Understanding Planet Formation and the Kuiper Belt

What was the primary mission of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft in 2019?

• To capture images of MU69 in the Kuiper Belt

• To land on the moon

• To explore the surface of Mars

• To study the atmosphere of Jupiter

How did MU69 form according to the video?

• By the fusion of multiple small asteroids

• Through volcanic activity on a larger planet

• Through the gentle coalescence of two orbiting bodies

• By a high-speed collision of two planetesimals

What is the core accretion model?

• A process for creating artificial satellites

• A theory explaining the formation of stars

• A method for measuring the age of the solar system

• A model describing how planets form from dust, pebbles, and planetesimals

Why are planets in the outer solar system generally larger than those closer to the sun?

• They are closer to the gravitational pull of the sun

• They are made of denser materials

• They formed earlier than inner planets

• They have more solid material to form from beyond the frost line

What is the frost line in the context of the solar system?

• The boundary where the sun's heat is strongest

• The point where water freezes and becomes solid ice

• The region where planets stop forming

• The area where comets originate

How does the presence of water ice beyond the frost line affect planet formation?

• It doubles the amount of solid planet-forming material

• It makes the planetesimals less sticky

• It decreases the amount of solid material available

• It prevents the formation of gas giants

What is a key challenge in applying the core accretion model to Jupiter's formation?

• The timing to build a core is too long compared to the sun's heat increase

• The model predicts too rapid a formation

• The model suggests Jupiter should be smaller

• The model does not account for Jupiter's moons

What happens to the gas around Jupiter as it forms?

• It turns into solid ice

• It forms a ring around Jupiter

• It is pushed out of the solar system by the sun's heat

• It is absorbed by the sun

What role does gravity play in the formation of gas giants like Jupiter?

• It has no significant role

• It helps in holding onto gas and growing the planet

• It repels other objects

• It causes the planet to shrink

Why is the formation of Jupiter described as a 'race against time'?

• Because it needs to form before the sun's heat disperses its gas

• Because it competes with Saturn for resources

• Because it must form before the solar system collapses

• Because it needs to align with Earth's orbit