CC 17 Jupiter's Moons

What significant discovery did Galileo make in 1610 by observing Jupiter?

• He discovered that Jupiter had a ring system similar to Saturn's.

• He observed four celestial bodies orbiting Jupiter, challenging the geocentric model.

• He found evidence of liquid water on Jupiter's surface.

• He determined Jupiter's exact mass and gravitational pull.

Which of the following is a unique characteristic of Ganymede among the moons of the solar system?

• It has a surface covered in active volcanoes.

• It is the largest moon of any planet.

• It orbits Jupiter at the farthest distance.

• It has a very thin atmosphere composed mainly of sulfur.

What does the heavily cratered surface of Callisto, without signs of volcanoes or tectonic activity, suggest about its geological history?

• It is a geologically active moon with frequent resurfacing.

• Its surface is relatively young and constantly changing.

• It has a very old and stable surface that has not been significantly altered.

• It is primarily composed of liquid water beneath a thin ice crust.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-6

What is the primary source of energy for the extensive volcanic activity on Io?

• Internal radioactive decay within its core.

• Heat generated by friction from tidal flexing caused by other moons.

• Impacts from asteroids and comets.

• Solar radiation absorbed by its surface.

How is the intense radiation belt around Jupiter, similar to Earth's Van Allen belts, primarily formed?

• By solar winds directly interacting with Jupiter's atmosphere.

• Through the capture and acceleration of sulfur atoms from Io's volcanic eruptions by Jupiter's magnetic field.

• From the decay of radioactive elements within Jupiter's core.

• By the gravitational pull of Jupiter on passing comets and asteroids.

What substance is believed to well up from Europa's interior, similar to lava on Earth, to form its surface features?

• Molten rock

• Liquid water

• Sulfur compounds

• Methane ice

What process keeps Europa's subsurface ocean from freezing solid despite its distance from the Sun?

• Internal radioactive decay

• Heat from Jupiter's core

• Tidal flexing from other moons

• Solar radiation absorbed by the ice

The presence of which type of compounds in Europa's dark surface cracks is considered significant for the potential origin of life?

• Nitrogen-based compounds

• Oxygen-based compounds

• Carbon-based compounds

• Silicon-based compounds

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-6

What is the primary goal of sending a space probe to Europa, as proposed by some scientists?

• To study its volcanic activity

• To analyze its atmospheric composition

• To search for signs of biological activity

• To map its surface features in detail

Tags

NGSS.HS-ETS1-1

How did the discovery of liquid water on Europa impact the scientific understanding of a star's habitable zone?

• It confirmed that only planets within the habitable zone can support liquid water.

• It showed that liquid water can exist on celestial bodies far outside the traditional habitable zone.

• It proved that atmospheres are not necessary for liquid water to exist on a planet.

• It suggested that all moons of gas giants likely have subsurface oceans.