BROCK UNIVERSITY

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Progress Examination: March 2005 Number of Pages: 8

Course: ASTR 1F00 Number of Students: 485

Date of Examination: March 16, 2005 Number of Hours: 50 minutes

Time of Examination: 1:00-1:50 Instructor: F. Fueten

Instructions: No aids are permitted with this examination. Use or possession of unauthorized materials will automatically result in a grade of zero. All questions are to be answered on the Scantron Sheet. Do not fold, staple or otherwise mutilate the Scantron Sheet. Use an HB or #2 pencil. Be sure to enter student number in the box at the top of the Scantron Sheet.

1. Approximately how old is the solar system?

(a) 5 million years

(b) 50 million years

(d) 5000 million years

(e) 50000 million years

2. During the formation of the solar system:

(a) The outer portion spun faster and was cooler than the inner portion.

(b) The inner portion spun faster and was hotter than the outer portion.

(d) The inner portion spun slower and was cooler than the outer portion.

3. A planet with approximately twice the mass of Jupiter would be:

(a) much smaller than Jupiter

(b) about the same size as Jupiter

4. Which of these planets has rings?

(a) Uranus

(b) Earth

(d) Mars

(e) Mercury

5. Which of these planets is closest to the Sun?

(a) Uranus

(b) Earth

(d) Mars

(e) Mercury

6. Which of these planets is currently farthest from the Sun?

(a) Uranus

(b) Jupiter

(d) Pluto

(e) Mercury

7. Other than at Hydrogen and Helium the cosmic abundance curve has a significant peak at:

(a) Lithium

(b) Potassium

(c) Iron

(d) Lead

(e) Uranium

8. Saturn's density is:

(a) less than that of Jupiter

(b) more than that of Jupiter

(d) greater than that of Earth

(e) [two of the above]

9. Compared to Jovian planets, terrestrial planets have a:

(a) more rocky composition

(b) lower density

(d) larger size

(e) [More than one of the above]

10. Which of the following is true of Jovian planets?

(a) They have low average densities compared to terrestrial planets.

(b) Their orbits are closer to the Sun than the asteroids' orbits.

(d) They have small diameters compared to terrestrial planets.

(e) They have fewer satellites than do terrestrial planets.

11. Most asteroids orbit the Sun:

(a) between Earth and Mars

(b) between Mars and Jupiter

(d) beyond the orbit of Saturn

(e) [None of the above. No general statement can be made.]

12. Which is the largest planet?

(a) Jupiter

(b) Uranus

(d) Mars

(e) Saturn

13. _________________ orbit crosses Neptune's:

(a) Jupiter

(b) Saturn

(d) Pluto

(e) applicable to more than one planet

14. The first planet to be discovered by a mathematical prediction was:

(a) Jupiter

(b) Saturn

(d) Neptune

(e) Pluto

15. The formation of the planets took approximately:

(a) 5 million years

(b) 50 million years

(d) 5000 million years

(e) 5000 million gazillion years

16. Which 2 planets of the inner solar system could be described as “survivors”?

(a) Mercury, Venus

(b) Earth, Mars

(d) Mercury, Mars

(e) Venus, Mars

17. Which of the outer planets has a rotational axis that lies nearly in its orbital plane?

(a) Jupiter

(b) Neptune

(c) Uranus

(d) None of them

18. Which of these planets has a magnetic axis at high angle to its rotational axis?

(a) Saturn

(b) Mars

(d) Uranus

(e) Pluto

19. The primary chemical constituent of the atmospheres of the Jovian planets is apparently which of the following?

(a) Oxygen

(b) Nitrogen

(c) Hydrogen

(d) Helium

20. The Jovian planets are distinguished by which of the following?

(a) Low densities

(b) Large diameters

(d) [all of the above]

21. Which of these planets is home to the Great Red Spot?

(a) Jupiter

(b) Saturn

(d) Neptune

22. Which of the following satellites has a relatively dense atmosphere?

(a) Titan

(b) Ganymede

(d) Triton

(e) Io

23. Which of the following is the most volcanically active body in the solar system?

(a) Titan

(b) Ganymede

(d) Triton

(e) Io

24. Ring systems have been discovered around:

(a) Saturn only

(b) Jupiter and Saturn

(d) all of the Jovian planets

25. Satellites have been discovered around:

(a) Saturn

(b) Jupiter and Saturn

(d) all of the Jovian planets

26. The peculiar thing about the classical satellites of Neptune is:

(a) Nereid has active volcanoes

(b) Triton has an extensive nitrogen atmosphere

(d) Triton's orbital motion is retrograde

27. Pluto was discovered in approximately

(a) 1730

(b) 1830

28. Which of the following statements about Pluto is true?

(a) It has two moons (that we know of).

