 Question 1

10 out of 10 points
What are the three types of asteroids (roughly speaking by material)?

Selected B.
Answer: Carbon based, Silicon based and
metallic.
 Question 2
10 out of 10 points
Most asteroids are located...

Selected C.
Answer: between the orbits of Mars and
Jupiter.
 Question 3
10 out of 10 points
Most asteroids are in a belt between the orbits of Mars and [b]. These are called
the [c] asteroids. These chunks of rock and metal did not form into a planet because
orbital resonances created by Jupiter's [d] resulted in [e] breaking
the planetesimals apart.
Selected Most asteroids are in a belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. These
Answer: are called the Main Belt asteroids. These chunks of rock and metal did not
form into a planet because orbital resonances created by
Jupiter's gravity resulted in collisions breaking the planetesimals apart.
 Question 4
10 out of 10 points
What basic materials do most comets consist of?

Selected A.
Answer: Ice and
rock.
 Question 5
10 out of 10 points
When a comet in a highly elliptical orbit nears the Sun, heat from the sun causes [a] to
sublimate creating a huge cloud around the comet called the [b]. The actual lump of ice
and rock inside the cloud is referred to as the [c].
Selected When a comet in a highly elliptical orbit nears the Sun, heat from the sun
Answer: causes ices to sublimate creating a huge cloud around the comet called
the coma. The actual lump of ice and rock inside the cloud is referred to as
the nucleus.
 Question 6
5 out of 10 points
A comet viewed near the Sun has [a] tails. The ion tail is caused by [b] while the dust
tail is caused by [c]. The ion tail points [d].
Selected A comet viewed near the Sun has two tails. The ion tail is caused
Answer: by sunlight while the dust tail is caused by solar wind. The ion tail
points away from the Sun.
 Question 7
10 out of 10 points
Comets in relatively small orbits are called [a]. Comets in relatively large orbits are
called [b].
Selected Comets in relatively small orbits are called short period. Comets in
Answer: relatively large orbits are called long period.
 Question 8
10 out of 10 points
A flat doughnut shaped collection of icy objects aligned with the plane of the planets and
just outside the orbit of Neptune is called the [a]. Just past this is a band of icy bodies at
more inclined orbits called the [b]. Surrounding all of these is a huge cloud of icy bodies
called the [c].
Selected A flat doughnut shaped collection of icy objects aligned with the plane of the
Answer: planets and just outside the orbit of Neptune is called the Kuiper belt. Just
past this is a band of icy bodies at more inclined orbits called the Scattered
disk. Surrounding all of these is a huge cloud of icy bodies called the Oort
Cloud.
 Question 9
5 out of 10 points
Short period comets come from the [a]. They are affected by the planet [b] and fall in
toward the Sun at angles close to the plane of the planets.
Selected Short period comets come from the Scattered Disk. They are affected
Answer: by the planet Kuiper Belt and fall in toward the Sun at angles close to the
plane of the planets.
 Question 10
10 out of 10 points
Long period comets come from the [a]. They fall in toward the Sun at [b] compared to
the plane of the solar system.
Selected Long period comets come from the Oort Cloud. They fall in toward the
Answer: Sun at all angles compared to the plane of the solar system.

 Question 1
10 out of 10 points

Using the following words, (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,

Neptune, Pluto), fill in the blanks: (Check your
spelling!)
[a] is the largest of the outer planets and has a
very similar interior and chemistry to [b]. [c] is
the major planet farthest from the Sun and has a
similar interior and chemistry to [d].
Specified Answer Jupiter
 for: a
Specified Answer Saturn
for: b
Specified Answer Neptun
for: c e
Specified Answer Uranus
for: d

 Question 2
10 out of 10 points

The weather patterns on Jupiter (belts, zones and

cyclones) are very stable primarily because of
what two factors?
Selected C.
Answer: Internal heat still escaping and
rapid spin.
 Question 3
0 out of 10 points

