Question 1

Why do other systems have planetary types that don't fall neatly into the terrestrial and jovian categories that we identify in our solar system?

Accepted Answer

There are several possible explanations....

Question 2

What do astronomers mean by a "selection effect".Explain why the detection of giant planets in close orbits does not necessarily mean our Solar System is unusual.

Accepted Answer

A selection effect is a bias in a detect...

Question 3

What is the purpose of the European CHEOPS mission?

Accepted Answer

A)  to precisely measure the properties of known extrasolar planets
B)  to discover new types of extrasolar planets unobservable with current instruments
C)  to search for signals from alien civilizations
D)  to search for new extrasolar planets throughout the entire skyE) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 4

Suppose a planet is discovered by the Doppler technique and is then discovered to have transits.In that case,we can determine all the following about the planet except

Accepted Answer

A)  its precise mass.
B)  its density.
C)  its physical size (radius) .
D)  its rotation period.
E)  its orbital period.F) None of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 5

Multiple planets have been identified around other stars via the transit technique.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

What information does the Doppler technique give about an extrasolar planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  the planet's radius
B)  the planet's density
C)  the planet's minimum mass
D)  all of the aboveE) C) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 7

How are the orbits of extrasolar planets different from the orbits of planets in our solar system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Many extrasolar planets orbit their stars backward.
B)  Many extrasolar planets are on very tilted orbits compared to what we'd expect.
C)  Many extrasolar planets do not travel on elliptical orbits.
D)  Many extrasolar planets travel on very eccentric orbits.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 8

Describe the impact the discovery of extrasolar planets h as had on the question of life on other worlds.

Accepted Answer

We do not yet know how common small,rock...

Question 9

Current techniques can measure stellar motion to less than

Accepted Answer

A)  walking speed.
B)  running speed.
C)  freeway speed.
D)  cruising speed of an airplane.
E)  orbital speed of Jupiter.F) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 10

The total amount of light from a star-planet system drops when the planet goes behind the star.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

All the following statements about known extrasolar planets are true.Which one came as a surprise to scientists who expected other solar systems to be like ours?

Accepted Answer

A)  Some of the planets orbit their star more closely than Mercury orbits the Sun.
B)  Most of the planets are quite massive-much more like Jupiter than like Earth.
C)  Most of the planets orbit stars that are quite nearby compared to the scale of the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
D)  In some cases,we've found more than one planet orbiting the same star.E) None of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 12

Which detection techniques can find the planet's orbital distance (assuming we know the mass of the star) ?

Accepted Answer

A)  only the Doppler technique
B)  only the transit technique
C)  only the astrometric technique
D)  all of these techniquesE) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 13

How will the Kepler mission (scheduled for 2008 launch) look for planets around other stars?

Accepted Answer

A)  It will look for Doppler shifts in stellar spectra.
B)  It will be sufficiently powerful to take low-resolution photographs of planets orbiting nearby stars.
C)  It will look for slight back and forth shifts in a star's position in our sky.
D)  It will look for slight changes in a star's brightness that repeat at regular intervals.E) None of the above
F) All of the above

Question 14

What is the closest that extrasolar planets have been found to their stars?

Accepted Answer

A)  nearer to their stars than Earth to the Sun
B)  nearer to their stars than Saturn to the Sun
C)  nearer to their stars than Mercury to our Sun
D)  unknown: we do not know the distance with enough accuracy to sayE) A) and B)
F) B) and C)

Question 15

Multiple-planet systems have been identified around other stars via the Doppler technique.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

About how many extrasolar planets have been discovered (as of 2008) ?

Accepted Answer

A)  tens
B)  hundreds
C)  thousands
D)  tens of thousandsE) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 17

The signature of a planet is largest in radial velocity measurements when the planet and star are lined up along the line of sight to the telescope.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The first planets around other Sun-like stars were discovered

Accepted Answer

A)  by Huygens,following his realization that other stars are Suns.
B)  by Galileo following the invention of the telescope.
C)  at the turn of last century.
D)  about a decade ago.
E)  at the turn of this century.F) A) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 19

Why is our Jupiter not a "hot Jupiter"?

Accepted Answer

In our solar system,it is likely that th...

Question 20

The size and shape of a planet's orbit can be determined by

Accepted Answer

A)  the Doppler technique.
B)  transit observations.
C)  spectral measurements.
D)  knowing the planet's mass by any technique and applying Newton's version of Kepler's third law.
E)  gravitational microlensing.F) C) and D)
G) A) and B)

Exam 13: Other Planetary Systems: The New Science of Distant Worlds

All the following statements about known extrasolar planets are true.Which one came as a surprise to scientists who expected other solar systems to be like ours?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Describe the impact the discovery of extrasolar planets h as had on the question of life on other worlds.

Correct AnswerverifiedWe do not yet know how common small,rock...View AnswerShow Answer

How are the orbits of extrasolar planets different from the orbits of planets in our solar system?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the closest that extrasolar planets have been found to their stars?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Suppose a planet is discovered by the Doppler technique and is then discovered to have transits.In that case,we can determine all the following about the planet except

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Multiple-planet systems have been identified around other stars via the Doppler technique.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the purpose of the European CHEOPS mission?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is our Jupiter not a "hot Jupiter"?

Correct AnswerverifiedIn our solar system,it is likely that th...View AnswerShow Answer

Why do other systems have planetary types that don't fall neatly into the terrestrial and jovian categories that we identify in our solar system?

Correct AnswerverifiedThere are several possible explanations....View AnswerShow Answer

The size and shape of a planet's orbit can be determined by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The signature of a planet is largest in radial velocity measurements when the planet and star are lined up along the line of sight to the telescope.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What information does the Doppler technique give about an extrasolar planet?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Multiple planets have been identified around other stars via the transit technique.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The total amount of light from a star-planet system drops when the planet goes behind the star.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How will the Kepler mission (scheduled for 2008 launch) look for planets around other stars?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Current techniques can measure stellar motion to less than

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which detection techniques can find the planet's orbital distance (assuming we know the mass of the star) ?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

About how many extrasolar planets have been discovered (as of 2008) ?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The first planets around other Sun-like stars were discovered

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What do astronomers mean by a "selection effect".Explain why the detection of giant planets in close orbits does not necessarily mean our Solar System is unusual.

Correct AnswerverifiedA selection effect is a bias in a detect...View AnswerShow Answer

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We do not yet know how common small,rock...
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In our solar system,it is likely that th...
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There are several possible explanations....
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A selection effect is a bias in a detect...
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