Ch 08 Astronomy HW

25 July 2022
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The two jovian planets that contain the highest proportions of hydrogen compounds are ___________.
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Uranus and Neptune
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__________ is the most volcanically active world in the solar system.
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lo
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Jupiter has three moons for which there is evidence of a global, subsurface ocean of liquid water, with the strongest evidence favoring an ocean on __________.
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Europa
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Scientists have detected lakes of liquid methane and ethane on the surface of __________.
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Titan
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Spacecraft images show fountains of ice spraying into space from Saturn's moon __________.
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Enceladus
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The two moons that are larger than the planet Mercury are Titan and __________, which is also the largest of Jupiter's moons (and largest moon in the solar system).
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Ganymede
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Which of the following best describes the nature of planetary rings?
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They are composed of countless individual particles.
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The following images show Earth and the four jovian planets of our solar system. Rank these planets from left to right based on their distance from the Sun, from closest to farthest. (Not to scale.)
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(Closest) Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (Farthest)
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The following images show Earth and the four jovian planets of our solar system. Rank these planets from left to right based on their size (average equatorial radius), from smallest to largest. (Not to scale.)
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(Smallest radius) Earth, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter (Largest radius)
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The following images show Earth and the four jovian planets of our solar system. Rank these planets from left to right based on their mass, from lowest to highest. (Not to scale.)
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(Lowest mass) Earth, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter (Highest mass)
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Which of the following statements best describes the general pattern of composition among the four jovian planets?
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Uranus and Neptune contain relatively more rock and hydrogen compounds than Jupiter and Saturn.
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Look at the average densities of the jovian planets given in Figure 1. Can you identify a trend in jovian planet densities with mass or distance from the Sun?
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There is no clear trend in the densities with mass or distance.
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Which of the following statements best explains why the densities of Uranus and Neptune are higher than that of Saturn, even though Saturn is much more massive?
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They have a higher proportion of hydrogen compounds and rock.
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Which of the following best explains why Jupiter's density is higher than Saturn's?
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Jupiter is more massive than Saturn.
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Based on the leading scientific theory of solar system formation, which of the following statements best explains why Uranus and Neptune have a significantly different composition than Jupiter and Saturn?
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Jupiter and Saturn captured more gas from the solar nebula than Uranus and Neptune.
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Which lists the Jovian planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun?
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Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
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Why does Neptune appear blue and Jupiter red?
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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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Io experiences tidal heating primarily because __________.
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its elliptical orbit causes the tidal force to vary as Io orbits Jupiter.
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As you saw in Part A, 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, Europa and Ganymede periodically return to the same orbital positions, creating the same gravitational tugs
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We cannot see tidal forces or tidal heating; rather, we predict that they must occur based on the orbital characteristics of the moons. What observational evidence confirms that tidal heating is important on Io?
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active volcanoes on Io.
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Orbital resonance also gives Europa an elliptical orbit, so it experiences tidal heating, too. However, Europa experiences less tidal heating than Io, because Europa __________ than Io.
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is farther from Jupiter
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We now know of many Jupiter-size planets around other stars. Suppose that future observations show that one of these planets has two orbiting moons. 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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The largest moon in the solar system is __________.
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Ganymede
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The jovian moon with the most geologically active surface is __________.
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lo
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Strong evidence both from surface features and magnetic field data support the existence of a subsurface ocean on _________.
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Europa
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__________ is responsible for the tremendous volcanic activity on Io.
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Tidal heating
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__________ is the most distant of Jupiter's four Galilean moons.
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Callisto
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The fact that Europa orbits Jupiter twice for every one orbit of Ganymede is an example of a(n) __________.
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orbital resonance
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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?
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Particles in the inner rings orbit Saturn at a faster speed than particles in the outer rings.
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What do the colors represent in the right image?
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the intensity of the infrared light
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Which color in the right image indicates regions with the highest temperature?
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white
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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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The main ingredients of most moons of the jovian planets are
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hydrogen compound ices
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The right image was obtained when only part of Io was in sunlight.Based on the colors, which part of the surface was in sunlight?
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the right side
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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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By comparing the two images, what can you conclude about Io's volcanoes?
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There are more black spots in the visible image than bright spots in the infrared image, so many of Ios volcanoes were inactive when the photos were taken.
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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 many moons affect its rings through
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orbital resonances.
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Saturn's rings
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are continually supplied by impacts with small moons.
