Middle Georgia State University

Course title: ASTR 1010K

Chapter 5 Homework

1)About how long after the universe came into existence did our solar system form?

2. Pluto is most similar in composition to which of the following objects?

3. Which planets are terrestrial, and which are giant?

4. What is the Nice model’s explanation for why there is no planet in the vicinity of the asteroid belt.
5. Describe four methods for discovering exoplanets.

6. Which giant planet joined first?

7. According to the Nice theory, where did the Kuiper belt objects and Oort cloud objects come from?

8. Jeans instability is responsible for what event in the life of the solar system?

9. Name and briefly describe one small solar system body.

10. Name one dwarf planet (other than Pluto) and state where it is located.

11.  What two properties of a planet must be known to determine its average density? How are these properties determined?

12. How would a planet orbiting one of the first-generation stars be different than planets formed today? What chemical elements would that planet contain? Could we humans exist on that world? Why or why not?