Mastering Astronomy Test Questions – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Io experiences tidal heating primarily because
answer
Io's elliptical orbit causes the tidal force on Io to vary as it orbits Jupiter
question
Saturn's rings are composed of
answer
lots of individual particles of ice and rock
question
Saturn's rings look bright because
answer
light from the Sun reflects off the material in the rings
question
Which lists the jovian planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun?
answer
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
question
Why does Neptune appear blue and Jupiter red?
answer
Methane in Neptune's atmosphere absorbs red light.
question
Some jovian planets give off more energy than they receive because of
answer
on going contraction or differentiation
question
The main ingredients of most satellites of the jovian planets are
answer
hydrogen compound ices
question
Which moon shows evidence of rainfall and erosion by some liquid substance?
answer
Titan
question
Why is Jupiter denser than Saturn
answer
Its higher mass and gravity compress its interio
question
A comet entering the inner solar system from afar will
answer
form a coma and some time later form a tail
question
The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of
answer
Mars and Jupiter
question
Jupiter nudges the asteroids through the influence of
answer
orbital resonance
question
How big an object causes a typical shooting star?
answer
a grain or sand or a pebble
question
What does Pluto most resemble?
answer
a comet
question
Which have the most elliptical and tilted orbits?
answer
Oort cloud comets
question
Which are thought to have formed farthest from the Sun?
answer
Kuiper belt comet
question
About how often does a 1-kilometer object strike Earth?
answer
every million years
question
Which of the following properties can be inferred from the star's orbital period?
answer
a planets orbital radius
question
What's the best explanation for the location of hot Jupiters?
answer
They formed farther out like Jupiter but then migrated inward.
question
Which detection method can be used with a backyard telescope?
answer
transit method
question
Which method could detect a planet in an orbit that is face-on to the Earth?
answer
astrometric method
