Science

Q: Which two jovian planets have magnetic field tilts that are not along their rotation poles? A) Jupiter and Saturn B) Jupiter and Uranus C) Saturn and Neptune D) Uranus and Neptune E) All jovian planets have magnetic fields close to their rotational axes.

Q: What is thought to lie at the center of Jupiter? A) a hot sea of liquid metallic hydrogen B) a solid core of crystalline helium C) a massive core of rocky materials with some iron mixed in D) gaseous hydrogen and helium, for Jupiter is not differentiated like Earth E) a fusion core like the Sun's, with hydrogen being turned into helium

Q: What is true of Jupiter's magnetosphere? A) Although its surface field is greater, since the planet is larger the total field is actually weaker than Earth's. B) It does not trap protons and electrons, as Earth's Van Allen belts do. C) It has a tail that extends at least to Saturn's orbit. D) It is most extensive on the sunward side of the planet. E) It is only slightly stronger than Saturn's.

Q: Jupiter gives back into space twice the energy it gets from the distant Sun. Where is this energy coming from, for the most part? A) the impact energy of comets like SL-9 B) helium rain descending into its mantle and core C) the slow escape of gravitational energy left from its formation D) the radioactive decay of U-238 in its iron-rich core, just as with the Earth E) the combined tidal stress of all four large Galilean moons

Q: What is the source of Jupiter's intense radio waves and magnetism? A) charged particles trapped in Jupiter's solid iron core similar to Earth B) liquid metallic hydrogen swirling in the rapidly spinning mantle C) the ionized sulfur ejected into a torus around Jupiter by Io D) the auroral displays in the polar regions, just like with Earth E) a liquid iron and nickel outer core, just like Earth's magnetic field

Q: The magnetic field tilts of which two bodies are the most unusual? A) Mercury and Earth B) Jupiter and Saturn C) Uranus and Neptune D) Saturn and Pluto E) Mars and Saturn

Q: Of the jovian planets, which generates the least internal heat? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune E) Pluto

Q: Which planet had the Great Dark Spot in 1989, but had lost it by 1995? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune E) Mars

Q: Why does Saturn radiate even more excess heat than Jupiter? A) Only Saturn is still radiating heat left over from its formation. B) Saturn's thick clouds give it a stronger greenhouse effect. C) Helium rain falling inward generates heat as it descends. D) Saturn's atmosphere contains much methane, which is very flammable. E) Saturn is more massive than Jupiter, so its gravitational compression is stronger.

Q: Which common gas is less abundant in the top of Saturn's atmosphere, compared to what we observe at Jupiter? A) hydrogen B) helium C) nitrogen D) methane E) argon

Q: The two outer jovian planets appear bluish in color because A) methane gas in their atmospheres absorbs red light well. B) ammonia absorbs blue light well. C) hydrogen and helium are both blue in large concentrations. D) dust motes in their atmospheres scatter blue well, just as in our own blue sky. E) from their distance, the Sun would appear hotter and bluer than from Earth.

Q: The only probe into the atmospheres of any jovian planet was launched by A) Voyager 2 into Titan's atmosphere. B) Pathfinder into Mars' atmosphere. C) Cassini into Saturn's clouds. D) Galileo into Jupiter's equatorial zone. E) Huygens into Saturn's equatorial belt.

Q: Alternating zones of rising and sinking gas in Jupiter's atmosphere A) create light and dark bands. B) cause Jupiter's magnetic field to ripple. C) produced the ring system discovered by Voyager. D) generate magnetic fields. E) circle the planet from pole to pole.

Q: Essentially, the Great Red Spot is A) Neptune's largest atmospheric feature. B) a large cyclonic storm (hurricane). C) always located within 10 degrees of Jupiter's north pole. D) composed primarily of iron oxide. E) traveling north and south across Jupiter's face.

Q: Studying the magnetospheres of the jovian planets has allowed us to measure their A) interior rotation rates. B) orbital periods. C) orbital radius. D) gravity. E) ring system diameters.

Q: Compared to Saturn, Jupiter is about A) half as massive and denser. B) three times more massive and denser. C) 100 times more massive. D) twice the diameter, but less dense. E) half as dense, but the same mass since it is larger.

Q: The reason the jovian planets lost very little of their original atmosphere is due to their A) rapid rotation. B) strong magnetic fields. C) ring systems. D) large mass. E) many moons.

