ast hw11 – Flashcards
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1. The asteroid belt lies
-between the orbits of Earth and Mars.
-between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
-between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn.
-outside the orbit of Neptune.
answer
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
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2. Did a large terrestrial planet ever form in the region of the asteroid belt?
-No, because there was never enough mass there.
-No, because Jupiter prevented one from accreting.
-Yes, but it was shattered by a giant impact.
answer
No, because Jupiter prevented one from accreting.
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3. Pluto is believed to be ___________________________.
-An escaped moon of Neptune
-A very large asteroid
-The remnant of a collision between a larger planet and an asteroid
-A Kuiper Belt Object
-An enigma in the solar system for which there is no explanation.
answer
A Kuiper Belt Object
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4. Jupiter nudges the asteroids through the influence of
-tidal forces.
-orbital resonances.
-magnetic fields.
answer
orbital resonances.
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5. Can an asteroid be pure metal?
-No; all asteroids contain rock.
-Yes; it must have formed where only metal could condense in the solar
nebula.
-Yes; it must have been the core of a shattered asteroid.
answer
Yes; it must have been the core of a shattered asteroid.
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6. Which have the most elliptical and tilted orbits?
-asteroids
-Kuiper belt comets
-Oort cloud comets
answer
Oort cloud comets
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7. Which are thought to have formed farthest from the Sun?
-asteroids
-Kuiper belt comets
-Oort cloud comets
answer
Kuiper belt comets
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8. How big an object causes a typical shooting star?
-a grain of sand or a small pebble
-a boulder
-an object the size of a car
answer
a grain of sand or a small pebble
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14. A small asteroid that orbits within the asteroid belt has an active volcano.
-Reasonable
-Extremely unlikely
-No way of knowing
answer
Extremely unlikely
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15. Studies of a large object in the Kuiper belt reveal that it is made almost entirely of rocky (as opposed to icy) material.
-Reasonable
-Extremely unlikely
-No way of knowing
answer
Extremely unlikely
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16. A mission to Eris finds that it has lakes of liquid water on its surface.
-Reasonable
-Extremely unlikely
-No way of knowing
answer
Extremely unlikely
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18. Astronomers discover an asteroid with an orbit suggesting that it will collide with Earth in the year 2076.
-Reasonable
-Extremely unlikely
-No way of knowing
answer
Reasonable
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19. Astronomers discover a previously unknown comet that will be brightly visible in our night sky about 2 years from now.
-Reasonable
-Extremely unlikely
-No way of knowing
answer
Reasonable
