PHYSICS 1040 - ELEMENTARY ASTRONOMY - HOMEWORK #7
1. Jupiter data: Average distance from Sun = __________ A.U.
Orbital period = __________ years
Rotational period = __________
Diameter = __________ x Earth=s diameter
Average density = __________ x water=s density
Average temperature = __________
oC (at cloudtops)Saturn data: Average distance from Sun = __________ A.U.
Orbital period = __________ years
Rotational period = __________
Diameter = __________ x Earth=s diameter
Average density = __________ x water=s density
Average temperature = __________
oC (at cloudtops)
2. About _____ percent of Jupiter=s mass is hydrogen, _____ percent is helium, and _____ percent is heavier elements. The great abundance of the two lightest elements explains why Jupiter=s average density is so high/low (circle one). Jupiter=s atmospheric weather pattern has a _______________ appearance. The light-colored __________ consist of high-altitude clouds, and the dark-colored __________ consist of low-altitude clouds. Jupiter=s Great __________ __________ is a 300-year-old __________; it has some of the planet=s highest/lowest (circle one) clouds. The motion of Jupiter=s atmosphere is controlled by three factors:
a. Jupiter=s rapid _______________.
b. energy from the __________.
c. energy from Jupiter=s _______________ that is left over from its formation.
In fact, Jupiter radiates about __________ as much energy as it receives from the Sun!
3. Jupiter rotates so fast it is not spherical but __________ (slightly flattened). The study of Jupiter= s oblateness shows that, at its center, Jupiter has a dense, rocky __________ about the size of Earth but with 8 times Earth= s mass. Surrounding this is a hot __________ layer of water, methane, and ammonia. Above this, and reaching nearly to the surface, it a layer of _______________ and _______________ _______________ _______________. The outermost layer consists of ordinary _______________ and _______________. Jupiter=s strong magnetic field is generated by currents in the _______________ _______________ _______________ layer.
4. Jupiter satellite data:
|
distance |
orbital period |
diameter(km) |
density |
Io |
5.905 |
1.769 |
3642 |
3.529 |
Europa |
9.397 |
3.551 |
3120 |
3.018 |
Ganymede |
14.99 |
7.155 |
5268 |
1.936 |
Callisto |
26.37 |
16.689 |
4800 |
1.851 |
Moon |
----- |
----- |
3476 |
3.344 |
Jupiter |
----- |
----- |
142,984 |
1.326 |
Mercury |
----- |
----- |
4880 |
5.430 |
a. Which two satellites have a density nearest our Moon=s density?
_______________ and _______________
b. Which two satellites have a density nearest Jupiter=s density?
_______________ and _______________
c. Which satellite is nearest the size of Earth=s Moon?
_______________
d. Which satellite is nearest the size of Mercury? _______________
e. Which satellite is largest? _______________
5. According to Kepler=s 3rd law, a
3/P2 = a constant; the constant = 1 for planets orbiting the Sun if R (the semimajor axis) is measured in AU and P (the orbital period) is measured in years. Fill out the table below and show that the Galilean satellites also obey a law similar to Kepler=s 3rd law. Don= t worry about the units; just use the numbers provided to calculate a3/P2 for each satellite. The first one has been done for you.
|
a(Jupiter radii) |
P |
a 3 |
P 2 |
a 3/P2 |
Io |
5.905 |
1.769 |
205.9 |
3.129 |
65.80 |
Europa |
|
|
|
|
|
Ganymede |
|
|
|
|
|
Callisto |
|
|
|
|
|
6. The number of surface craters found on the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter decreases steadily from __________, the outermost moon, to __________, the innermost moon. The reason for this is that __________ has the oldest surface, and __________ has the youngest surface. Processes that are capable of covering craters, such as volcanic eruptions, are most important on the surface of __________, but are not as important on the more distant moons.
7. Io is covered with a yellowish/reddish layer of __________ compounds deposited by eruptions from volcanic __________ on Io=s surface. Every 100 years Io ejects enough material to cover its surface to a depth of one meter, and any impact _______________ would quickly be covered. Recall from Homework #4 that the smaller/larger (circle one) the world, the less internal heat it is likely to have retained, and thus, the less geologic activity it will display on its surface. Tiny Io remains hot because __________ forces from Jupiter=s gravity squeeze Io as it moves about its elliptical orbit. This tidal heating is responsible for keeping Io=s interior hot and its surface active.
8. Europa is the smoothest object in the solar system. There are almost no _______________ on its surface; only three craters larger than 5 km across have been found. This means that Europa=s surface must be very young/old (circle one) and active. Europa=s surface is almost pure frozen __________. Europa=s slushy ice crust is about 10 km thick. Below the crust there may be a layer of _______________ water, perhaps 50 km deep. Below this ocean is Europa=s rocky core, which makes up 85 - 90 percent of Europa=s mass. Like Io, Europa=s interior is warmed by the effects of Jupiter's _______________ force.
9. Saturn=s rings are made of snowball-size particles of _____ and _____-covered rock. These ring particles orbit Saturn in their own individual orbits that obey _______________ laws. If all of the ring particles were collected together to form a moon, the moon would be only 100 km in diameter! However, this will not happen. A planet=s __________ __________ is the closest distance a large moon can be to a planet. If the moon gets any closer than the __________ __________, it will be torn apart by the planet=s gravitational __________ force. All of Saturn=s large moons are inside/outside (circle one) of Saturn=s __________ __________, and all of the rings are inside/outside (circle one). This prevents Saturn=s ring particles from ever coming together to form a __________.
10. An orbital _______________ occur in Saturn's rings when a ring particle orbits Saturn an integral number of times faster than one of Saturn's large moons (2 times faster, 3 times faster, and so on). For example, a ring particle in the _______________ division between the A and B rings would orbit Saturn twice as fast as Saturn's moon Mimas. This means that the ring particle would line up with Mimas every __________ orbits. The repeated tugs of Mimas' gravity thus keeps the _______________ division between the A and B rings clear of particles.