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Chapter 10: Problem 12

T/F: All the giant planets have clouds and belts

Short Answer

Expert verified
True. All giant planets have clouds and belts.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Term 'Giant Planets'

Giant planets refer to the large planets in our Solar System which include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
02

Analyze Jupiter and Saturn

Jupiter and Saturn, the gas giants, have prominent cloud bands and belts observable with telescopes. They are characterized by their distinct and colorful stripes.
03

Examine Uranus and Neptune

Uranus and Neptune, the ice giants, have cloud structures as well. Although these clouds are less visible than those on Jupiter and Saturn, they still feature belts and cloud formations.
04

Conclusion

All the giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) do indeed have clouds and belts.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System. It is well known for its vibrant cloud bands and prominent belts that are visible even with small telescopes.

These cloud formations are primarily composed of ammonia crystals and other elements. The different colors in the bands represent various chemical compositions and temperatures. One of the most famous features of Jupiter is the Great Red Spot, which is a giant storm that has been raging for centuries.

Jupiter's fast rotation (about 10 hours) causes its atmosphere to form these distinct cloud bands.
  • The light-colored bands are called zones and are higher and cooler.
  • The dark-colored bands are called belts and are lower and warmer.
Overall, Jupiter's complex atmosphere is constantly in motion, giving it a dynamic and ever-changing appearance.
Saturn
Saturn, the second largest planet, is another gas giant known for its spectacular ring system. Its atmosphere, like Jupiter's, is made up of hydrogen and helium with traces of other gases.

The cloud bands on Saturn are not as vivid as those on Jupiter, but they are still present. They consist of ammonia ice in the upper cloud layers and water ice in the lower layers.

Saturn’s bands are also driven by its rapid rotation, which takes about 10.7 hours.
  • Saturn’s zones and belts are more subtle and less colorful than Jupiter's.
  • Occasionally, massive storms break out, like the Great White Spot.
The rings of Saturn, although not directly related to the cloud bands, add to its majestic appearance and are mainly composed of ice particles. In essence, Saturn's atmosphere and ring system make it a fascinating subject for study.
Uranus
Uranus is often referred to as an ice giant. Unlike Saturn and Jupiter, Uranus has a more uniform blue-green appearance due to methane gas in its upper atmosphere.

Methane absorbs red light and reflects blue, accounting for its color. The planet also has cloud structures, although they are less visible compared to the gas giants.

Uranus has a unique feature – it rotates on its side, with an axial tilt of about 98 degrees. This unusual orientation affects the atmospheric dynamics.
  • Uranus has faint cloud bands and belts that are hard to see without advanced telescopes.
  • Occasionally, bright cloud spots can be observed, possibly indicating storm activity.
Therefore, while Uranus’s clouds and belts are less prominent, they still exist and contribute to the planet's atmospheric behavior.
Neptune
Neptune, the farthest giant planet, is also an ice giant and shares similarities with Uranus. It has a striking deep blue color, again due to the presence of methane in its atmosphere.

Neptune, however, shows more visible cloud activity compared to Uranus. It experiences strong wind speeds, which can reach up to 2,100 kilometers per hour (1,300 miles per hour).

Neptune has several prominent features:
  • Clouds made of methane ice crystals that can be spotted as bright patches.
  • The Great Dark Spot, similar to Jupiter's Great Red Spot, was a temporary storm seen by Voyager 2 in 1989.
Neptune’s remarkable winds and dynamic atmosphere make it a compelling subject of scientific observation. Its clouds and belts are distinct and provide important insights into the planet's weather systems.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a. a surface feature. b. a storm that has been raging for more than 300 years. c. caused by the interaction between the magnetosphere and Io. d. about the size of North America.

Weather on Earth is driven by __________; weather on Jupiter is driven by __________. a. the Sun; internal energy b. the Sun; the winds c. Both are driven by the Sun. d. Both are driven by the hot core of the planet.

Uranus occults a star at a time when the relative motion between Uranus and Earth is \(23.0 \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{s}\). An observer on Earth sees the star disappear for 37 minutes and 2 seconds and notes that the center of Uranus passed directly in front of the star. a. On the basis of these observations, what value would the observer calculate for the diameter of Uranus? b. What could you conclude about the planet's diameter if its center did not pass directly in front of the star?

Jupiter's equatorial radius \(\left(R_{\mathrm{E}}\right)\) is \(71,500 \mathrm{km},\) and its oblateness is \(0.065 .\) What is Jupiter's polar radius \(\left(R_{\mathrm{P}}\right) ?\) (Oblateness is given by \(\left.\left[R_{\mathrm{E}}-R_{\mathrm{P}}\right] / R_{\mathrm{E}} .\right)\)

Go to websites for the NASA Juno mission (http://nasa.gov/ mission_pages/juno and http://missionjuno.swri.edu), a spacecraft that was launched in 2011 and is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in \(2016 .\) What are the science goals of the mission? What will happen to the spacecraft at the end of the mission? Examine the mission's trajectory. Why does it loop around the Sun and pass Earth again in 2013 before heading to Jupiter? Why is there a plaque dedicated to Galileo Galilei on the spacecraft?
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