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Chapter 10: Problem 6

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

Short Answer

Expert verified
The correct answer is c. Oblateness is a property of a planet’s shape; obliquity is a property of a planet’s orbit.

Step by step solution

01

Identify Oblateness

Oblateness is the measure of how much a planet's shape deviates from being a perfect sphere. It refers to the flattening at the poles.
02

Identify Obliquity

Obliquity is the angle between a planet's rotational axis and its orbital plane. It indicates how tilted the planet is relative to its orbit around the sun.
03

Match Definitions with Choices

Using the definitions from Steps 1 and 2, match 'Oblateness' with 'shape' and 'Obliquity' with 'orbit'.
04

Choose Correct Answer

The correct match is: c. shape; orbit.

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Key Concepts

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

Oblateness
Oblateness refers to how a planet's shape deviates from being a perfect sphere. Most planets aren't perfect spheres due to their rotation. The faster a planet spins, the more it flattens at the poles and bulges at the equator. This flattening effect is what we call oblateness.
Imagine a planet as a squished ball, where the middle is slightly larger than the top and bottom. Jupiter, for example, is highly oblate because it rotates very quickly. Understanding oblateness helps scientists determine the internal structure and rotation speed of a planet.
Key points about oblateness:
  • It measures the flattening at the poles.
  • It results from a planet's rotation.
  • Faster rotation equals more pronounced oblateness.
Obliquity
Obliquity is the tilt of a planet's rotational axis relative to its orbital plane. This tilt can have significant impacts on the planet's climate and seasons. For instance, Earth has an obliquity of about 23.5 degrees, which is why we experience different seasons.
When a planet's axis is tilted, it means that different parts of the planet receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout its orbit. That's why summer and winter occur; one hemisphere tilts towards the sun, receiving more light and warmth, while the other tilts away.
Key points about obliquity:
  • It measures the tilt of the rotational axis.
  • It affects the planet's climate and seasons.
  • Earth's obliquity is 23.5 degrees.
Planetary Shape
The shape of a planet is determined by its composition, rotation, and gravitational forces. While many people think of planets as perfect spheres, they're often slightly flattened at the poles due to their rotation. This flattened shape is due to oblateness.
Planetary shapes can vary widely. Some are nearly perfect spheres, like Venus, which has very slow rotation, and others like Saturn have pronounced equatorial bulges because they spin rapidly.
Key points about planetary shape:
  • It's influenced by rotation, composition, and gravity.
  • Rapid rotation causes equatorial bulges.
  • Slowly rotating planets are closer to perfect spheres.
Planetary Orbit
A planet's orbit refers to the path it takes around its star. This path is usually elliptical, meaning it's oval-shaped. The properties of a planet's orbit, such as its distance from the star and the shape of the orbit, play crucial roles in the planet's climate and potential habitability.
Understanding planetary orbits involves concepts like the semi-major axis, which is the longest diameter of the ellipse, and the eccentricity, which measures how much the orbit deviates from being a perfect circle.
Key points about planetary orbits:
  • Orbits are typically elliptical.
  • The semi-major axis is the longest part of the orbit's ellipse.
  • Eccentricity measures the deviation from a circle.
  • Orbital properties affect a planet's climate and habitability.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The obliquity of Uranus is \(98^{\circ} .\) From one of the planet's poles, how far from the zenith would the Sun appear on summer solstice?

The following steps lead to convection in the atmospheres of giant planets. Place (b)-(f) in order, following (a). a. Gravity pulls particles toward the center. b. Warm material rises and expands. c. Particles fall toward the center, converting gravitational energy to kinetic energy. d. Expanding material cools. e. Thermal energy heats the material. f. Friction converts kinetic energy to thermal energy.

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.

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.

T/F: Storms on giant planets last much longer than do storms on Earth.
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