The interior of Jupiter is mostly [a] gas in the

upper atmosphere, then a layer of
conducting [b] and maybe a core of [c].
Selected
Answer: The interior of Jupiter is mostly liquid
metallic hydrogen gas in the upper
atmosphere, then a layer of
conducting hydrogen and maybe a core
of helium.
 Question 4
10 out of 10 points

How do small moons around gas giant planets

stay hot?
Selected D.
Answer: Tidal flexing (Tidal heating) caused by gravitational interactions from the
gas giant and other moons.
 Question 5
10 out of 10 points

The surface of Europa was found to have a lack

of [a]. The surface also contains [b] across the
 surface. These features suggest that [c] wells up
from the interior resurfacing Europa.
Selecte
d The surface of Europa was found to have a
Answer:
lack of craters. The surface also
contains long cracksacross the surface.
These features suggest that water wells
up from the interior resurfacing Europa.
 Question 6
10 out of 10 points
Saturn's rings are made up of [a]. Christiaan Huygens argued the rings could not be one
solid ring because the part of the ring closest to Saturn would revolve [b] the part of the
ring farther from Saturn.
Selected Saturn's rings are made up of chunks of ice. Christiaan Huygens argued
Answer: the rings could not be one solid ring because the part of the ring closest to
Saturn would revolve faster than the part of the ring farther from Saturn.
 Question 7
10 out of 10 points

Liquid on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan have

been found to be
Selected C.
Answer: lakes of liquid
methane.
 Question 8
10 out of 10 points

Uranus and Neptune consist of a [a] core, a

mantle of [b] and an atmosphere of [c].
Selected
Answer: Uranus and Neptune consist of a small
rocky core, a mantle of water, ammonia and
methane and an atmosphere of hydrogen,
helium and methane.
 Question 9
10 out of 10 points

The rotation of Uranus is unusual because the

planet spins [a] compared the the rest of the
planets. This might have been caused
 by [b] (choose the most likely option).
Selecte
d The rotation of Uranus is unusual because
Answer:
the planet spins sideways compared the the
rest of the planets. This might have been
caused by a large impact (choose the most
likely option).
 Question 10
10 out of 10 points

What was unusual about the discovery of the

planet Neptune?
Selected C.
Answer: Its location was predicted by
mathematics.

According to the data above, in the early solar

nebula water boiled within about 2 AU. At about
50 K below the freezing point, water would
easily be allowed to condense into
ice about Uranus AU from the Sun.
The planet Mars is currently just inside the zone where
water would have boiled whereas the
planetUranus is just outside where water would have
frozen.
What was the temperature of the early solar
nebula near the location of Jupiter?
Selected 15
Answer: 0

The graph above shows the temperature of the

early solar system (before planets formed) vs
distance from the Sun. The current location of the
 planets are shown for reference.
What was the temperature in Kelvins of the solar
nebula at Mars' current location? (don't type the
units, only the number)
Selected 50
Answer: 0
5 0ut of 10

 Question 4
10 out of 10 points

Select which trait belongs to planets inside the

frost line (where the temperature of the early
solar nebula was above the freezing point of
water) and which trait belongs to planets outside
the frost line (where the temperature of the early
solar nebula was below the freezing point of
water.
Planets that formed inside the frost line (close to
the Sun) are [a] in size and mostly made
of [b] materials.
Planets that formed outside the frost line (far
from the Sun) are [c] in size and mostly made
of [d] materials.
Selecte
d Select which trait belongs to planets inside
Answer:
the frost line (where the temperature of
the early solar nebula was above the
freezing point of water) and which trait
belongs to planets outside the frost line
(where the temperature of the early solar
 nebula was below the freezing point of
water.
Planets that formed inside the frost line
(close to the Sun) are small in size and
mostly made of dense
(rock/metals) materials.
Planets that formed outside the frost line
(far from the Sun) are large in size and
mostly made of light (gas/ices) materials.
 Question 5
10 out of 10 points

