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HW 12

The moons of the outer planets are primarily composed of rock and various ices, contrasting with Earth's Moon, which is mostly rock and metal. Evidence of a liquid water ocean on Europa, such as surface features and magnetic data, makes it a target for the search for extraterrestrial life. Additionally, Callisto has more impact craters than Io due to its geological inactivity, and moons closer to more massive planets like Jupiter have shorter orbital periods compared to those around less massive planets like Earth.

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4 views3 pages

HW 12

The moons of the outer planets are primarily composed of rock and various ices, contrasting with Earth's Moon, which is mostly rock and metal. Evidence of a liquid water ocean on Europa, such as surface features and magnetic data, makes it a target for the search for extraterrestrial life. Additionally, Callisto has more impact craters than Io due to its geological inactivity, and moons closer to more massive planets like Jupiter have shorter orbital periods compared to those around less massive planets like Earth.

Uploaded by

andydeleon781
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Andres Deleon

Phys. 121

HW 12

1. What are the moons of the outer planets made of, and how is their composition
different from that of our Moon?

The moons of the outer planets are primarily made of a mix of rock and various ices, including
water ice, methane ice, and ammonia ice. This makes them very different from Earth’s Moon,
which is composed mostly of rock and metal and contains very little ice. The outer moons
formed in colder regions of the solar system where ices could condense, while our Moon formed
closer to the Sun where temperatures were too high for most ices to remain solid.

3. What is the evidence for a liquid water ocean on Europa, and why is this interesting to
scientists searching for extraterrestrial life?

Evidence for a liquid water ocean beneath Europa’s icy surface includes the smoothness of its
surface, the presence of surface cracks and ridges that resemble ice flows, and magnetic field
data from the Galileo spacecraft, which suggests the presence of a conductive liquid layer
beneath the ice. This is exciting to scientists because liquid water is a key ingredient for life, and
Europa’s ocean may provide the conditions necessary to support microbial life or even more
complex organisms.

4. Would you expect to find more impact craters on Io or Callisto? Why? (

You would expect to find more impact craters on Callisto than on Io. Io is extremely geologically
active due to tidal heating from Jupiter’s gravity, which causes constant volcanic eruptions that
resurface the moon and erase old craters. Callisto, on the other hand, is geologically inactive,
so its surface has preserved impact craters for billions of years, making it one of the most
heavily cratered bodies in the solar system.
16. Which would have the longer orbital period: a moon 1 million km from the center of
Jupiter, or a moon 1 million km from the center of Earth? Why?

A moon 1 million kilometers from the center of Jupiter would have a shorter orbital period than a
moon the same distance from the center of Earth. This is because Jupiter is much more
massive than Earth, and a more massive planet exerts a stronger gravitational pull. According to
Kepler’s third law, greater mass results in shorter orbital periods for the same orbital distance.

22. Which would have the longer orbital period: a moon 1 million km from the center of
Jupiter, or a moon 1 million km from the center of Earth? Why?

As in question 16, a moon 1 million kilometers from the center of Jupiter would have a shorter
orbital period than a moon 1 million kilometers from the center of Earth. Jupiter’s stronger
gravity causes the moon to move faster in its orbit, completing its revolution in less time. This
demonstrates the role of the central object's mass in determining orbital speed and period.

25. Use the information in Appendix G to calculate what you would weigh on Titan, Io,
and Uranus’ moon Miranda.

Surface Gravity (compared to Earth = 1 g)

●​ Titan: 0.14 g​

●​ Io: 0.18 g​
●​ Miranda: 0.02 g​

To find your weight on each moon, multiply your Earth weight by the moon's surface
gravity:

●​ Titan: 100 lbs × 0.14 = 14 lbs​

●​ Io: 100 lbs × 0.18 = 18 lbs​

●​ Miranda: 100 lbs × 0.02 = 2 lbs​

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