CH 11 Reading – Flashcards
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Which of the following is not a general characteristic of the four jovian planets in our solar system?
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They are higher in average density than are the terrestrial planets.
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Which of the following best describes the internal layering of Jupiter, from the center outward?
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Core of rock, metal, and hydrogen compounds; thick layer of metallic hydrogen; layer of liquid hydrogen; layer of gaseous hydrogen; cloud layer.
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The energy in the atmospheres of most of the jovian planets comes ___________,
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both the Sun and their interiors, in roughly equal proportions
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Which of the following statements comparing the jovian interiors is notthought to be true?
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They all have the same exact set of internal layers, those these layers differ in size.
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Overall, Jupiter's composition is most like that of ______.
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the Sun
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Jupiter's colors come in part from its three layers of clouds. Which of the following is not the primary constituent of one of Jupiter's cloud layers?
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clouds of sulfuric acid
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How do typical wind speeds in Jupiter's atmosphere compare to typical wind speeds on Earth?
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They are much faster than hurricane winds on Earth.
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What is the Great Red Spot?
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a long-lived, high-pressure storm on Jupiter
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What atmospheric constituent is responsible for the blue color of Uranus and Neptune?
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methane
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How does the strength of Jupiter's magnetic field compare to that of Earth's magnetic field?
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Jupiter's magnetic field is about 20,000 times as strong as Earth's.
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Which of the following statements about the moons of the jovian planets is not true?
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Most of the moons are large enough to be spherical in shape, but a few have the more potato-like shapes of asteroids.
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Which statement about Io is true?
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It is the most volcanically active body in our solar system.
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Which moon has a thick atmosphere made mostly of nitrogen?
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Titan
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The Huygens probe took numerous pictures as it descended to Titan's surface in 2005. What did the pictures show?
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features or erosion, including what appeared to be dry river valleys and lakebeds
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Which moon is considered likely to have a deep, subsurface ocean of liquid water?
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Europa
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Which large jovian moon is thought to have been captured into its present orbit?
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Triton
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Suppose you could float in space just a few meters above Saturn's rings. What would you see as you looked down on the rings?
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countless icy particles, ranging in size from dust grains to large boulders
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Which statement about planetary rings is not true?
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Saturn's rings formed along with its moons 4.6 billion years ago.