Outer Planets

By far the most abundant element in the giant (jovian) planets is

• helium

• hydrogen

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• silicon

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

The element that can act like a metal when it is under tremendous pressure and is probably responsible for Jupiter’s magnetism is

• gold

• helium

• hydrogen

• water

Which of the following characteristics distinguishes Uranus from the other giant planets?

• It has more than one moon.

• Its atmosphere is made of gases.

• It rotates on an axis tilted almost 90 degrees to the circle of its orbit.

• Its orbit is significantly tilted relative to the orbits of the other planets.

• Its magnetic axis does not lie in the same direction as its rotation axis

Both Jupiter and Saturn

• have liquid metallic hydrogen in their interiors.

• have rings.

• emit more energy than they absorb from the sun.

• have belt and zone circulation.

• All of these

Europa has few craters because

• it is protected from impacts by Jupiter’s gravity.

• it does not have a solid surface.

• it has erased craters nearly as fast as they formed.

• its surface is not strong enough to support craters.

• it keeps one face always pointed toward Jupiter which screens it from incoming meteorites.

Saturn’s rings are

• composed of ice particles.

• in the plane of the planet’s equator.

• within the planet’s Roche limit.

• All of these

• None of these

Uranus and Neptune do not contain liquid metallic hydrogen because they

• are not massive enough.

• do not contain enough hydrogen.

• rotate too slowly.

• are too far from the sun.

• have magnetic fields that are much too weak.

What features are abundant on Jupiter's moons Callisto and Ganymede and almost absent on Europa and Io?

• volcanoes

• markings that show the surface is made of ice

• impact craters

• lakes and pools of liquid ammonia

• rings

The body in the solar system that is most active volcanically is

• Earth.

• Neptune.

• Io.

• Mars.

• Ganymede.

What is the cause of many volcanic/geyser-like eruptions on the moon Io?

• Its surface is at the triple point of methane, where it can be gas/liquid/solid.

• Jupiter’s magnetic field causes huge bolts of lightning to hit Io and heat the surface.

• The gravitational stress of being so close to Jupiter and its other large moons heats Io’s insides.

• There is a metallic magnetic layer inside Io which is explosive.