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How does the Sun’s mass compare with that of the planets? |
It is a thousand times more massive than all the planets combined. |
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Where does nuclear fusion occur in the Sun? |
in its core |
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Which planet has the highest average surface temperature, and why? |
Venus, because of its dense carbon dioxide atmosphere |
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The most metal-rich terrestrial planet is |
Mercury. |
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Which planet, other than Earth, has visible water ice on it? |
Mars |
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Pluto is different from the outer planets in all of the following ways except which one? |
Its surface temperature is very cold. |
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Which of the following is farthest from the Sun? |
a comet in the Oort cloud |
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Which of the following observations indicates that conditions on Mars may have been suitable for life in the past? |
There are dried-up riverbeds on Mars. |
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Which planet has a ring system? |
Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune (ALL OF THE ABOVE) |
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What is the primary reason why a Pluto flyby mission would be cheaper than a Pluto orbiter? |
The fuel needed for an orbiter to slow down when it reaches Pluto adds a lot of weight to the spacecraft. |
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What is aerobraking? |
the technique of using a planetary atmosphere to change the orbit of a spacecraft |
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Which of the following is not an advantage of spacecraft flybys over ground-based telescope observations? |
Spacecraft can monitor changes in a planet’s atmosphere over long times. |
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Which of the following statements is not an observed pattern of motion in our solar system? |
Most planets orbit at the same speed. |
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Which of the following is not an exception to the general patterns in the solar system? |
the rings of Saturn |
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Which is the densest planet in the solar system? |
Earth |
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The planet closest in size to Earth is |
Venus. |
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Which of the following is not a characteristic of the inner planets? |
They all have substantial atmospheres. |
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Which of the following is not a characteristic of the outer planets? |
They have very few, if any, satellites. |
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What are the main constituents of the jovian planets? |
hydrogen and helium |
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Where are most of the known asteroids found? |
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter |
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How do asteroids differ from comets? |
Asteroids are rocky bodies and are denser than the comets, which are made of icy material. |
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Based on the frequency with which we see comets from Earth, astronomers estimate the total number of comets in the solar system to be |
1 trillion. |
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Which of the following best describes Pluto in terms of the general characteristics of terrestrial and jovian planets? |
size and solid surface similar to terrestrial planets; distance similar to jovian planets |
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Astronomers have decided that, rather than being a planet, Pluto is really just a large member of |
the Kuiper belt. |
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Which of the following is not a pattern of motion in our solar system? |
Planets all rotate in the same direction. |
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Oceans cover more of Earth’s surface than land. |
TRUE |
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All four of the giant outer planets-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-have rings. |
TRUE |
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The planet Uranus held a special place in the mythology of the ancient Romans. |
FALSE |
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All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction (counterclockwise as viewed from above Earth’s North Pole). |
TRUE |
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All the planets in the solar system have at least one moon. |
FALSE |
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All comets orbit the Sun in the same direction as the planets. |
FALSE |
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8) The more massive planets in the solar system tend to be less dense than the lower mass planets. |
TRUE |
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