PHYS 2600 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
As the solar nebula collapsed to form the solar system, the gas at the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
center that was compressing and would eventually become the Sun
| | | | | | | | | |
was:
hotter than the rest of the nebula
| | | | | |
As the protosun was heating up, the temperature of the gas in the solar
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
nebula would have been:
| | |
hotter closer to the protosun and cooler farther out
| | | | | | | |
When the solar system was forming, what was the approximate
| | | | | | | | | |
temperature of the solar nebula at the location of Mars?
| | | | | | | | |
400 K |
What was the approximate temperature of the solar nebula at the
| | | | | | | | | | |
location of Jupiter? | |
,150 K |
Which planets formed at temperatures hotter than the boiling point of
| | | | | | | | | | |
water?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
| | |
Which planets formed at temperatures cooler than the freezing point of
| | | | | | | | | | |
water?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
| | |
You travel to an unexplored solar system that surrounds a star that is
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
exactly like the Sun. Over what range of distances would you expect to
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
find terrestrial planets?
| |
less than about 3 AU
| | | |
Which of the following pairs of objects would make a good scale model
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
of the Earth and the Moon?
| | | | |
basketball and baseball | |
,If you use a 12 inch globe to represent the Earth and a 3 inch ball for the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|Moon, how far apart must you place the Earth and Moon to have an
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
accurate scale model of the system? | | | | |
30 feet |
Using the 12 inch globe to still represent the Earth, a sphere
| | | | | | | | | | | |
representing the Sun would need to be how large in diameter?
| | | | | | | | | |
110 feet |
How far apart would you need to place the Earth and Sun to properly
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
represent the scaled distance between them if you were still using a 1
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
foot diameter globe to represent the Earth?
| | | | | |
about 2.3 miles | |
How many Moons would fit across the diameter of the Sun?
| | | | | | | | | |
440
, About how many times could the Moon's orbital diameter fit between
| | | | | | | | | | |
Earth and the Sun? | | |
220
What does Jupiter's atmosphere look like?
| | | | |
(a) A uniformly cloudy, almost featureless atmosphere in which
| | | | | | | | |
rotational speeds are hard to discern.
| | | | |
(b) A banded appearance with clouds in the polar region revolving
| | | | | | | | | | |
around Jupiter's rotation axis in a shorter time than clouds at the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
equator.
(c) A banded appearance with clouds in all bands taking the same length
| | | | | | | | | | | |
of time to revolve around Jupiter's rotation axis (solid body rotation).
| | | | | | | | | | |
(d) A banded appearance with clouds at the equator revolving around
| | | | | | | | | | |
Jupiter's rotation axis in a shorter time than clouds in the polar region.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
D. A banded appearance with clouds at the equator revolving around
| | | | | | | | | | |
Jupiter's rotation axis in a shorter time than clouds in the polar region.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
The planet Jupiter consists mostly of
| | | | |
(a) methane and ammonia gases and water vapor.
| | | | | | |
(b) hydrogen.
|
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
As the solar nebula collapsed to form the solar system, the gas at the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
center that was compressing and would eventually become the Sun
| | | | | | | | | |
was:
hotter than the rest of the nebula
| | | | | |
As the protosun was heating up, the temperature of the gas in the solar
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
nebula would have been:
| | |
hotter closer to the protosun and cooler farther out
| | | | | | | |
When the solar system was forming, what was the approximate
| | | | | | | | | |
temperature of the solar nebula at the location of Mars?
| | | | | | | | |
400 K |
What was the approximate temperature of the solar nebula at the
| | | | | | | | | | |
location of Jupiter? | |
,150 K |
Which planets formed at temperatures hotter than the boiling point of
| | | | | | | | | | |
water?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
| | |
Which planets formed at temperatures cooler than the freezing point of
| | | | | | | | | | |
water?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
| | |
You travel to an unexplored solar system that surrounds a star that is
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
exactly like the Sun. Over what range of distances would you expect to
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
find terrestrial planets?
| |
less than about 3 AU
| | | |
Which of the following pairs of objects would make a good scale model
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
of the Earth and the Moon?
| | | | |
basketball and baseball | |
,If you use a 12 inch globe to represent the Earth and a 3 inch ball for the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|Moon, how far apart must you place the Earth and Moon to have an
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
accurate scale model of the system? | | | | |
30 feet |
Using the 12 inch globe to still represent the Earth, a sphere
| | | | | | | | | | | |
representing the Sun would need to be how large in diameter?
| | | | | | | | | |
110 feet |
How far apart would you need to place the Earth and Sun to properly
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
represent the scaled distance between them if you were still using a 1
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
foot diameter globe to represent the Earth?
| | | | | |
about 2.3 miles | |
How many Moons would fit across the diameter of the Sun?
| | | | | | | | | |
440
, About how many times could the Moon's orbital diameter fit between
| | | | | | | | | | |
Earth and the Sun? | | |
220
What does Jupiter's atmosphere look like?
| | | | |
(a) A uniformly cloudy, almost featureless atmosphere in which
| | | | | | | | |
rotational speeds are hard to discern.
| | | | |
(b) A banded appearance with clouds in the polar region revolving
| | | | | | | | | | |
around Jupiter's rotation axis in a shorter time than clouds at the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
equator.
(c) A banded appearance with clouds in all bands taking the same length
| | | | | | | | | | | |
of time to revolve around Jupiter's rotation axis (solid body rotation).
| | | | | | | | | | |
(d) A banded appearance with clouds at the equator revolving around
| | | | | | | | | | |
Jupiter's rotation axis in a shorter time than clouds in the polar region.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
D. A banded appearance with clouds at the equator revolving around
| | | | | | | | | | |
Jupiter's rotation axis in a shorter time than clouds in the polar region.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
The planet Jupiter consists mostly of
| | | | |
(a) methane and ammonia gases and water vapor.
| | | | | | |
(b) hydrogen.
|
