Astronomy - Homework 11

24 July 2022
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question
What is the order of the jovian planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun?
answer
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
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Why does Neptune appear blue and Jupiter red?
answer
Methane in Neptune's atmosphere absorbs red light.
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Why is Jupiter denser than Saturn?
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Its higher mass and gravity compress its interior.
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Some jovian planets give off more energy than they receive because of
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ongoing contraction or differentiation.
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Why is Io more volcanically active than our moon?
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Io has a different internal heat source.
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What is unusual about Triton?
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It orbits its planet backward.
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Which moon shows evidence of rainfall and erosion by some liquid substance?
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Titan
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Saturn's rings are continually supplied by
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impacts between small moons
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The main ingredients of most satellites of the jovian planets are
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hydrogen compound ices
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Io experiences tidal heating primarily because __________
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Io's elliptical orbit causes the tidal force on Io to vary as it orbits Jupiter
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Io's elliptical orbit is necessary to its tidal heating. This elliptical orbit, in turn, is a result of the orbital resonance among Io, Europa, and Ganymede. This orbital resonance causes Io to have a more elliptical orbit than it would otherwise, because __________.
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Io periodically passes Europa and Ganymede in the same orbital position
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What observational evidence confirms that tidal heating is important on Io?
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the fact that Io is the most volcanically active world in the solar system
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Europa experiences less tidal heating than Io, because Europa __________ than Io.
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is farther from Jupiter
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What additional information, if any, would we need to decide whether these moons experience tidal heating?
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We need to know their orbital periods.
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Saturn's rings are composed of __________
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lots of individual particles of ice and rock
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Saturn's rings look bright because __________
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light from the Sun reflects off the material in the rings
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Which of the following statements correctly describes the motion of the particles in Saturn's rings?
answer
Particles in the inner rings orbit Saturn at a faster speed than particles in the outer rings.