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How does the composition of Uranus and Neptune compare to the composition of Jupiter and Saturn?
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Uranus and Neptune are mostly hydrogen compounds while Jupiter and Saturn are mostly Helium
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How are the jovian planets affected by their rotation?
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Their rapid rotation causes the planets to be slightly flattened, larger across the equator than pole-to-pole
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The core of Jupiter is
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About the same size as Earth
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The interior of which jovian planet is heated to helium rain?
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Saturn
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Why are methane clouds not seen on Jupiter and Saturn?
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The atmosphere of Jupiter and Saturn are too warm for methane clouds to form.
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What causes the white bands we see on Jupiter?
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Formation of ammonia clouds in regions of rising air
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Which of the jovian planets has no seasons?
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Jupiter
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Where is Neptune's magnetic field generated?
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in an ocean of hydrogen compound, rocks, and metals
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If Jupiter was the size of a basketball, Earth would be the size of a(n)
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Marble
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About how long does it take a spacecraft to go from Earth to Jupiter?
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several years
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Jovian planets
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Have rings and large numbers of moons
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What is the structure of Jupiter like?
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Gaseous on the outside, then liquid hydrogen, more dense metallic hydrogen, rocky core
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What are the most common elements in the atmosphere o the jovian planets?
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Hydrogen and helium
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What are the most common hydrogen compounds in the atmosphere of the jovian planets?
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Water (H2O), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3)
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Since there are a lot of flammable gases on jupiter,such as methane and propane, if you fit a match, would Jupiter burn?
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No
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Convection circulates gases from deep in Jupiter's atmosphere to the top where they
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condense and make clouds
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Jupiter does not have a large metal core like Earth, How can it have a magnetic field?
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It has metallic hydrogen inside, which circulates and makes a magnetic field
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Auroas
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all of the selections
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What's the weather usually like on Jupiter?
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Winds of hundreds of miles per hour, thick clouds
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Jupiter is about three times as massive as Saturn, but only slightly larger. Why?
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Adding mass increases gravity and compresses gases
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Looking at a Jovian planet in different wavelengths of light allow us to
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all of the selections
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Which planet has the most large moons?
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Jupiter
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Tidal heating on Io causes
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Sulfur volcanoes
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Io, Europa, and Ganymede have tidal heating because
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an orbital resonance keeps their orbit elliptical
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What is the largest moon in the solar system?
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Ganymede
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What is the liquid in Titan's rivers and lakes?
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Methane and ethane
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Why are some small jovian planet moons geologically active?
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Ice is able to deform at lower temperatures than rock
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What is the most geologically active world we know of in the solar system
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Io
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How does Io get heated by Jupiter
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tidal heating
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What would increase the tidal heating of a moon?
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All of the selections
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How does the energy Jupiter radiates back to space compare to energy from the Sun that falls on it?
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Jupiter gives of more than it receives
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How do astronomers think Jupiter generates internal heat?
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Shrinking and releasing gravitational potential energy
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Titan is the only moon with a thick atmosphere and its surface?
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all except has never been seen
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What shape are moons?
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Large ones are spherical, small ones irregular
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Why can icy moons be geologically active when a planet the same size would be "dead"?
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Ice melts at a lower temperature than rock, making geological activity easier and many have tidal heating caused by their planet
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What causes waves in Saturn's Rings?
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orbital resonances from nearby moons
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Which of the following is not a similarity between all jovian planet ring systems?
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they are all made of bright icy particles
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Why don't ring particles form a moon?
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Tidal forces from the planet prevent them from accreting
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Why do Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings?
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All have small moons and orbiting particles that constantly collide and make rings.
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Saturn's average density is less than water's. Suppose Saturn were placed on a much larger planet made entirely of water. What would happen?
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It would merge into the water planet, denser materials sinking toward the core and lighter materials forming part of the atmosphere
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Surprising discover?- Saturn's core is pockmarked with impact craters and dotted with volcanoes erupting basaltic lava
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Impossible. No impactors would survive the immense pressures at the depth of Saturn's core
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Surprising discovery?- A jovian planet in another star system is found to have a moon as big as Mars
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Plausible. There is no reason why Jovian planets canot have such large moons
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Surprising discovery? - A new moon is found orbiting Neptune is its equatorial plane and in the same direction as Neptune rotates, but its made almost entirely of metals such as iron and nickels
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implausible. Solid objects at those distances are largely icy and rocky