Astronomy Homework

(Image Credit: NASA) Select all that apply. Which of the following statements about the Galilean moons is true?

A. Because Io is closest to Jupiter, its tidal heating is the greatest, resulting in a mantle of molten rock and consequently in volcanic eruptions and lava flows that are hot enough to have evaporated the surface water, which was lost to space. B. Because Europa is farther from Jupiter than Io, its tidal heating is less, resulting in a mantle of solid rock covered by an ocean of water.C. Because Ganymede is farther from Jupiter than Europa, its tidal heating is less, resulting in a mantle of solid rock covered by an ocean that probably consists of a slushy mix of water and ice. D. Because Callisto is farther from Jupiter than Ganymede, its tidal heating is less, resulting in an interior that was never warm enough to differentiate: It remains an icy/rocky mix.

(Image Credit: NASA) Divisions and gaps within Saturn's rings are caused by:

A. Orbital resonances with Saturn's moons B. Small moons within the rings    C. Shepherd moons D. A & B E. A & C F. B & C

Select all that apply. In the following table, you will find the maximum surface temperature for each of the solar system's seven large moons. Generally speaking, the farther a moon is from the sun, the cooler it is:    Using these temperatures, calculate if ammonia (NH3) were to leak out of the interior onto the surface of each of these moons, which would be able to retain it as an atmosphere. (The molecular mass of ammonia is 17.)

A. Earth's moon B. IoC. Europa D. Ganymede E. Callisto F. Titan G. Triton

Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have strong magnetic fields. To generate a magnetic field, a planet must have a layer that is both fluid, meaning it can move in complex ways, and conductive, meaning that electrons can flow through it easily. To generate a strong magnetic field, this layer, and hence the planet as a whole, must also rotate rapidly (which all of these planets do).  Which of the following materials is not responsible for generating any of these planets' magnetic fields?

A. Liquid iron B. Metallic hydrogen    C. Molecular hydrogen D. Water-ammonia slush

Which of the following planets does not have a significant internal source of heat?

A. Jupiter B. Saturn    C. Uranus D. Neptune

(Image Credit: Gemini Observatory/Lynette Cook) Which of the following can be explained by colliding worlds in the early solar system?

A. Uranus's and Neptune's tilted rotation axes B. Uranus's moon Miranda's strange surfaceC. Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Neptune's Great Dark Spot

Some moons formed around the planet that they orbit while some are wayward asteroids and Kuiper belt objects that were captured gravitationally. The following is a complete list of all of the large and medium-sized moons in the solar system. Which is the second most likely to be a captured world?

A. Earth's moon (large) B. Jupiter's Io (large)    C. Jupiter's Europa (large) D. Jupiter's Ganymede (large) E. Jupiter's Callisto (large) F. Saturn's Mimas G. Saturn's Enceladus H. Saturn's Tethys I. Saturn's Dione J. Saturn's Rhea K. Saturn's Titan (large) L. Saturn's Iapetus M. Uranus's Miranda N. Uranus's Ariel O. Uranus's Umbriel P. Uranus's Titania Q. Uranus's Oberon R. Neptune's Proteus S. Neptune's Triton (large) T. Neptune's Nereid

(Image Credit: NASA) Which of the following moons has the oldest surface?

A. Io B. Europa     C. Ganymede D. Callisto E. Enceladus (pictured) F. Triton

(Image Credit: NASA) Triton currently orbits Neptune at a distance of 350,000 km, but because of tidal forces it is slowly moving closer to Neptune. If Triton is approaching Neptune at a rate of 8.0 cm per year, how long until it enters Neptune's Roche limit and breaks apart into great rings like Saturn's? (Neptune's radius is 25,000 km.)

A. 36 thousand years B. 3.6 billion years    C. 4.1 billion years D. 4.4 billion years E. 10 billion years

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer

S

ubmit Answer