(b) It is a gas giant.

(d) It is currently the furthest planet from the sun.

(e) [None of the above is true].

29. Which statement below concerning the Jovian planets is incorrect?

(a) The Jovian planets are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium.

(b) The Jovian planets have lower densities than terrestrial planets.

(d) The Jovian planets have more satellites than terrestrial planets.

(e) Correction: all of the above are correct.

30. The satellite on which ethane acts in the same way as water on Earth is:

(a) Tritan

(b) Europa

(c) Titan

(d) Mimas

(e) Miranda

31. The satellite with as large a crater and looking like the “Death Star” is:

(a) Tritan

(b) Europa

(d) Mimas

(e) Miranda

32. The satellite that may have been blown apart by a large collision is:

(a) Tritan

(b) Europa

(d) Mimas

(e) Miranda

33. The atmospheric probe of Galileo, designed to study Jupiter,

(a) confirmed earlier data of an atmosphere with 3 distinct layers

(b) confirmed earlier data of an atmosphere with no distinct layers

(c) did not find the 3 layer atmosphere thought to exist

(d) did not send back any data

(e) failed to deploy in the first place

34. Which of the following objects is not a moon of Jupiter?

(a) Mimas

(b) Io

(d) Europa

(e) Callisto

35. The planet with a single fairly large moon is:

(a) Jupiter

(b) Saturn

(d) Neptune

(e) Pluto

36. The Oort cloud is located

(a) between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

(b) just beyond Pluto's orbit.

(c) far beyond the orbit of Pluto.

(d) at about the distance of the nearest star.

37. Which satellite is thought to have a liquid ocean:

(a) Tritan

(b) Europa

(d) Mimas

(e) Miranda

38. On which satellite have we observed volcanic activity furthest from the sun?

(a) Tritan

(b) Europa

(d) Mimas

(e) Miranda

39. The Galilean satellites have densities that:

(a) decrease with distance to Jupiter.

(b) are all about the same.

40. The Galilean satellite that is completely saturated with meteoritic craters is:

(a) Europa

(b) Ganymede

(d) Callisto

41. The Galilean satellite that seems to be covered with cracks that have been filled with ice is:

(a) Callisto

(b) Europa

(d) Ganymede

42. The ring system of Saturn apparently consists primarily of:

(a) large rocky moonlets.

(b) ice or ice covered moonlets.

(d) an unknown body or bodies.

43. The Great Red Spot is apparently:

(a) the top of a gigantic mountain.

(b) a hole in the cloud cover of the planet.

(c) an enormous storm system.

(d) condensation from winds off the top of a mountain.

44. The Great Red Spot:

(a) is quite small and comes and goes.

(b) is about twice the size of the Earth and has been observed for over 300 years.

(d) was discovered by Voyager II and has not been seen since.

45. Which of these planets is home to the Great Red Spot?

(a) Jupiter

(b) Saturn

(d) Neptune

46. Which of these planets is home to the large dark spot?

(a) Jupiter

(b) Saturn

(d) Neptune

47. The internal structures of the Jovian planets:

(a) are mostly gaseous and liquid.

(b) are mostly solid.

(d) are completely unknown since we can't see them.

48. Which component is responsible for the blue colour of Uranus?

(a) Hydrogen

(b) Helium

(d) Methane

(e) Sulfur

49. The 2 outer planets that are closest to each other in both size and mass are:

(a) Jupiter, Saturn

(b) Saturn, Uranus

(c) Uranus, Neptune

(d) Neptune, Jupiter

(e) Jupiter, Pluto

50. Which planet(s) contain a layer of liquid metallic hydrogen?

(a) Jupiter

(b) Jupiter, Saturn

(d) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

(e) none