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ASTRO 1 Exam 3 Study Guide 2025 – Astronomy
Final Review, Practice Questions, Flashcards & Key
Concepts Explained
ASTRO 1 exam 3 study guide 2025
ASTRO 1 astronomy exam 3 review
astronomy exam 3 questions and answers
ASTRO 1 flashcards and notes
college astronomy final exam prep
ASTRO 1 exam 3 topics explained
introduction to astronomy exam 3
If there are at least a million asteroids, how did spacecraft like Galileo survive their trip through
the asteroid belt?
NASA sends its spacecraft above and below the orbits of the asteroids in the belt to avoid
collisions
spacecraft use a magnetic repulsion tool to make sure asteroids do not come too close
although there are many asteroids, they are widely spaced (there is lots of space between
them)
the known asteroids are typically less than a centimeter across, so they do not represent a
danger to spacecraft
you can't fool me, NASA has lost over a dozen spacecraft to collisions with asteroids - ANSWER-
although there are many asteroids, they are widely spaced (there is lots of space between
them)
Which part of a comet is the DENSEST?
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the nucleus
the atmosphere (coma)
the dust tail
the gas tail
the hydrogen cloud - ANSWER-the nucleus
Between 1992 and today, astronomers using large telescopes have discovered many icy pieces
that orbit in the same region as the orbit of Pluto. These are believed to be members of the
asteroid belt (which have escaped)
Kuiper belt
Oort cloud
ring around Pluto
the rock and roll band called Bill Haley and the Comets - ANSWER-Kuiper belt
Saturn's ring particles are composed mainly of:
silicate rocks
frozen carbon dioxide
droplets of very cold methane
carbon that has been compressed until it is highly reflective
water ice - ANSWER-water ice
What features are abundant on Callisto and Ganymede and almost absent on Europa and Io?
volcanoes
markings that show the surface is made of ice
impact craters
lakes and pools of liquid ammonia
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rings - ANSWER-impact craters
When astronomers say that Ganymede is a differentiated body, they mean that it:
has a northern hemisphere which is different from its southern hemisphere
has more of the larger crater types than the smaller ones
has a magnetic field that is not centered on its axis of rotation
has a heavier core, surrounded by a lighter, icy mantle and crust
has a color that is surprising among outer solar system satellites - ANSWER-has a heavier core,
surrounded by a lighter, icy mantle and crust
The world in the solar system that is most active volcanically is:
Earth
Neptune
Io
Mars
Ganymede - ANSWER-Io
The moon Triton orbits which of the planets?
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune - ANSWER-Neptune
More than 75% of the known asteroids:
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cross the Earth's orbit at least once as they revolve around the Sun
are made of icy material that is highly reflective
were once part of a planet as large as Jupiter
lie farther out from the Sun than the orbit of Saturn
can be found in a belt between Mars and Jupiter - ANSWER-can be found in a belt between
Mars and Jupiter
A main difference between asteroids and comets is that asteroids are mostly made of rock and
comets are mostly made of
metals
carbon compounds
ice
vapor (gas)
you can't fool me, astronomers don't really know what comets are made of - ANSWER-ice
Why do astronomers today think that we have an asteroid belt and not a planet between Mars
and Jupiter?
a planet exploded and broke apart
Io's volcanoes produced asteroids
Jupiter's gravity prevented material in that zone from getting together
the Sun's wind stops "blowing" there
the solar system needed fashion accessories - ANSWER-Jupiter's gravity prevented material in
that zone from getting together
The large reservoir of comet nuclei far beyond Pluto, from which we believe new long-period
comets come into the inner solar system, is called:
the Lowell reservoir
ASTRO 1 Exam 3 Study Guide 2025 – Astronomy
Final Review, Practice Questions, Flashcards & Key
Concepts Explained
ASTRO 1 exam 3 study guide 2025
ASTRO 1 astronomy exam 3 review
astronomy exam 3 questions and answers
ASTRO 1 flashcards and notes
college astronomy final exam prep
ASTRO 1 exam 3 topics explained
introduction to astronomy exam 3
If there are at least a million asteroids, how did spacecraft like Galileo survive their trip through
the asteroid belt?
NASA sends its spacecraft above and below the orbits of the asteroids in the belt to avoid
collisions
spacecraft use a magnetic repulsion tool to make sure asteroids do not come too close
although there are many asteroids, they are widely spaced (there is lots of space between
them)
the known asteroids are typically less than a centimeter across, so they do not represent a
danger to spacecraft
you can't fool me, NASA has lost over a dozen spacecraft to collisions with asteroids - ANSWER-
although there are many asteroids, they are widely spaced (there is lots of space between
them)
Which part of a comet is the DENSEST?
,2|Page
the nucleus
the atmosphere (coma)
the dust tail
the gas tail
the hydrogen cloud - ANSWER-the nucleus
Between 1992 and today, astronomers using large telescopes have discovered many icy pieces
that orbit in the same region as the orbit of Pluto. These are believed to be members of the
asteroid belt (which have escaped)
Kuiper belt
Oort cloud
ring around Pluto
the rock and roll band called Bill Haley and the Comets - ANSWER-Kuiper belt
Saturn's ring particles are composed mainly of:
silicate rocks
frozen carbon dioxide
droplets of very cold methane
carbon that has been compressed until it is highly reflective
water ice - ANSWER-water ice
What features are abundant on Callisto and Ganymede and almost absent on Europa and Io?
volcanoes
markings that show the surface is made of ice
impact craters
lakes and pools of liquid ammonia
,3|Page
rings - ANSWER-impact craters
When astronomers say that Ganymede is a differentiated body, they mean that it:
has a northern hemisphere which is different from its southern hemisphere
has more of the larger crater types than the smaller ones
has a magnetic field that is not centered on its axis of rotation
has a heavier core, surrounded by a lighter, icy mantle and crust
has a color that is surprising among outer solar system satellites - ANSWER-has a heavier core,
surrounded by a lighter, icy mantle and crust
The world in the solar system that is most active volcanically is:
Earth
Neptune
Io
Mars
Ganymede - ANSWER-Io
The moon Triton orbits which of the planets?
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune - ANSWER-Neptune
More than 75% of the known asteroids:
, 4|Page
cross the Earth's orbit at least once as they revolve around the Sun
are made of icy material that is highly reflective
were once part of a planet as large as Jupiter
lie farther out from the Sun than the orbit of Saturn
can be found in a belt between Mars and Jupiter - ANSWER-can be found in a belt between
Mars and Jupiter
A main difference between asteroids and comets is that asteroids are mostly made of rock and
comets are mostly made of
metals
carbon compounds
ice
vapor (gas)
you can't fool me, astronomers don't really know what comets are made of - ANSWER-ice
Why do astronomers today think that we have an asteroid belt and not a planet between Mars
and Jupiter?
a planet exploded and broke apart
Io's volcanoes produced asteroids
Jupiter's gravity prevented material in that zone from getting together
the Sun's wind stops "blowing" there
the solar system needed fashion accessories - ANSWER-Jupiter's gravity prevented material in
that zone from getting together
The large reservoir of comet nuclei far beyond Pluto, from which we believe new long-period
comets come into the inner solar system, is called:
the Lowell reservoir
