Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 10: Problem 16

Neptune's existence was predicted because a. Uranus did not obey Newton's laws of motion. b. Uranus wobbled on its axis. c. Uranus became brighter and fainter in an unusual way. d. some of the solar nebula's mass was unaccounted for.

Short Answer

Expert verified
a. Uranus did not obey Newton's laws of motion.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Question

Understand that the exercise requires identifying the reason why Neptune's existence was predicted. The options given are related to astronomical observations of Uranus. Analyze each one in the context of known history about Neptune’s discovery.
02

Analyze Option a

Review option a: 'Uranus did not obey Newton's laws of motion.' Historically, astronomers noticed irregularities in Uranus' orbit that couldn't be explained by known planets and Newton’s laws. This inconsistency led them to predict the existence of another planet influencing Uranus' orbit.
03

Analyze Option b

Review option b: 'Uranus wobbled on its axis.' Astronomical wobble (precession) was not central to the prediction of Neptune's existence. Wobbling is associated with rotational dynamics rather than orbital inconsistencies.
04

Analyze Option c

Review option c: 'Uranus became brighter and fainter in an unusual way.' Variations in brightness are not linked to the prediction of Neptune's existence. Brightness changes could be due to other factors like albedo or atmospheric conditions.
05

Analyze Option d

Review option d: 'Some of the solar nebula's mass was unaccounted for.' This option does not pertain to the prediction of Neptune but to the early formation of the Solar System.
06

Conclusion

After analyzing all options, option a is the most accurate. The irregularities in Uranus' orbit, which did not comply with Newton’s laws around only known planets, led to the hypothesis of another external influence, resulting in the prediction and eventual discovery of Neptune.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Key Concepts

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

Uranus orbit irregularities
When astronomers observed Uranus' orbit, they saw deviations from the path predicted by Newton's laws of motion. Initially, they thought an unknown factor influenced Uranus.
They realized that the irregularities could indicate a gravitational force from an unseen planet. This idea wasn't immediate; it required sophisticated observation and mathematical prediction.
Eventually, scientists concluded that these disturbances pointed to another planet’s existence. This led to the prediction of Neptune based on the variations in Uranus’s orbit.
Newton's laws of motion
Newton’s laws of motion are fundamental principles describing the relationship between a body and the forces acting upon it. These laws can predict the movements of celestial bodies.
When Uranus’s orbit did not align with these predictions, it suggested a problem. Rather than questioning Newton’s laws, astronomers hypothesized that another, unseen planet affected Uranus.
Newton's laws remained unchallenged but needed additional data to account for all gravitational influences present. This opened the way to Neptune’s discovery using predictive calculations based on Newtonian mechanics.
Prediction of planets
Predicting the existence of planets involves observing anomalies and interpreting them through known physical laws. For Neptune, astronomers noticed discrepancies in Uranus’s orbit and calculated the mass and position of a potential planet causing these anomalies.
This process is intricate and requires precise measurements and advanced mathematics. Based on these predictions, astronomers looked at specific regions of the sky to observe the new planet.
Indeed, Neptune was eventually detected where the calculations had predicted, confirming both the planet's presence and the robustness of Newton’s laws in predicting celestial mechanics.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Oblateness is a property of a planet’s __________; obliquity is a property of a planet’s __________. a. orbit; shape b. orbit; weather c. shape; orbit d. weather; orbit

Go to the website for the Voyager 1 and 2 missions (http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov), which collected data on all four of the giant planets more than two decades ago. a. Where are the spacecraft now? Click on "Images \& Video." These are still the only close-up images of Uranus and Neptune. What was learned about these planets? b. Click on "The Golden Record" and on the right, look at scenes, greetings, music, and sounds from Earth. Suppose you were asked to make a new version of the Golden Record, a playlist to send on an upcoming space mission. What would you include in one or more of those categories?

The best place to look for auroras on Neptune is a. near either end of the rotation axis. b. near the south end of the rotation axis c. near the north end of the rotation axis. d. at the midlatitudes.

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?

T/F: Uranus's extreme seasons are a result of its pole being nearly in the plane of the Solar System.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Thermodynamics

Read Explanation

Electromagnetism

Read Explanation

Fundamentals of Physics

Read Explanation

Electricity

Read Explanation

Geometrical and Physical Optics

Read Explanation

Mechanics and Materials

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free