Solar System

Question 1

Name all of the planets in order.

Answer 1

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Question 2

What are the three dwarf planets and where abouts do they lie?

Answer 2

Ceres - between Mars and Jupiter
Pluto - after Neptune
Eris - after Pluto

Question 3

Where do the centaurs lie?

Answer 3

Between Jupiter and Neptune.

Question 4

Name two Trans-Neptunian objects and state where they lie in the Solar system.

Answer 4

Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud and they lie after Neptune.

Question 5

What is the atmosphere and temperature like on Venus?

Answer 5

Very dense, thick atmosphere of CO2 with a surface temperature of 470 degrees C - could be what Earth ends up like as CO2 traps heat.

Question 6

What is the atmosphere and temperature like on Mars?

Answer 6

Near vacuum. Temperatures from -90 degrees to -20 degrees C.

Question 7

What are some problems associated with manned missions into the solar system?

Answer 7

• Life support
• Radiation
• Physiological problems
• Psychological problems
• Space adaption syndrome

Question 8

How were Mars’ moons formed?

Answer 8

Captured asteroids.

Question 9

How was triton (one of Neptunes moons) formed?

Answer 9

Either captured or due to collision.

Question 10

How was Proteus formed? (Neputunian moon)

Answer 10

Formed when planet formed.

Question 11

How was Nereid formed (neptune moon)?

Answer 11

Captured object from Kuiper Belt.

Question 12

What are ring systems made from?

Answer 12

Ice and small rocks.

Question 13

How are ring systems made?

Answer 13

Leftover ‘stuff’ from formation - gaps in rings due to shepherd moons and gravitational resonance.

Question 14

How are cometary orbits different to planetary orbits?

Answer 14

They are either highly elliptical or open orbits and are highly incline to ecliptic.

Question 15

What does a retrograde orbit mean?

Answer 15

Clockwise orbit (unusual).

Question 16

What evidence is there for the existence of the Oort Cloud?

Answer 16

Spherical ‘cloud’ of cometary nuclei.

Question 17

What is the nucleus of a comet made from and how large are they?

Answer 17

• Ices
• Bits of rock

10 km across

Question 18

What is the coma in a comet?

Answer 18

The cloud around the nucleus.

Question 19

Describe a dust tail of a comet and how they are formed.

Answer 19

Curved and caused by photons.

Question 20

Describe an ion tail of a comet and how it is formed.

Answer 20

Straight tail caused by solar wind.

Question 21

What is a meteoroid? *(size and origin)

Answer 21

Rock 10m to 10 ^-6 metres across. Originates from asteroids colliding.

Question 22

What is a meteorite? (structure and origin)

Answer 22

On surface of Earth - meteoroid that survives journey through Earth’s atmosphere.

Question 23

What is a micrometeorite? (structure and origin)

Answer 23

Very small asteroids with very low terminal velocities.

Question 24

What is the difference between a meteor and a fireball?

Answer 24

Meteors are small things like asteroids or comets whereas fireballs are meteors with an apparent magnitude less than -3.

Question 25

Why do meteor showers appear to point towards a radiant?

Answer 25

Because it is our perspective on Earth as they come towards us or pass us and as they get further away they get closer to one point (the radiant).

Question 26

What is the orbit of a potentially hazardous object like?

Answer 26

Within 0.05 AU of Earth.

Question 27

What did Copernicus contribute to our understanding of the Solar system?

Answer 27

Said Earth and planets orbit sun rather than Earth being the centre (heliocentric).

Question 28

What did Tycho contribute to our understanding of the Solar system?

Answer 28

Observed planet and their coordinates using an observatory.

Question 29

What did Kepler contribute to our understanding of the Solar system?

Answer 29

Formulated laws of planetary motion from observation of Mars.

Question 30

What three things did Galileo discover about the Solar System?

Answer 30

- The phases of venus - The relief features of the Moon - The principle satellites of Jupiter

Question 31

What diagram can be drawn to illustrate Kepler's second law?

Answer 31

Elliptical orbit of planet around sun. Sun - planet line sweeps out equal areas in different times as when planet is further from sun, it travels slowest.

Question 32

What is Kepler's third law?

Answer 32

T ^2 is proportional to R ^ 3 | where T is is years and R is in AU.

Question 33

In gravity, what is gravitational force proportional to?

Answer 33

1/R^2

Question 34

How was Ceres discovered?

Answer 34

Asteroid discovered as a planet had been predicted in the obvious gap between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 35

How was Uranus discovered?

Answer 35

Herschel discovered Uranus by using a telescope and observing a new 'disc' in Gemini constellation.

Question 36

How was Neptune discovered?

Answer 36

Perturbations of Uranus led to prediction of 8th planet. Observed by Encke, Galle and D'Arrest in Berlin.

Question 37

How was Pluto discovered?

Answer 37

Uranus still perturbed and led to prediction of 9th planet - Tombaugh discovered it photographically.

Question 38

What does the term perihelion mean?

Answer 38

Point on orbit closest to Sun.

Question 39

What does the term aphelion mean?

Answer 39

Point on orbit furthest from Sun.

Question 40

What does the term greatest elongation mean?

Answer 40

Largest possible angle between sun and inferior planet as seen by an observer on Earth.

Question 41

What does the term conjunction mean?

Answer 41

Conjunction occurs when the angle of elongation is zero.

Question 42

What does the term opposition mean?

Answer 42

Opposition occurs when the angle of elongation is 180 degrees.

Question 43

What does the term transit mean?

Answer 43

Occurs when a planet passes in front of the Sun.

Question 44

What does the term occultation mean?

Answer 44

Occurs when a planet passes behind the Sun.

Question 45

What is an inferior planet?

Answer 45

One which lies within the orbit of Earth.

Question 46

What is a superior planet?

Answer 46

One which lies outside the orbit of Earth.

Question 47

What is astrometry and how is it used to find exoplanets?

Answer 47

Observe and measure the 'wobble' of a star due to gravitational perturbations caused by a planet orbiting it.

Question 48

How is Doppler Shift used to find exoplanets?

Answer 48

Same as astrometry but radial perturbations are measured.

Question 49

What is the transit method?

Answer 49

Drop in brightness when planet passes in front of star.

Question 50

What are the theories for Earths water?

Answer 50

- Comets | - Outgassing of volcanoes

Question 51

Name three factors included in the Drake equation.

Answer 51

- Average rate of star formation per year in our galaxy - Fraction of those stars that have planets - Average number of life-worthy planets per star that has planets

Question 52

What is the habitable zone called and what must it have?

Answer 52

The Goldilocks zone - must have water and sufficient living conditions.