Question 1

All comets orbit the Sun in the same direction as the planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Why didn't a planet form where the asteroid belt is now located?

Accepted Answer

A)   Gravitational tugs from Jupiter prevented material from collecting together to form a planet.
B)   There was not enough material in this part of the solar nebula to form a planet.
C)   There was too much rocky material to form a terrestrial planet, but not enough gaseous material to form a jovian planet.
D)   The temperature in this portion of the solar nebula was just right to prevent rock from sticking together.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 3

You find yourself in a maelstrom, whipped by winds gusting at 10,000 km/hr, rising and falling in convective currents. On the rare occasions when you can assess your surroundings, you notice a horizon that seems to go on "forever" (or, at least, much farther than the horizon on Earth), and no solid surface anywhere. You get a glimpse of several large moons. The Sun races through your sky, requiring only about 5 hours to rise nearly due east, cross the meridian at an altitude of about 55° in the north, and then set due west.

Accepted Answer

You are in the Great Red Spot on Jupiter...

Question 4

When a comet passes near the Sun, part of it takes on the appearance of a large, bright ball from which the tail extends. This part is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   the coma
B)   the nucleus
C)   the plasma tail
D)   the Oort coreE) C) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 5

What are "dwarf planets"?

Accepted Answer

Dwarf planets are objects in the solar s...

Question 6

Which of the following statements best describes the size of the largest asteroid, Ceres?

Accepted Answer

A)   It is a little less than half the diameter of our Moon.
B)   It is about the size of a terrestrial planet.
C)   It is smaller than the jovian planets but larger than the terrestrial planets.
D)   It is no larger than a typical mountain on one of the terrestrial planets.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 7

What do we mean by a mass extinction?

Accepted Answer

A)   The extinction of a large fraction of the world's plant and animal species in a relatively short period of time
B)   The extinction of large animals, such as dinosaurs
C)   An extinction caused by the impact of an asteroid or comet
D)   The extinction of any species of plant or animal that has massE) B) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 8

Why was the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact so important to astronomers?

Accepted Answer

A)   It dredged up material that gave us our first direct look at Jupiter's interior composition.
B)   It wiped out the dinosaurs.
C)   It was the first direct proof that impacts really occur.
D)   It confirmed our theory of solar system formation.
E)   It was the first event in modern history that was brighter than the full moon in the sky.F) B) and C)
G) A) and D)

Question 9

Pluto's surface features are completely unknown and await the visit by the New Horizon's spacecraft in 2015.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Rather than being a planet, Pluto is really just a large member of

Accepted Answer

A)   the asteroid belt.
B)   the Kuiper belt.
C)   the Oort cloud.
D)   the moon system around Neptune.
E)   an extrasolar planetary system.F) A) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 11

Where are the Trojan asteroids located?

Accepted Answer

A)   surrounding Jupiter
B)   along Jupiter's orbit, 60° ahead of and behind Jupiter
C)   in the center of the asteroid belt
D)   on orbits that cross Earth's orbit
E)   on orbits that cross Mars's orbitF) All of the above
G) B) and E)

Question 12

When we see a meteor shower, it means that ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth is crossing the orbit of a comet
B)   the solar wind is unusually strong
C)   an Earth-approaching asteroid has recently come very close to our planet
D)   you should duck and run for cover to avoid being blasted on the head by a rock from spaceE) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 13

On average, how often do impacts large enough to produce mass extinction on the Earth occur?

Accepted Answer

A)   once every century
B)   once every thousand years
C)   once every million years
D)   once every hundred million years
E)   once in Earth's historyF) A) and B)
G) B) and D)

Question 14

Why does the plasma tail of a comet always point away from the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   The solar wind blows the plasma ions directly away from the Sun.
B)   Radiation pressure from the Sun's light pushes the ions away.
C)   The conservation of the angular momentum of the tail keeps it always pointing away from the Sun.
D)   Gases from the comet, heated by the Sun, push the tail away from the Sun.
E)   It is allergic to sunlight.F) A) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 15

Refer to the following choices to answer the questions below. Chose the answer that best describes the chemical composition of the object.
-Earth's atmosphere

Accepted Answer

A)  nickel and iron
B)  80 percent nitrogen, 20 percent oxygen
C)  95 percent carbon dioxide
D)  mostly hydrogen and helium
E)  frozen methane, ammonia, water, and other gases and dustF) A) and E)
G) B) and E)

Question 16

Refer to the following choices to answer the questions below. Chose the answer that best describes the chemical composition of the object.
-a Kuiper-belt object

