Unit 3 Chpt 12 Saturn

From ‘Ring Orientation’ the next time Saturn’s rings will appear roughly edge-on as seen from Earth will be around

2010

Compared with the time it takes Jupiter to orbit the Sun once, the time it takes Saturn, which is twice as far away, to orbit the Sun is

significantly more than twice as long

Saturn’s cloud layers are much thicker than those of Jupiter because Saturn has

weaker surface gravity

According to Figure 12.5 (“Saturn’s Zonal Flow”), the winds on Saturn are fastest at

the equator

Saturn’s icy, rocky core is roughly

10 times more massive than planet Earth

Of the following, which are most like the particles found in Saturn’s rings?

fist-sized snowballs

A moon placed at a planet’s Roche limit will

break into smaller pieces

The atmospheric pressure at the surface of Titan is

about one-and-a-half times greater than;

A tidally locked moon of Saturn

always presents the same face to the planet

The moons Telesto and Calypso, orbiting at the Lagrangian points of Saturn and the moon Tethys

always stay the same distance apart;

In appearance, what immediately distinguishes Saturn from all the other planets?

its large ring system

Why does the appearance of Saturn's rings change over time as seen from Earth?

The rings lie in the planet's equatorial plane, which is tilted with respect to the ecliptic.

How do the overall colors and appearance of Uranus and Neptune differ from those of Jupiter and Saturn? Choose the correct description.

The outer jovian planets’ differ from inner jovian planets in their blue coloration

Why do Uranus and Neptune have such coloration [blue]? Choose the correct explanation.

Uranus and Neptune have a larger abundance of methane in their surface clouds compared to Jupiter or Saturn. The methane absorbs red light very efficiently. Therefore, the reflected sunlight we receive from Uranus and Neptune contains less red light and is mostly blue.

Why is Saturn's atmosphere almost three times thicker than Jupiter's?

Saturn is less massive than Jupiter; its gravity is weaker.

What substance is underabundant (compared to Jupiter) in the atmosphere of Saturn?

helium

What two factors enable Saturn to retain its primordial hydrogen?

the planet's large mass (resulting in a high escape speed) and low temperature

Why is Saturn's atmosphere less varied in color and appearance than Jupiter's atmosphere?

Saturn's top clouds are thicker, with few holes and gaps, and they obscure the deeper layers.

On the basis of the data given in Sections 12.1 and 12.3 (Figure 12.8) in the textbook, estimate the average density of Saturn's core.

ρ=8000 kg/m

The surface temperature of Saturn, though cold, is much higher than would be expected from the amount of solar energy it receives. Which of the following factors is thought to be the primary cause of this higher temperature?

continued gravitational settling of liquid helium

Why does Saturn have only about half as much helium as a fraction of its total atmospheric composition as Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune?

Helium may have liquefied and precipitated down into the interior of Saturn, reducing the overall proportion of helium in the atmosphere.

What are shepherd satellites? Construct the correct explanation.
 

Shepherd satellites are very _____ moons that use their gravities to "shepherd" ring particles into _____ orbits.

For example, _____ and Pandora are two shepherd satellites shaping the F ring.

small; narrow; Prometheus

How were they [Shepard satellites] discovered?

The faint, narrow F ring was discovered by Pioneer 11 in 1979. The F ring’s intricate structure, as well as its thinness, arise from the influence of two small moons, known as shepherd satellites, that orbit on either side of it.

The Roche limit is that distance from a planet where ________.

tidal forces are equal to internal forces

Saturn's rings are composed of mainly which of the following?

water ice

Which of the following statements is NOT true about Saturn's moon Titan?

Its surface temperature is about the same as that of Earth.

Mimas is a moon of Saturn with which of the following characteristics?

a very large impact crater and a role in maintaining one of Saturn's rings

Saturn's moon Iapetus has a surface that shows which of the following features?

two-tone markings

The reason Saturn lost very little of its original atmosphere is due to its:

large mass.

Saturn's orbit is more elliptical than Jupiter's, and its tilt is much larger as well.

True

The atmosphere of Saturn is composed mostly of:

hydrogen and helium.

Compared to Jupiter, Saturn's atmosphere is:

more calm with fewer disturbances or storms.

Why does Saturn radiate even more excess energy than Jupiter?

Helium rain gives off heat as it differentiates toward Saturn's center.

Shepherd satellites are defined as:

moons that confine a narrow ring.

Titan is an interesting moon because:

it has a rich atmosphere that may resemble that of the early Earth.

The atmosphere of Titan is composed mostly of:

nitrogen.

Why was it thought that Titan may have oceans of methane?

The atmospheric pressure at Titan's surface and its surface temperature are such that methane should be liquid on Titan's surface.

What mission landed on Titan in early 2005?

Huygens