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Jupiter and the other jovian planets are sometimes called "gas giants." In what sense is this term misleading? They are not in any sense "giants." Actually, it’s a great description, because these worlds are big and gaseous throughout. The materials they are made of are not the kinds of thing we usually think of as gases. They actually contain relatively little material in a gaseous state. |
They actually contain relatively little material in a gaseous state. |
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Uranus and Neptune have methane clouds but Jupiter and Saturn do not. Which factor explains why? The rapid rotation of Jupiter and Saturn prevents methane clouds from forming. Jupiter and Saturn do not contain any methane gas. The stronger gravity on Jupiter and Saturn pulls methane downward so that it can’t form clouds. Temperatures on Jupiter and Saturn are too high for methane to condense. |
Temperatures on Jupiter and Saturn are too high for methane to condense. |
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Which of the following most likely explains why Jupiter’s interior releases so much heat? Heat from radioactive decay. Jupiter is contracting very gradually. A slow rate of nuclear fusion in Jupiter’s core. Tidal heating. |
Jupiter is contracting very gradually. |
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Which of the following gases is not a significant ingredient of the jovian planet atmospheres? water hydrogen helium carbon dioxide |
carbon dioxide |
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Why is the radiation so intense in the region that traces Io’s orbit around Jupiter (the Io torus)? Io’s gravity allows this region to capture huge numbers of charged particles from the solar wind. The region is full of gases that become ionized after they are released from volcanoes on Io. An orbital resonance between Io, Europa, and Ganymede makes the radiation intense. Jupiter’s strong magnetic field makes the radiation intense everywhere, and the region around Io is no different than any other region. |
The region is full of gases that become ionized after they are released from volcanoes on Io. |
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Which planet may have helium rain in its interior, and what does this rain do? Neptune, where it is restructuring the planet’s interior. Jupiter, where it may be an energy source for the Great Red Spot. Saturn, where it generates heat as it falls downward. Uranus, where it makes the ground wet. |
Saturn, where it generates heat as it falls downward. |
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Which of the following is not a piece of evidence supporting the idea that Europa may have a subsurface ocean? Astronomers have detected small lakes of liquid water on Europa’s surface. Photos of Europa’s surface show regions that appear to consist of jumbled icebergs frozen in place. Europa’s surface shows very few impact craters. Europa has a magnetic field that appears to be induced by Jupiter’s magnetic field. |
Astronomers have detected small lakes of liquid water on Europa’s surface. |
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Which of the following is most unlikely to be found on Titan? volcanic outgassing of methane and other gases lakes of liquid methane ethane or lakes of liquid water in the warmer equatorial regions rain or snow consisting of methane or ethane droplets or ice crystals |
lakes of liquid water in the warmer equatorial regions |
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Which of the following best why we see horizontal "stripes" in photographs of Jupiter and Saturn? Dark stripes are those in which there is a stratosphere and light stripes are those with no stratosphere. The light stripes are regions of high clouds, and the dark stripes are regions where we can see down to deeper, darker clouds. The dark and light stripes correspond to alternating bands of different chemical composition. There are three different color stripes corresponding to the three different types of clouds found on these planets. |
The light stripes are regions of high clouds, and the dark stripes are regions where we can see down to deeper, darker clouds. |
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Why do astronomers believe that Triton is a captured moon? Triton appears to be made mostly of ice. Triton orbits Neptune in a direction opposite that of Neptune’s rotation. Triton is too large to have been formed in the "miniature solar nebula" thought to have surrounded Neptune in its very early history. Triton is very small and potato-shaped, which is common of captured moons. |
Triton orbits Neptune in a direction opposite that of Neptune’s rotation. |
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Which jovian planet should have the most extreme seasonal changes? Uranus Saturn Jupiter Neptune |
Uranus |
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According to our theory of solar system formation, why did Uranus and Neptune end up to be much less massive than Jupiter and Saturn? The colder gas in the outer regions of the solar nebula had less gravity and therefore could not gather up into such large balls as it could closer in. Particles in the solar nebula were more spread out at greater distances, so that accretion took longer and there was less time to pull in gas before the solar wind cleared the nebula. The size differences are thought to be a random coincidence. Ices were able to condense at the distance of Jupiter and Saturn, but only rock and metal could condense at the distances of Uranus and Neptune. |
Particles in the solar nebula were more spread out at greater distances, so that accretion took longer and there was less time to pull in gas before the solar wind cleared the nebula. |
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What would happen to Jupiter if we could somehow double its mass? Its density would increase but its diameter would barely change. Its density would stay about the same and its volume would double. It would become a star, with nuclear fusion in its core. Its density would decrease and its diameter would double. |
Its density would increase but its diameter would barely change. |
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Which of the following best explains why many jovian moons have been more geologically active than the Moon or Mercury? Jovian moons are made mostly of ice that can melt or deform at lower temperatures than can the rock and metal that make up the Moon and Mercury. The jovian moons are considerably larger than the Moon and Mercury and therefore have retained much more internal heat. Because of their greater distances from the Sun, the jovian moons receive much less heat from the Sun. The jovian moons probably have far more internal heat generated by radioactive decay than do the Moon or Mercury. |
Jovian moons are made mostly of ice that can melt or deform at lower temperatures than can the rock and metal that make up the Moon and Mercury. |
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Which statement about Saturn’s rings is not true? The rings must look much the same today as they did shortly after Saturn formed. Some features of the rings are shaped by small moons that actually orbit within the ring system. The large gap known as the Cassini Division is shaped by an orbital resonance with the moon Mimas, which orbits well outside the rings. The rings are so thin that they essentially disappear from view when seen edge-on. |
The rings must look much the same today as they did shortly after Saturn formed. |
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Why does Jupiter have three distinct layers of clouds? Clouds form randomly, so on average there are always three layers. Jupiter has three different types of wind that each make a different type of cloud. The three layers represent clouds made of gases that condense at different temperatures. The three layers reflect regions of Jupiter’s atmosphere with different overall chemical compositions. |
The three layers represent clouds made of gases that condense at different temperatures. |
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All the following statements are true. Which one is most important in explaining the tremendous tidal heating that occurs on Io? Io orbits Jupiter on an elliptical orbit, due to orbital resonances with other satellites. Io is the closest to Jupiter of Jupiter’s large moons. Io exhibits synchronous rotation, meaning that its rotation period and orbital period are the same. Io orbits Jupiter in the Io torus, and therefore has a surface that is bombarded by many charged particles. |
Io orbits Jupiter on an elliptical orbit, due to orbital resonances with other satellites. |
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