AEA Quiz Questions and Answers
(Verified Answers)
1. what do asteroids and comets have in common?
ANS most are unchanged since their formation in the solar nebula
2. why do asteroids and comets differ in composition
ANS asteroids formed inside the frost line, while comets formed outside
3. what is the size of the largest asteroid?
ANS 1,000 km
4. the combined mass of all the asteroids in the asteroid belt is
ANS less than that of any terrestrial planet
5. the large gaps in the asteroid belt (often called Kirkwood gaps) are
caused by
ANS orbital resonances with Jupiter
6. if we know the size of an asteroid, we can determine its density by
1/3
, ANS deter- mining its mass from its gravitational pull on a spacecraft,
satellite, or planet
7. why aren't small asteroids spherical in shape
ANS the strength of gravity on small asteroids is less than the strength
of the rock
8. a typical shooting star in the mentor shower is caused by a entering
Earth;s atmosphere
ANS pea-size particle from an asteroid
9. processed meteorites with high metal content probably are
ANS chunks of a larger asteroid that was shattered by a collision
10.in order to have a comet named after you, you have to
ANS be one of the first three discoverers who report it to the
International Astronomical Union (IAU)
11.when do comets generally begin to form a tail?
ANS Inside of Jupiter's orbit
12.why won't pluto collide with neptune?
ANS the two planets have an orbital reso- nance that prevents them
2/3
(Verified Answers)
1. what do asteroids and comets have in common?
ANS most are unchanged since their formation in the solar nebula
2. why do asteroids and comets differ in composition
ANS asteroids formed inside the frost line, while comets formed outside
3. what is the size of the largest asteroid?
ANS 1,000 km
4. the combined mass of all the asteroids in the asteroid belt is
ANS less than that of any terrestrial planet
5. the large gaps in the asteroid belt (often called Kirkwood gaps) are
caused by
ANS orbital resonances with Jupiter
6. if we know the size of an asteroid, we can determine its density by
1/3
, ANS deter- mining its mass from its gravitational pull on a spacecraft,
satellite, or planet
7. why aren't small asteroids spherical in shape
ANS the strength of gravity on small asteroids is less than the strength
of the rock
8. a typical shooting star in the mentor shower is caused by a entering
Earth;s atmosphere
ANS pea-size particle from an asteroid
9. processed meteorites with high metal content probably are
ANS chunks of a larger asteroid that was shattered by a collision
10.in order to have a comet named after you, you have to
ANS be one of the first three discoverers who report it to the
International Astronomical Union (IAU)
11.when do comets generally begin to form a tail?
ANS Inside of Jupiter's orbit
12.why won't pluto collide with neptune?
ANS the two planets have an orbital reso- nance that prevents them
2/3
