Asteroid Apophis and Planetary Defense Quiz

What is the primary concern regarding the asteroid Apophis?

• It will cause a small meteor shower.

• It will become a new moon for Earth.

• It might alter its trajectory and miss Earth.

• It will definitely collide with Earth.

Where do most asteroids in our solar system originate?

• From the rings of Saturn

• From the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter

• From the Oort Cloud

• From the Kuiper Belt

What event in 2013 changed the perception of asteroid threats?

• A comet passing close to Earth

• A meteor impact in Russia's Ural Mountains

• A solar eclipse

• The discovery of a new planet

Who were the astronomers that discovered Apophis?

• Roy A. Tucker, David J. Tholen, and Fabrizio Bernardi

• Hawking and Sagan

• Newton and Einstein

• Galileo and Copernicus

What was the initial probability of Apophis impacting Earth in 2029?

• 0.1%

• 100%

• 2.7%

• 50%

What is a gravitational keyhole in the context of asteroid trajectories?

• A hole in the asteroid belt

• A point where an asteroid's path can be altered by a planet's gravity

• A region in space where gravity is absent

• A type of black hole

Which method involves hitting an asteroid to change its orbit?

• Solar sail

• Nuclear detonation

• Gravity tractor

• Kinetic impact

What is the purpose of the Osiris-Rex mission's extended journey to Apophis?

• To study Apophis before and after its flyby

• To destroy the asteroid

• To land humans on Apophis

• To collect samples from Apophis

What is the main advantage of using a gravity tractor for asteroid deflection?

• It is the fastest method

• It requires no technology

• It can alter an asteroid's path over time without physical contact

• It is the cheapest method

What is the last-resort method for deflecting an asteroid if detected at the last minute?

• Sending a manned mission

• Using a solar sail

• Building a space wall

• Launching a nuclear bomb