Q&A Hero

Science

Q: We would expect other planets beyond our own solar system to orbit the equators of their home stars, as our own planets orbit the Sun.
Q: Astronomers have not yet been able to detect planets outside our solar system.
Q: Any successful model for the formation of the solar system must explain why the orbits of the planets have low eccentricities.
Q: In addition to revolving around the Sun counter clockwise, most planets also rotate on their axis counter clockwise.
Q: In the solar nebular theory, the dusty disk condensing around the Sun's equator became the ecliptic plane in which the planets then formed.
Q: As a rotating gas cloud contracts, it spins faster.
Q: Some meteorites are believed to have come from Mars and the Moon.
Q: Researchers estimate that there is more total mass in the Kuiper Belt than in the asteroid belt.
Q: The Oort Cloud lies closer to the Sun than the Kuiper Belt.
Q: Comets are not actually members of the solar system, but have been captured by the Sun.
Q: Cometary dust tails lag behind the bluish ion tails as the comet rounds the Sun.
Q: Many astronomers now regard Pluto as just one of the largest of the thousands of Kuiper Belt bodies found beyond Neptune.
Q: Carbonaceous asteroids contain fragile organic molecules.
Q: Meteor showers are the result of collisions between asteroids.
Q: Most astronomers now believe the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was caused by a large asteroid impacting the Yucatan peninsula area.
Q: Barringer Crater in Arizona is an example of a meteorite impact.
Q: A Kuiper Belt object was discovered that may be larger than Pluto.
Q: Due to their great masses, all four jovian worlds are much denser than the Earth.
Q: Pluto is more similar to the jovian planet's icy moons than to any of the other planets.
Q: All jovian planets have rings around their equators and at least eight moons.
Q: All four jovian planets are thought to have cores larger than Earth.
Q: The two smallest planets, Mercury and Pluto, have no moons.
Q: All the planets orbit the Sun in exactly the same plane as the Earth.
Q: All the planets revolve around the Sun in the same direction, except for Venus and Uranus.
Q: Earth is nearly twice as large as Venus.
Q: All the planet's orbits are evenly spaced.
Q: One characteristic of the terrestrial planets is their extensive moon systems.
Q: Pluto's orbit has a lower inclination to the ecliptic than any planet.
Q: All the terrestrial planets lie inside the asteroid belt.
Q: Exoplanetary systems containing "hot Jupiters" extremely massive planets orbiting very close to their parent stars do not look like our own solar system. Are they inconsistent with the condensation theory of solar system formation? Explain.
Q: What are the measured densities of the exoplanets called "hot Jupiters," and why are these densities inconsistent with theoretical models?
Q: Suppose an extrasolar planet's orbit around its star is edge-on to our line of sight. How is it detected, and what information can be obtained in this case?
Q: How do many of the jovian-type extrasolar planets seem to defy portions of the solar nebula theory? How can this perhaps be reconciled?
Q: Why is detecting Earth-sized planets much more difficult than finding Jupiter-sized planets around other stars?
Q: How does the Solar Nebula theory explain the formation and orbital properties of planets?
Q: Explain the effect angular momentum has on a gas cloud as it contracts.
Q: Contrast the Oort cloud and the Kuiper belt as possible origins for comets.
Q: How did the NEAR mission break new ground, literally?
Q: What evidence is there that Earth has been struck by large meteorites?
Q: Discuss the extinction of the dinosaurs, relating it to an astronomical event.
Q: Observationally contrast the discoveries of most comets and asteroids.
Q: Relate meteor showers to comets; explain why most are annual events.
Q: Contrast the orbits of comets and asteroids.
Q: What observation of extrasolar planetary systems provides strong confirmation of the condensation theory?
Q: Why don't we see very many low-mass exoplanets?
Q: What type of exoplanet observation allows unambiguous determination of the exoplanet's mass and radius? Can this be done with most exoplanets?
Q: Why does the present method of finding extrasolar planets not favor finding solar systems like ours?
Q: Why do we expect other solar systems to be common?
Q: Describe two ways of detecting extrasolar planets.
Q: How do most of the new solar systems we've discovered compare to our own?
Q: What is the role of dust in the condensation theory?
Q: Name three properties of the solar nebula still seen in planet orbits.
Q: What support for the solar nebula theory has come from observations of nearby young stars?
Q: Explain three advantages the Hubble Space Telescope has over all ground-based telescopes.
Q: What are some advantages of radio telescopes over optical telescopes?
Q: Why were the two Keck 400" telescopes placed together atop Mauna Kea?
Q: How do radio interferometers greatly enhance resolution in radio wavelengths?
Q: What is a CCD, and how does it work? Why is it replacing film?
Q: What are adaptive optics designed to overcome? How is this done?
Q: Why would observing in blue light give better resolution than red light when observing objects close together in the same field of view?
Q: Explain an advantage a good refractor corrected for chromatic aberration has over any design of reflector of the same size.
Q: In what ways are ground-based observatories catching up with Hubble?
Q: Discuss several disadvantages of refractor versus reflector telescopes.
Q: Why are the designs of the Hubble and Chandra Space Telescopes different?
Q: Why is UV astronomy difficult to do from the ground?
Q: Why is the Hubble Space Telescope equipped with more infrared and ultraviolet detectors than are optical telescopes on the ground?
Q: Why is the angular resolution of radio telescopes much worse than that of smaller optical telescopes?
Q: Explain the basic principle behind the VLA.
Q: Why doesn't the Hubble Space Telescope need adaptive optics?
Q: Why do stars appear to twinkle?
Q: Why is a CCD image much faster to obtain than a photograph?
Q: Explain why the image seen in astronomical telescopes is inverted.
Q: Name two advantages of larger telescopes over smaller ones.
Q: With a prime focus reflector, why is digital imaging much easier than using an eyepiece for visual work?
Q: Contrast the main mirrors of Newtonian and Cassegrain designs.
Q: There are ground-based telescopes much larger than Hubble, yet the HST still reveals the faintest objects yet seen. Explain.
Q: You are a novice telescope builder. Should you attempt a 6" Newtonian or Cassegrain reflector first? Why?
Q: Why is it easier to travel to a remote viewing site with an 8" Cassegrain than an 8" Newtonian reflector?
Q: What are two advantages of CCDs over photographic films for astronomy?
Q: How does the placement of the eyepiece with Newtonian and Cassegrain reflectors differ?
1 2 3 … 666

Subjects

Accounting Anthropology Archaeology Art History Banking Biology & Life Science Business Business Communication Business Development Business Ethics Business Law Chemistry Communication Computer Science Counseling Criminal Law Curriculum & Instruction Design Earth Science Economic Education Engineering Finance History & Theory Humanities Human Resource International Business Investments & Securities Journalism Law Management Marketing Medicine Medicine & Health Science Nursing Philosophy Physic Psychology Real Estate Science Social Science Sociology Special Education Speech Visual Arts