule. This question is about an individual molecule. For a planet with a given mass, size, and density, which has the greater escape velocity?
- - a) the heavier molecule has the greater escape velocity
- - b) no molecules have escape velocity
- - c) the lighter molecule has the greater escape velocity
- - d) all molecules move at the escape velocity
- + e) all molecules have the same escape velocity
27. It is important to distinguish between molecules (collectively) in a gas and one individual molecule. This question is about a typical molecule in the gas. For a planet with a given mass, size, and density, which type of gas is more likely to escape?
- - a) all types of gas are equally likely to escape
- - b) atoms in a denser gas are more likely to escape
- + c) atoms in a hotter gas is more likely to escape
- - d) atoms in a colder gas are more likely to escape
- - e) atoms in a gas with more atomic mass are more likely to escape
28. Which type of gas is likely to have the faster particles?
- - a) a hot gas with high mass atoms
- - b) a cold gas with low mass atoms
- - c) all gasses on a given planet have the same speed
- - d) a cold gas with high mass atoms
- + e) a hot gas with low mass atoms
29. What is it about the isotopes of Argon-36 and Argon-38 that causes their relative abundance to be so unusual on Mars?
- + a) different speed
- - b) different half-life
- - c) identical abundance
- - d) different chemical properties
- - e) identical mass
30. In the formula, , which of the following is FALSE?
- + a) the formula is valid for all launch angles
- - b) the formula can be used to estimate how fast an atom must move before exiting the planet
- - c) vescape is independent of matom
- - d) the formula is valid only if the particle is launched from the surface of planet of radius rplanet
- - e) the particle is assumed to have been launched vertically
31. What statement is FALSE about ?
- - a) This equation does not involve the size or mass of the planet.
- - b) The average speed of a low mass particle is higher than the average speed of a high mass particle
- + c) Temperature is measured in Centigrades
- - d) The kinetic energy is directly proportional to temperature.
- - e) Temperature is measured in Kelvins
32. , where T is temperature on the Kelvin scale. This formula describes:
- + a) The speed of a typical atom, where m is the mass of the atom.
- - b) The the speed an atom needs to escape the planet, where m is the mass planet.
- - c) The speed an atom needs to orbit the planet, where m is the mass of the atom.
- - d) The speed an atom needs to escape the planet, where m is the mass of the atom.
- - e) The speed of a typical atom, where m is the mass of the planet.
33. How does the density of a Galilean moon depend on its distance from Jupiter?
- - a) the density of the moons is unknown
- - b) all the moons have nearly the same density
- + c) the more dense moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
- - d) the less dense moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
- - e) the most dense moon is neither the closest nor the most distant
34. How does the mass of a Galilean moon depend on its distance from the central body?
- - a) all the moons have nearly the same mass
- + b) the most massive moon is neither the closest nor the most distant
- - c) the less massive moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
- - d) the mass of the moons is unknown
- - e) the more massive moon is closer to Jupiter (always)
35. Does Jupiter's moon Io have craters?
- - a) yes, from impacts
- + b) yes, from volcanoes
- - c) yes, about half from impacts and the others from volcanoes
- - d) no, the surface is too old
- - e) no, the surface is too new
36. The mechanism that heats the cores of the Galilean moons is
- - a) radioactive decay of heavy elements
- + b) tides from the other moons and Jupiter
- - c) radiation from the Sun
- - d) tides from Jupiter
- - e) radiation from the Sun and from Jupiter
37. Immediately after publication of Newton's laws of physics (Principia), it was possible to "calculate" the mass of Jupiter. What important caveat applied to this calculation?
- - a) tides from the other moons and Jupiter.
- + b) Only the mass of Jupiter relative to that of the Sun could be determined.
- - c) They needed to wait over a decade for Jupiter to make approximately one revolution around the Sun.
- - d) The different moons yielded slightly different values for the mass of Jupiter.
- - e) The different moons yielded vastly different values for the mass of Jupiter.
38. Ganymede, Europa, and Io have ratios in __________ that are 1:2:4.
- - a) orbital period
- - b) density
- + c) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- - d) rotational period
- - e) Argon isotope abundance
39. Which of Jupiter's moons has an anhydrous core?
- - a) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- - b) Ganymede
- + c) Io
- - d) Europa
- - e) Ganymede
40. The 1982 Voyager flyby of Miranda (a moon of Uranus) established that _____
- - a) Miranda has the largest active volcano in the solar system
- - b) Miranda probably has an iron core
- - c) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- + d) inspired a theory a previous incarnation was destroyed by a collision
- - e) Miranda has geysers.
41. It has been suggested that Miranda's "racetrack"
- - a) is antipodal to an impact crater
- + b) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- - c) is an impact crater
- - d) is associated with tidal heating
- - e) is a series of rifts created by an upwelling of warm ice
42. According to Wikipedia, the largest lakes on Titan are probably fed by
- - a) rivers from the highlands
- - b) geysers
- + c) underground aquifers
- - d) methane rain
- - e) liquid water rain
The bright spot on Saturn's moon Titan is
- + a) a lake
- - b) a volcano
- - c) aurora borealis (northern lights)
- - d) solar wind particles striking the atmosphere
- - e) lightening
44. One "year" on Saturn's largest moon Titan lasts
- - a) 3 hours
- - b) 30 hours
- + c) 30 years
- - d) 300 days
- - e) 3 years
The photographs compare
- - a) wet and dry seasons
- - b) winter windstorms and summer doldrums
- - c) summer windstorms and winter doldrums
- + d) Titan and Earth
- - e) northern and southern hemispheres
46. The liquid water ocean of Saturn's largest moon Titan,
- - a) is known to contain life
- + b) explains how the elevation of a smooth planet seems to rise and fall
- - c) Two other answers are correct
- - d) is postulated to cover 15-30% of its surface
- - e) is less than one meter in depth
The black spot in this image of Jupiter is
- - a) a solar eclipse
- - b) an electric storm
- - c) the shadow of a moon
- + d) Two other answers are correct (making this the only true answer).