Accepted Answer

A)  nickel and iron
B)  80 percent nitrogen, 20 percent oxygen
C)  95 percent carbon dioxide
D)  mostly hydrogen and helium
E)  frozen methane, ammonia, water, and other gases and dustF) None of the above
G) C) and D)

Question 17

A rock found on Earth that crashed down from space is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   a meteorite
B)   a meteor
C)   an asteroid
D)   an impactE) A) and B)
F) B) and C)

Question 18

An icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is

Accepted Answer

A)   a comet.
B)   a meteor.
C)   an asteroid.
D)   a meteorite.
E)   possibly any of the aboveF) A) and E)
G) B) and E)

Question 19

What is Tunguska?

Accepted Answer

A)   A postulated binary companion to the Sun thought to be responsible for mass extinctions.
B)   A long period comet that struck Jupiter in 1994.
C)   The site of an asteroid impact that occurred in Siberia in 1908.
D)   The Gulf of Mexico basin that is the crater of the asteroid impact that caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
E)   A newly discovered moon of Pluto.F) A) and B)
G) B) and E)

Question 20

You find yourself on a silent airless world! The of the lack of an atmosphere means that you must be very careful not to look at the Sun so that you will not be blinded by its ultraviolet and X-ray radiation. However, you are able to determine that the Sun has about the same angular size that you are used to on Earth. Although this world is clearly lifeless, you are surprised to find footprints and car tracks etched in the powdery surface.

Accepted Answer

You are on the Moon. The prese...

Exam 9: Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Why didn't a planet form where the asteroid belt is now located?

Correct Answer
verified

A rock found on Earth that crashed down from space is called ________.

Correct Answer
verified

What is Tunguska?

Correct Answer
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What are "dwarf planets"?

Correct Answer
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Dwarf planets are objects in the solar s...
View Answer

Rather than being a planet, Pluto is really just a large member of

Correct Answer
verified

All comets orbit the Sun in the same direction as the planets.

Correct Answer
verified

When we see a meteor shower, it means that ________.

Correct Answer
verified

Where are the Trojan asteroids located?

Correct Answer
verified

Why was the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact so important to astronomers?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
You are on the Moon. The prese...
View Answer

Why does the plasma tail of a comet always point away from the Sun?

Correct Answer
verified

Refer to the following choices to answer the questions below. Chose the answer that best describes the chemical composition of the object. -Earth's atmosphere

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following statements best describes the size of the largest asteroid, Ceres?

Correct Answer
verified

When a comet passes near the Sun, part of it takes on the appearance of a large, bright ball from which the tail extends. This part is called ________.

Correct Answer
verified

What do we mean by a mass extinction?

Correct Answer
verified

Refer to the following choices to answer the questions below. Chose the answer that best describes the chemical composition of the object. -a Kuiper-belt object

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
You are in the Great Red Spot on Jupiter...
View Answer

An icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is

Correct Answer
verified

Pluto's surface features are completely unknown and await the visit by the New Horizon's spacecraft in 2015.

Correct Answer
verified

On average, how often do impacts large enough to produce mass extinction on the Earth occur?

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 9: Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Why didn't a planet form where the asteroid belt is now located?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A rock found on Earth that crashed down from space is called ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is Tunguska?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What are "dwarf planets"?

Correct AnswerverifiedDwarf planets are objects in the solar s...View AnswerShow Answer

Rather than being a planet, Pluto is really just a large member of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

All comets orbit the Sun in the same direction as the planets.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When we see a meteor shower, it means that ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Where are the Trojan asteroids located?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why was the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact so important to astronomers?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedYou are on the Moon. The prese...View AnswerShow Answer

Why does the plasma tail of a comet always point away from the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Refer to the following choices to answer the questions below. Chose the answer that best describes the chemical composition of the object. -Earth's atmosphere

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements best describes the size of the largest asteroid, Ceres?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When a comet passes near the Sun, part of it takes on the appearance of a large, bright ball from which the tail extends. This part is called ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What do we mean by a mass extinction?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Refer to the following choices to answer the questions below. Chose the answer that best describes the chemical composition of the object. -a Kuiper-belt object

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedYou are in the Great Red Spot on Jupiter...View AnswerShow Answer

An icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Pluto's surface features are completely unknown and await the visit by the New Horizon's spacecraft in 2015.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

On average, how often do impacts large enough to produce mass extinction on the Earth occur?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Dwarf planets are objects in the solar s...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
You are on the Moon. The prese...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
You are in the Great Red Spot on Jupiter...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified