Question 1

All terrestrial planets have moons.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The mass of all the planets combined is about 1% of that of the Sun.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What are the properties of the Sun that any theory of the origin of the solar system mustexplain?

Accepted Answer

The Sun contains most of the m...

Question 4

Interstellar dust grains start the process of condensation in the early solar nebula.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

The average density of each planet in the solar system is determined by taking its mass anddividing that by its:

Accepted Answer

A)  radius.
B)  diameter.
C)  surface area.
D)  radius squared.
E)  volume.F) C) and D)
G) A) and E) E

Question 6

Our solar system contains only 65 moons (as of Summer 2016).

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which of these spacecraft went into orbit about Saturn in July 2004?

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo
B)  New Horizons
C)  Cassini
D)  Voyager 2
E)  NEAR-ShoemakerF) A) and B)
G) B) and D)

Question 8

By itself, ________ makes up 70% of the masses of all the planets combined.

Accepted Answer

The answer of By itself, ________ makes up 70% of...

Question 9

A planet's sidereal orbital period can be measured from repeated observations of its location inthe sky (so long as Earth's own motion around the Sun is properly taken into account).

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Any model of solar system formation must explain why every planet is relatively isolated inspace.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Earth is nearly twice as large as Venus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

A meteorite is:

Accepted Answer

A)  a chunk of space debris that has struck the ground.
B)  a streak of light in the atmosphere.
C)  an icy body with a long tail extending from it.
D)  a chunk of space debris orbiting the Earth.
E)  an irregularly shaped body, mostly found orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.F) A) and E)
G) A) and B) A

Question 13

The asteroids are very young and appear to be made from the same material.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

What is the goal of comparative planetology?

Accepted Answer

A)  to use planetary positions to foretell the future
B)  to find which planets will be most suitable for future colonization
C)  to help plan future visits by unmanned probes, orbiters, and rovers
D)  to determine the origin and evolution of the solar system
E)  to find out how our own solar system compares with extrasolar onesF) D) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 15

What happens when a solar nebula contracts?

Accepted Answer

A)  It flattens out.
B)  It spins faster.
C)  It heats up.
D)  All of the above.
E)  None of the above.F) A) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 16

What might have made the original solar nebula begin to contract?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Big Bang
B)  the formation of our arm of the Milky Way
C)  the shock wave from a nearby exploding star
D)  interstellar magnetism generated by pulsars
E)  the large amount of angular momentum in the nebulaF) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 17

The solar system contains the Sun, eight major bodies called planets, and at least thousands ofsmaller bodies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Use the information in Table 6.1 to compare the angular momentum in Earth's orbitalmotion, Jupiter's orbital motion and Pluto's orbital motion. Which factor seems to be mostsignificant to the orbital angular momentum of these bodies: radius, mass or angular speed?Why?

Accepted Answer

Since looking at the ratios of the angular momentums of these bodies will suffice, wecan leave the units alone. So angular momentum is proportional to mass × angular speed × radiusof the $\text { orbit } ^2 \text {. }$ For Earth, this is $1 \text { Earth mass } \times 1 / ( 1 \text { Earth year } ) \times ( 1 \text { A.U. } ) ^ { 2 } = 1$ Jupiter $318 \times 1 / 11.9 \times ( 11.2 ) ^ { 2 } = 3350$ imes Earth's orbital angular momentumPluto: $0.002 \times 1 / 248 \times ( 39.5 ) ^ { 2 } = 0.013$ imes Earth's orbital angular momentumThe radius of the orbit (approximated by the semi-major axis)is most significant because it issquared in the relationship. We can see this by comparing Pluto and Earth. Even though Pluto isonly 0.2% of the Earth's mass, it has more than 1% of the Earth's orbital angular momentum.

Question 19

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter
B)  Saturn
C)  Earth
D)  Venus
E)  UranusF) A) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 20

What physical characteristics of Mercury distinguish it among all the planets in our solarsystem?

Accepted Answer

Mercury has the most eccentric...

Exam 6: The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models

All terrestrial planets have moons.

Correct Answer
verified

The mass of all the planets combined is about 1% of that of the Sun.

Correct Answer
verified

What are the properties of the Sun that any theory of the origin of the solar system mustexplain?

Correct Answer
verified
The Sun contains most of the m...
View Answer

Interstellar dust grains start the process of condensation in the early solar nebula.

Correct Answer
verified

The average density of each planet in the solar system is determined by taking its mass anddividing that by its:

Correct Answer
verified
E

Our solar system contains only 65 moons (as of Summer 2016).

Correct Answer
verified

Which of these spacecraft went into orbit about Saturn in July 2004?

Correct Answer
verified

By itself, ________ makes up 70% of the masses of all the planets combined.

Correct Answer
verified

A planet's sidereal orbital period can be measured from repeated observations of its location inthe sky (so long as Earth's own motion around the Sun is properly taken into account).

Correct Answer
verified

Any model of solar system formation must explain why every planet is relatively isolated inspace.

Correct Answer
verified

Earth is nearly twice as large as Venus.

Correct Answer
verified

A meteorite is:

Correct Answer
verified
A

The asteroids are very young and appear to be made from the same material.

Correct Answer
verified

What is the goal of comparative planetology?

Correct Answer
verified

What happens when a solar nebula contracts?

Correct Answer
verified

What might have made the original solar nebula begin to contract?

Correct Answer
verified

The solar system contains the Sun, eight major bodies called planets, and at least thousands ofsmaller bodies.

Correct Answer
verified

Use the information in Table 6.1 to compare the angular momentum in Earth's orbitalmotion, Jupiter's orbital motion and Pluto's orbital motion. Which factor seems to be mostsignificant to the orbital angular momentum of these bodies: radius, mass or angular speed?Why?

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

Correct Answer
verified

What physical characteristics of Mercury distinguish it among all the planets in our solarsystem?

Correct Answer
verified
Mercury has the most eccentric...
View Answer

Exam 6: The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models

All terrestrial planets have moons.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The mass of all the planets combined is about 1% of that of the Sun.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What are the properties of the Sun that any theory of the origin of the solar system mustexplain?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe Sun contains most of the m...View AnswerShow Answer

Interstellar dust grains start the process of condensation in the early solar nebula.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The average density of each planet in the solar system is determined by taking its mass anddividing that by its:

Correct AnswerverifiedE

Our solar system contains only 65 moons (as of Summer 2016).

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these spacecraft went into orbit about Saturn in July 2004?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

By itself, ________ makes up 70% of the masses of all the planets combined.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A planet's sidereal orbital period can be measured from repeated observations of its location inthe sky (so long as Earth's own motion around the Sun is properly taken into account).

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Any model of solar system formation must explain why every planet is relatively isolated inspace.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Earth is nearly twice as large as Venus.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A meteorite is:

Correct AnswerverifiedA

The asteroids are very young and appear to be made from the same material.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the goal of comparative planetology?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What happens when a solar nebula contracts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What might have made the original solar nebula begin to contract?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The solar system contains the Sun, eight major bodies called planets, and at least thousands ofsmaller bodies.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the information in Table 6.1 to compare the angular momentum in Earth's orbitalmotion, Jupiter's orbital motion and Pluto's orbital motion. Which factor seems to be mostsignificant to the orbital angular momentum of these bodies: radius, mass or angular speed?Why?

Which planet by itself contains the majority of mass of all the planets?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What physical characteristics of Mercury distinguish it among all the planets in our solarsystem?

Correct AnswerverifiedMercury has the most eccentric...View AnswerShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified
The Sun contains most of the m...
View Answer

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E

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A

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Mercury has the most eccentric...
View Answer