Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course List)
14th Edition
ISBN: 9781305960961
Author: Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher: Cengage Learning
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Textbook Question
Chapter 19, Problem 5P
What is the maximum angular diameter of the largest asteroid, Ceres, as seen from Earth? Can Earth-based telescopes detect surf ace features? Can the Hobble Space Telescope’ (Hint: Use the small-angle formula in Reasoning with Numbers 3-1.) (Notes: The angular resolution of Earth-based telescopes is about 1 arc second and of HST about 0.1 arc second. Ceres’ average distance from the Sun is 2.8 AU.)
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Chapter 19 Solutions
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course List)
Ch. 19 - What do Widmanst?tten patterns indicate about the...Ch. 19 - What do chondrules tell you about the history of...Ch. 19 - Why are there no chondrules in achondritic...Ch. 19 - Why do astronomers refer to carbonaceous...Ch. 19 - Prob. 5RQCh. 19 - Prob. 6RQCh. 19 - Why do astronomers think the asteroids were never...Ch. 19 - Prob. 8RQCh. 19 - What evidence indicates that some asteroids have...Ch. 19 - What evidence indicates that some asteroids have...
Ch. 19 - Prob. 11RQCh. 19 - What is the difference between a gas tail and a...Ch. 19 - Prob. 13RQCh. 19 - What are the hypotheses for how the bodies in the...Ch. 19 - Prob. 15RQCh. 19 - Prob. 1DQCh. 19 - Do you think the government should spend money to...Ch. 19 - Prob. 1PCh. 19 - If a single asteroid 1 km in diameter were to be...Ch. 19 - If a trillion (1012) asteroids, each 1 km in...Ch. 19 - Prob. 4PCh. 19 - What is the maximum angular diameter of the...Ch. 19 - Prob. 6PCh. 19 - Prob. 7PCh. 19 - Prob. 8PCh. 19 - What is the orbital period of a comet nucleus in...Ch. 19 - The mass of an average comet’s nucleus is about...Ch. 19 - Prob. 1LTLCh. 19 - Prob. 2LTLCh. 19 - Prob. 3LTL
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- How would studying the chemical composition of only the largest, brightest, and most easily observed asteroids yield potentially misleading information about asteroids in general? Why is this called a selection effect?arrow_forwardThe smallest detail visible through Earth-based telescopes is about 1 arc second in diameter. What linear size does that correspond to on Mercury when Mercury is at a distance of 1 AU? Can Caloris Basin be resolved? (Hint: Use the small-angle formula, Eq. 3-1.) (Note: 1 AU is 1.5 108 km.)arrow_forwardThe mass of the asteroids is found mostly in the larger asteroids, so to estimate the total mass we need to consider only the larger objects. Suppose the three largest asteroids-Ceres (1000 km in diameter), Pallas (500 km in diameter), and Vesta (500 km in diameter)-account for half the total mass. Assume that each of these three asteroids has a density of 3 g/cm3 and calculate their total mass. Multiply your result by 2 to obtain an estimate for the mass of the total asteroid belt. How does this compare with the mass of the Oort cloud?arrow_forward
- What is the maximum angular diameter of the dwarf planet Ceres when it is closest to Earth? Could Earth-based telescopes detect surface features? Could the Hubble Space Telescope? (Hint: Use the small-angle formula, Eq. 3-1.) (Notes: Ceress average distance from the Sun is 2.8 AU and its diameter is 950 km. The best angular resolution of Earth-based telescopes at visual wavelengths is about 1 arc second and of Hubble about 0.1 arc second.)arrow_forwardCalculate the mass of Callisto using a value for its density of 1.8 g/cm3. Convert your answer to units of kg, and compare to the mass of Ganymede given in Problem 5. (Notes: Density is mass divided by volume, and the volume of a sphere is 43r3. Necessary data are given in Appendix Table A-11.) 4. What is the escape velocity from the surface of Ganymede? Ganymedes mass is 1.5 1023 kg and its radius is 2.6 103 km. (Hint: Use the formula for escape velocity, Eq. 5-1b. The formula requires input quantities in kg and m.)arrow_forwardWhat is the angular size of Phobos observed from Earth when Mars and Earth are at closest approach? Compare that with the resolution limit of about 1 arc second for ground-based telescopes. (Hint: Use the small-angle formula, Eq. 3-1.) (Notes: Necessary data to derive the distance between the objects in that situation are given in the Celestial Profiles for Earth in Chapter 19 and Mars in this chapter. For the size of Phobos, use the maximum dimension given in the text.)arrow_forward
- If a trillion (1012) asteroids, each 1 km in diameter, were assembled into one spherical body, how large would that the spherical body be? Compare that bodys size to the size of Earth given in its Celestial Profile. (Note: The volume of a sphere = 43r3.)arrow_forwardAt what average distances from the Sun would you expect to find Kirkwood gaps where the orbital period of asteroids are respectively one-third, and one-quarter, of the orbital period of Jupiter? Compare your results with Figure 24-9. (Hint: Use Keplers third law, Eq. 4-1.)arrow_forwardGiven the size of Tritons orbit (r = 355,000 km) and its orbital period (P = 5.88 days), calculate the mass of Neptune. (Hint: Use the formula for circular velocity, Eq. 5-1a. The formula requires input quantities in kg and m.)arrow_forward
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