Astronomy Homework Questions From Chapter 19 Of The Solar System

Front 1

What was the major problem for the solar nebula hypothesis that was proposed by Pierre-Simon de Laplace?
1. It did not predict that inner planets orbit the sun more quickly than outer planets.
2. The sun contains little of the angular momentum of the solar system.
3. It called for a catastrophic event to produce the solar system.
4. The sun spins more rapidly than is expected.
5. All of these choices.

Back 1

2. The sun contains little of the angular momentum of the solar system.

Front 2

How do we knnow that extrasolar planets are orbiting other stars?
1. We see a star's light dim as a planet passes in front of the star.
2. We detect alternating Doppler shifts in the spectra of some stars.
3. We see a series of small faint points in line with stars much like Galileo's discovery of the moons of Jupiter.
4. Both We see a star's light dim as a planet passes in front of the star and We detect alternating Doppler shifts in the spectra of some stars.
5. All of these choices.

Back 2

4. Both We see a star's light dim as a planet passes in front of the star and We detect alternating Doppler shifts in the spectra of some stars.

Front 3

How is the solar nebula theory supported by the motion of solar system bodies?
1. All of the planets orbit the sun near the sun's equatorial line.
2. All of the planets orbit in the same direction that the sun rotates.
3. Six out of seven planets rotate in the same direction as the sun.
4. Most moons orbit their planets in the same direction that the sun rotates.
5. All of these choices.

Back 3

5. All of these choices.

Front 4

Which of the following is NOT a property associated with terrestrial planets?
1. They are located close to the sun.
2. They are small in size.
3. They have low mass.
4. They have low density.
5. They have few moons.

Back 4

4. They have low density.

Front 5

Where are most of the asteroids located?
1. Inside the orbit of Mercury.
2. Between the orbits of Earth and Venus.
3. Btween the orbits of Earth and Mars.
4. Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
5. Between the orbits of Jupiter and Neptune.

Back 5

4. Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Front 6

How does the solar nebula theory account for the drastic differences between terrestrial and jovian planets?
1. The temperature of the accretion disk was high close to the sun and low far from the sun.
2. Terrestrial planets formed closer to the sun and are thus made of high-density rocky materials.
3. Jovian planets are large and have high mass because they formed where both rocky and icy materials can condense.
4. Jovian planets captures nebular gas as they had stronger gravity fields and are located where gases move more slowly.
5. All of these choices.

Back 6

5. All of these choices.

Front 7

Which of the following accurately describes the differentiation process?
1. High density materials sink toward the center and low-density materials rise toward teh surface of a molten body.
2. Low density materials sink toward the center and high density materials rise toward teh surface of a molten body.
3. Only rocky materials can condense close to the sun, whereas both rocky and icy materials can condense far from the sun.
4. Both rocky and icy materials can condense close to the sun, whereas only rocky materials can condense far from the sun.
5. Small bodies stick together to form larger bodies.

Back 7

1. High density materials sink toward the center and low-density materials rise toward the surface of a molten body.

Front 8

How did the solar nebula get cleared of material?
1. The radiation pressure of sunlight pushed gas particles outward.
2. The intense solar wind of the youthful sun pushed gas and dust outward.
3. The planets swept up gas, dust, and small particles.
4. Close gravitational encounters with Jovian planets ejected material outward.
5. All of these choices.

Back 8

5. All of these choices.

Front 9

How do astronomers believe the sun came to have less angular momentum than its system of planets?
1. The solar wind mass outflow carried angular momentum away from the sun.
2. The sun's magnetic field drags material out in the solar system transferring angular momentum outward.
3. A large planetesimal impacted the sun on its leading hemisphere.
4. The planets gain angular momentum from passing stars.
5. Both The solar wind mass outflow carries angular momentum away from the sun and The sun's magnetic field drags material out in the solar system transferring angular momentum outward.

Back 9

5. Both The solar wind mass outflow carries angular momentum away from the sun and The sun's magnetic field drags material out in the solar system transferring angular momentum outward.

Front 10

What is the origin of the atoms of hydrogen, oxygen, and sodium in the perspiration that exits your body during an astronomy exam?
1. All of these elements were synthesized inside stars more than 4.6 billion years ago.
2. all of the elements were produced in the first few minutes after the big bang event.
3. The hydrogen nuclei were produced a few minutes after the big bang event 13.7 billion years ago, and the oxygen and sodium nuclei were synthesized inside stars more than 4.6 billion years ago.
4. They were all fused deep inside Earth.
5. None of these choices.

Back 10

3. The hydrogen nuclei were produced a few minutes after the big bang event 13.7 billion years ago, and the oxygen and sodium nuclei were synthesized inside stars more than 4.6 billion years ago.

Front 11

What evidence do we have that planets form along with other stars?
1. At radio wavelengths we detect cool dust disks around young stars.
2. At Infrared wavelengths we detect large cool dust disks around stars.
3. At visible wavelengths we see disks around the majority of single young stars in the Orion nebula.
4. Both At radio wavelengths we detect cool dust disks around young stars and At Infrared wavelengths we detect large cool dust disks around the stars.
5. All of these choices.

Back 11

5. All of these choices.