- - e) a magnetic storm
48. Which of the following statements is FALSE?
- - a) Jupiter emits more energy than it receives from the Sun
- - b) Jupiter has four large moons and many smaller ones
- - c) The Great Red Spot is a storm that has raged for over 300 years
- - d) Jupiter has a system of rings
- + e) Jupiter is the largest known planet
49. What is the mechanism that heats the interior of Jupiter?
- + a) rain
- - b) radioactivity
- - c) magnetism
- - d) tides
- - e) electricity
50. Why is Jupiter an oblate spheroid?
- + a) rotation about axis
- - b) tides from the Jupiter's moons
- - c) tides from the Sun
- - d) revolution around Sun
- - e) tides from other gas planets
51. What statement best describes the Wikipedia's explanation of the helium (He) content of Jupiter's upper atmosphere (relative to the hydrogen (H) content)?
- - a) Jupiter and the Sun have nearly the same ratio of He to H.
- - b) Jupiter's atmosphere has 80% more He because Jupiter's hydrogen fell to the core.
- - c) Jupiter's atmosphere has 80% more He because Jupiter's hydrogen escaped into space.
- - d) Jupiter's atmosphere has only 80% as much helium because the He escaped into space.
- + e) Jupiter's atmosphere has only 80% as much helium because the He fell to the core.
52. Where is the Sun-Jupiter barycenter?
- - a) At the center of Jupiter
- - b) The question remains unresolved
- + c) Just above the Sun's surface
- - d) Just above Jupiter's surface
- - e) At the center of the Sun
53. The barycenter of two otherwise isolated celestial bodies is?
- - a) both of these are true
- + b) the focal point of two elliptical orbital paths
- - c) a place where two bodies exert equal and opposite gravitational forces
54. Knowing the barycenter of two stars is useful because it tells us the total mass
- - a) TRUE
- + b) FALSE
55. Knowing the barycenter of two stars is useful because it tells us the ratio of the two masses
- + a) TRUE
- - b) FALSE
56. Although there is some doubt as to who discovered Jupiter's great red spot, it is generally credited to
- - a) Galileo in 1605
- - b) Messier in 1771
- - c) Newton in 1668
- + d) Cassini in 1665
- - e) Tycho in
57. The bands in the atmosphere of Jupiter are associated with a patter of alternating wind velocities that are
- - a) easterly and westerly
- - b) updrafts and downdrafts
- + c) both of these
58. As one descends down to Jupiter's core, the temperature
- - a) stays about the same
- - b) decreases
- + c) increases
59. Which of the following is NOT used to measure the mass of a planet
- - a) the motion of an artificial satellite
- - b) the motion of a moon
- + c) the rotation of the planet about its axis
- - d) the motion of a neighboring planet
- - e) all of these have been used
60. What is unusual about calculations of the mass of Pluto made in the early part of the 20th century?
- - a) It was the first time a planet's period of orbit around the sun was used to calculate the planet's mass
- - b) The estimates were too low. Pluto was actually more massive than they thought.
- + c) The estimates were high. Pluto was less massive than they calculated
- - d) It was the first time a moon was used to calculate the mass of a planet
- - e) The estimates were correct to within less than 10%
61. Why was the discovery of Pluto peculiar?
- - a) It was discovered during a survey looking for stars
- - b) It was the first time a planet's period of orbit around the sun was used to calculate the planet's mass
- - c) It was seen by Galileo, who thought it was a star
- - d) It was seen by Halley, who was looking for comets
- + e) It was discovered by a calculation based on flawed assumptions
62. Which of the following is NOT used to measure the mass of a planet
- - a) the motion of an artificial satellite
- - b) the motion of a moon
- - c) the motion of a neighboring planet
- + d) all of these have been used
63. Which statement describes the relation between Pluto and Neptune
- - a) Pluto's orbit intersects Neptune's orbit an the two bodies will eventually collide
- + b) Pluto's orbit intersects Neptune's orbit but they don't collide because of an orbital resonance between the two
- - c) Pluto's orbit intersects Neptune's orbit but they avoid each other because Pluto's mass is too small
- - d) Pluto's orbit lies outside Neptune's orbit
- Attribution (for quiz questions) under CC-by-SA license
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Planetary_science_questions&oldid=1298071
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Venus/Quiz&oldid=1388298
http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Quizbank/Contributed_questions&oldid=1388791 - http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Mars/questions&oldid=1327222
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Why_planets_lose_their_atmospheres/questions&oldid=1204943
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Galilean_moons_of_Jupiter/questions&oldid=1293955
- https//en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Miranda_and_Titan/questions&oldid=1293943
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Jupiter/questions&oldid=1388646
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Pluto_and_planetary_mass_quiz&oldid=1388652
- Study guide
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Planetary_science&oldid=1204930
- Venus
w:Atmosphere of Venus
w:Venus - http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Mars&oldid=1327223
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Why_planets_lose_their_atmospheres&oldid=1388258
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Galilean_moons_of_Jupiter&oldid=1326527
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Miranda_and_Titan&oldid=1204929
- http://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Astronomy_college_course/Jupiter&oldid=1204919
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jupiter&oldid=664015766
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atmosphere_of_Jupiter&oldid=664309417 - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pluto&oldid=664428172