Q: Which of these is true about the seasons of Uranus? A) With a tilt of 29 degrees, they are not that different from our solstices and equinoxes. B) Its strange tilt produces extreme seasonal variations, especially at the poles. C) At the Uranian equator, the Sun would pass overhead every sixteen hours. D) At the Uranian pole the Sun sets every 16 hours during the summer and winter. E) There are no seasons at the poles.

Q: Cometary impacts with Jupiter A) are impossible to observe from Earth. B) have been observed from Earth at least twice. C) are extremely rare. D) are spectacular but do not teach us much. E) would not be catastrophic if they happened on Earth.

Q: Jupiter and the other jovian planets are noticeably oblate because A) they all have strong magnetic fields that deform their shape. B) their powerful gravity acts stronger on the closer poles than the distant equator. C) they are fluid bodies that are spinning rapidly. D) they are tidally distorted by the pulls for their satellite systems. E) All of the above are correct.

Q: The planet whose pole was facing the Sun when Voyager 2 approached in 1986 was A) Jupiter. B) Saturn. C) Uranus. D) Neptune. E) Mars.

Q: If you could find a bathtub big enough for Saturn, the planet would A) precipitate more helium. B) float. C) explode due to its liquid metallic hydrogen. D) catch fire, as liquid sodium reacts with water. E) sink due to its metallic interior.

Q: In terms of axial tilt, which of the jovian planets shows us the largest inclination? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune E) Pluto

Q: At which planet can the pole remain in darkness for 42 years, then have 42 years of constant daylight? A) Jupiter B) Saturn C) Uranus D) Neptune E) Pluto

Q: Uranus was discovered A) by Galileo. B) thousands of years ago. C) with a radio telescope. D) after examining perturbations in Neptune's orbit. E) less than 250 years ago.

Q: Adams and Leverrier both predicted the position of Neptune, based on its effects on A) the Sun. B) Jupiter. C) Saturn. D) Uranus. E) Pluto.

Q: Small deviations in a planet's orbital motion A) show we don't fully understand gravitational forces yet. B) indicate the presence of an extensive atmosphere. C) indicate the presence of a powerful magnetic field. D) imply the nearby presence of a massive body. E) show the planet's orbit isn't stable.

Q: Which three played a role in the finding of Neptune? A) Herschel, Hubble, and Einstein B) Newton, Einstein, and Tombaugh C) Adams, Leverrier, and Galle D) Bode, Herschel, and Fraunhofer E) Shapley, Hubble, and Whipple

Q: The Galileo mission put a spacecraft into orbit around Jupiter. Which statement is true? A) The spacecraft crashed into the moon Europa. B) The spacecraft used a gravity assist from both Venus and Earth. C) A saltwater ocean was discovered on Jupiter. D) Intense magnetic fields were discovered in the asteroid belt. E) A probe was released which soft landed on Io.

Q: The spacecraft Cassini went into orbit around A) Jupiter. B) Saturn. C) Uranus. D) Neptune. E) Pluto.

Q: Our most detailed knowledge of Uranus and Neptune comes from A) spacecraft exploration. B) the Hubble Space telescope. C) ground-based visual telescopes. D) ground-based radio telescopes. E) manned missions.

Q: Uranus' rotation axis is tipped over 98 degrees, so its magnetosphere is tipped over the same amount.

Q: Jupiter puts back into space twice the energy it gets from the Sun.

Q: All four Jovian magnetic fields are good examples of the dynamo theory, with the magnetic fields aligned well with the planets' rapid rotations.

Q: Aurorae like ours have been seen above the poles of Jupiter and Uranus.

Q: Jupiter's magnetic field is much stronger than Earth's, and has a magnetic tail that extends beyond the orbit of Saturn.

Q: In keeping with its Greek god, Neptune probably contains a lot of water, in a slushy mantle ocean.

Q: Most of Jupiter's volume is probably in the form of liquid metallic helium.

Q: We have observed a comet strike Jupiter.

Q: All four jovian planets are oblate, with larger polar than equatorial diameters.

Q: Methane absorbs red light readily, so we would expect a planet with a mostly methane atmosphere to appear blue.

Q: The Great Dark Spot of Neptune is probably just as long-lived as the more famed Great Red Spot of Jupiter; both lie at about the same latitudes, and are about the same size, relative to their planet.

Q: The less internal heat a jovian planet emits, the more it stirs up its clouds.

Q: Neptune has a larger fraction of methane in its atmosphere than Uranus.

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