Astronomy 1010 Exam 3 Review
Questions All Solved.
Pluto used to be one of the official planets in the Solar System but not anymore. Why is Pluto no
longer called a by Astronomers? - Answer Because it is a part of a belt of objects
When compared to the rotation of the Sun, what best describes the orbits of the planets in the
solar system? - Answer They're all prograde. (The all orbit the sun
When compared to the rotation of the Sun, what best describes the rotations of the of the
planets in the Solar System? - Answer Most orbits are prograde but some are retrograde.
When compared to the rotation of the Sun, what best describes the orbits of the moons in the
Solar System? - Answer Most orbits are prograde, but some are retrograde
Protostar - Answer A young stellar object that derives its luminosity from the conversion of
gravitational energy to thermal energy, rather than from nuclear reactions in its core.
Accretion Disk - Answer A flat rotating disk of gas and dust surrounding an object, such as a
young stellar object, a forming planet, a collapsed star in a binary system, or a black hole.
Planetesimals - Answer A primitive body of rock and ice, 100 meters or more in diameter, that
combines with others to form a planet.
Refractory Materials - Answer Materials that remain solid at high temperatures
Volatile Materials - Answer Sometimes called ice; Material that remains gaseous at moderate
temperature.
Organic Compounds - Answer Compounds that contain carbon
Planet Migration - Answer The theory that a planet can move to a location away from where it
was formed, through gravitational interactions with other bodies or loss of orbital energy from
interaction with gas in the protoplanetary disk
, Giant Planets - Answer Also called Jovian Planet, are some of the largest planets in the Solar
System, typically 10x larger than the terrestrial planets and lack a solid surface.
Dwarf Planets - Answer Small round bodies that orbit the sun but have not cleared the area
around their orbits of other orbiting bodies
Moon - Answer A natural satellite that revolves around a planet or other large object.
Exoplanet - Answer A planet that orbits a star other than the sun
Hot Jupiter - Answer A class of planets that is Jupiter-like in size but orbits very close to its star
causing it to hve a very high surface temperature
Habitable Zone - Answer The region around a star in which planets could potentially have
surface temperatures at which liquid water could exist.
Impact Cratering - Answer The process in which solid planetary objects collide with each other,
leaving distinctive scars.
Radioisotope - Answer A radioactive element.
Half-Life - Answer Length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to
decay
Lithosphere - Answer The solid, brittle part of Earth, including the crust and the upper part of
the mantel.
Crust - Answer The relatively thin. outermost, hard layer of a planet, which is chemically
distinctive from the interior.
Plate Tectonics - Answer The geological theory concerning the motions of the lithospheric
plates, which in turn provides, the theoretical basis for continental drift.
Fault - Answer A fracture in the crust of a planet or moon along which blocks of material can
Questions All Solved.
Pluto used to be one of the official planets in the Solar System but not anymore. Why is Pluto no
longer called a by Astronomers? - Answer Because it is a part of a belt of objects
When compared to the rotation of the Sun, what best describes the orbits of the planets in the
solar system? - Answer They're all prograde. (The all orbit the sun
When compared to the rotation of the Sun, what best describes the rotations of the of the
planets in the Solar System? - Answer Most orbits are prograde but some are retrograde.
When compared to the rotation of the Sun, what best describes the orbits of the moons in the
Solar System? - Answer Most orbits are prograde, but some are retrograde
Protostar - Answer A young stellar object that derives its luminosity from the conversion of
gravitational energy to thermal energy, rather than from nuclear reactions in its core.
Accretion Disk - Answer A flat rotating disk of gas and dust surrounding an object, such as a
young stellar object, a forming planet, a collapsed star in a binary system, or a black hole.
Planetesimals - Answer A primitive body of rock and ice, 100 meters or more in diameter, that
combines with others to form a planet.
Refractory Materials - Answer Materials that remain solid at high temperatures
Volatile Materials - Answer Sometimes called ice; Material that remains gaseous at moderate
temperature.
Organic Compounds - Answer Compounds that contain carbon
Planet Migration - Answer The theory that a planet can move to a location away from where it
was formed, through gravitational interactions with other bodies or loss of orbital energy from
interaction with gas in the protoplanetary disk
, Giant Planets - Answer Also called Jovian Planet, are some of the largest planets in the Solar
System, typically 10x larger than the terrestrial planets and lack a solid surface.
Dwarf Planets - Answer Small round bodies that orbit the sun but have not cleared the area
around their orbits of other orbiting bodies
Moon - Answer A natural satellite that revolves around a planet or other large object.
Exoplanet - Answer A planet that orbits a star other than the sun
Hot Jupiter - Answer A class of planets that is Jupiter-like in size but orbits very close to its star
causing it to hve a very high surface temperature
Habitable Zone - Answer The region around a star in which planets could potentially have
surface temperatures at which liquid water could exist.
Impact Cratering - Answer The process in which solid planetary objects collide with each other,
leaving distinctive scars.
Radioisotope - Answer A radioactive element.
Half-Life - Answer Length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to
decay
Lithosphere - Answer The solid, brittle part of Earth, including the crust and the upper part of
the mantel.
Crust - Answer The relatively thin. outermost, hard layer of a planet, which is chemically
distinctive from the interior.
Plate Tectonics - Answer The geological theory concerning the motions of the lithospheric
plates, which in turn provides, the theoretical basis for continental drift.
Fault - Answer A fracture in the crust of a planet or moon along which blocks of material can