For each question, list the planets in order of

temperature of the solar nebula where they
formed (hottest to coldest). Double check your
spelling for mistakes before submitting!
[a], [b], [c] and [d] formed where the solar nebula
was hotter than the freezing point of water.
[e], [f], [g] and [h] formed where the solar nebula
was colder than the freezing point of water.
Specified Answer mercur
for: a y
Specified Answer venus
for: b
Specified Answer earth
for: c
Specified Answer mars
for: d
Specified Answer jupiter
for: e
Specified Answer saturn
for: f
Specified Answer uranus
for: g
Specified Answer neptun
for: h e
 Question 6
10 out of 10 points

Which of the following types of planets would

form in a region of the early solar nebula where
water would boil into a gas?
Selected B.
Answer: Terrestrial
Planets
 Question 7
10 out of 10 points

Which statement is the most correct about why

there are two basic types of planets in our solar
system?
Selected C.
Answer: Near the Sun only rocks and metals condensed because it was too hot for
water-ice. Since rocks and metals are low abundance this region formed small
rocky planets (terrestrials). Past the frost line it was cool enough for more
abundant water-ice to condense. With more material available planets in this
region grew bigger and quicker with enough gravity to hold huge amounts of
gas (gas giants).
 Question 8
0 out of 10 points

Which of the following planets was likely the

quickest to form?
Selected B.
Answer: Mercur
y
 Question 9
10 out of 10 points

Astronomers have discovered numerous gas

giant planets like Jupiter in orbit with 0.7 AU of
their star (the distance Venus is from the Sun).
Why do they think these planets did not form
there but formed further away from their star and
migrated inward later?
Selected C.
Answer: The temperature in the early nebula would have been too high at
that distance.
 Question 10
7.14285 out of 10 points

Fill in the blanks choosing from the

words/phrases: light, heavy, terrestrial, gas giant, gravity,
temperature, hot, cold, rock and metal, water ice (Check
spelling before submitting!)
The primary reason we have two different types
of planets is because [a] decreases with distance
from the Sun. Close to the Sun it is
too [b] for [c] to condense from the nebula
so [d] planets are made out of rock and metal.
Far from the Sun it is [e] enough for [f] to
condense and being more abundant than rock
and metal forms larger[g] planets.
Specified Answer temperatu
for: a re
Specified Answer hot
for: b
Specified Answer gravity
for: c
Specified Answer terrestial
for: d
Specified Answer cold
for: e
Specified Answer water ice
for: f
Specified Answer gas giant
for: g

 Question 3
10 out of 10 points

The deeper the mantle material

Selected C.
Answer:
the hotter it
is
 Question 4
10 out of 10 points
 The mantle of the Earth undergoes slow
convection primarily because
Selected D.
Answer:
heat is still escaping from the
Earth
 Question 5
2 out of 10 points
Which of the following statements best describes why oceanic and continental plates
move?
Selected A.
Answer:
Plates of crust are floating on mantle material. The plates started moving
during their formation and momentum keeps them moving.

Formation of Subduction Zone Volcanoes:

Heavier oceanic plates go under lighter continental
platesand melt. This hot molten rock moves up creating a
volcano on the continental plates.

Consider the tropical island in the diagram. Eventually the

island will be destroyed as the oceanic plate goes
under the continental plate and melts.

Consider the impact crater in the oceanic plate from the

diagram above. Eventually motion of theoceanic
plate will cause it to go under the continental plate in a
process called subduction. The oceanic plate dives into
the continental plate and melts, destroying any evidence
that the crater existed.
Imagine that an impact occurred on the continental plate
leaving a crater very near the volcano in the diagram.
Molten rock ejected from the volcano will eventually
cover the crater and solidify leaving little evidence of the
crater.

Above: An image of the surface of the planet Mercury

taken by NASA's Messenger Spacecraft. This image
shows many craters demonstrating that the interior of
Mercury is molten. If instead the interior were solid this
would result in the craters being covered leaving a
smoother surface.