differences between the terrestrial planets and Jovian planets

2. Planetary orbits are (a) fairly circular and in the same plane. (b) fairly circular but oriented in random directions. (c) very eccentric (stretched-out) ellipses and in the same plane.

3. How many of the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction that Earth does? (a) a few (b) most (c) all

4. Describe the basic features of the nebular theory of solar system formation and give three examples of how this theory explains some observed features of the present-day solar system.

5. Which have more moons on average? (a) jovian planets (b) terrestrial planets (c) Terrestrial and jovian planets both have about the same number of moons. 6. The largest planets also have the largest densities. (T/ F

7. How did the temperature structure of the solar nebula determine planetary composition?

8. In which list are the major steps of solar system formation in the correct ? (a) gravitational collapse of the solar nebula condensation accretion (b) accretion condensation gravitational collapse of the solar nebula (c) gravitational collapse of the solar nebula accretion condensation

9. What is the leading hypothesis for the origin of the Moon? (a) It formed at the same time as Earth. (b) It formed from the material ejected by a giant impact on Earth. (c) It split off from a rapidly rotating Earth.

10. Which ingredients made up about 98% of the solar nebula? (a) rock and metal (b) hydrogen compounds (c) hydrogen and helium

11. Which of the following changes did not occur during the collapse of the solar nebula? (a) spinning faster (b) heating up (c) concentrating denser materials nearer the Sun

12. Leftover ice-rich planetesimals are called (a) comets. (b) asteroids. (c) meteors

. 13. The solar system is differentiated because (a) all the heavy elements in the outer solar system have sunk to the center; (b) all the light elements in the inner solar system became part of the Sun; (c) all the light elements in the inner solar system were carried off in the form of comets; (d) only rocky and metallic particles could form close to the Sun.

14. Where did Earth’s water come from?

15. The total mass of all the planets is much less than the mass of the Sun. (T/ F)

16. In the leading theory of solar system formation the planets (a) were ejected from the Sun following a close encounter with another star; (b) formed from the same flattened swirling gas cloud that formed the Sun; (c) are much younger than the Sun; (d) are much older than the Sun. 17. About how old is the solar system? (a) 4.5 million years (b) 4.5 billion years (c) 4.5 trillion years 18. Understanding Radiometric Dating. Imagine you had the good fortune to find a rocky meteorite in your backyard. How would you expect its ratio of potassium-40 to argon-40 to be different from that of other rocks in your yard? Explain your answer in a few sentences. Requirements: 2 pages | .doc file ‘