NJIT PHYSICS 203 EARTH IN SPACE
EXAM 2 CERTIFICATION STUDY
GUIDE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
◉ terrestrial planets. Answer: the name given to the 4 inner planets
◉ small. Answer: terrestrial planets are __________ in size
◉ dense, metal, rock. Answer: terrestrial planets are __________ and
composed of primarily __________ and __________
◉ false (terrestrial rings). Answer: terrestrial planets have rings, true or
false?
◉ slow. Answer: terrestrial planets have __________ rotation
◉ - Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune. Answer: the 4 outer planets
,◉ jovian planets. Answer: the name given to the 4 outer planets
◉ large. Answer: jovian planets are __________ in size
◉ tenuous, hydrogen gas, helium gas. Answer: jovian planets are
__________ and composed of primarily __________ and __________
◉ true (jovian rings). Answer: jovian planets have rings, true or false?
◉ fast. Answer: jovian planets have __________ rotation
◉ false (jovian rings). Answer: all jovian planets have spectacular ring
systems, true or false?
◉ true (rings of Saturn). Answer: Saturn has a spectacular ring system,
true or false?
◉ shorter. Answer: Smaller planets have __________ geological
lifetimes
◉ longer. Answer: Larger planets have __________ geological lifetimes
◉ weaker. Answer: smaller planets have __________ gravity
,◉ stronger. Answer: larger planets have __________ gravity
◉ true; counter-clockwise when viewed from above. Answer: all 8
planets orbit the Sun in the same direction, true or false?
◉ false; Venus and Uranus do not. Answer: all of the planets rotate in
the same direction that they orbit the Sun, true or false?
◉ nebula. Answer: a giant cloud of gas composed of mostly hydrogen
and helium that is many light-years across
◉ volatile ices. Answer: methane, ammonia, and water
◉ planetesimal. Answer: a baby planet
◉ accretion. Answer: the gaining of mass through stick collisions
◉ - Formed from a nebula 4.5 billion years ago
- Formed a protoplanetary disk
- Inner part was hot
- Outer part was cold
- Grew larger through accretion. Answer: how did the Earth form?
, ◉ core. Answer: most dense layer of the Earth
◉ iron and nickel. Answer: what is the core composed of?
◉ solid due to higher pressure. Answer: what state of matter is the
inner core?
◉ molten due to lower pressure than the inner core. Answer: what
state of matter is the outer core?
◉ iron-rich silicate rock. Answer: what is the mantle composed of?
◉ mantle. Answer: layer of the Earth that is less dense than the core
◉ mesosphere. Answer: the lowest layer of the mantle
◉ asthenosphere. Answer: layer within the mantle that is composed of
weak rock that is mostly solid but partially molten
◉ lithosphere. Answer: the rest of the mantle and the whole crust that
varies in thickness
EXAM 2 CERTIFICATION STUDY
GUIDE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
◉ terrestrial planets. Answer: the name given to the 4 inner planets
◉ small. Answer: terrestrial planets are __________ in size
◉ dense, metal, rock. Answer: terrestrial planets are __________ and
composed of primarily __________ and __________
◉ false (terrestrial rings). Answer: terrestrial planets have rings, true or
false?
◉ slow. Answer: terrestrial planets have __________ rotation
◉ - Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune. Answer: the 4 outer planets
,◉ jovian planets. Answer: the name given to the 4 outer planets
◉ large. Answer: jovian planets are __________ in size
◉ tenuous, hydrogen gas, helium gas. Answer: jovian planets are
__________ and composed of primarily __________ and __________
◉ true (jovian rings). Answer: jovian planets have rings, true or false?
◉ fast. Answer: jovian planets have __________ rotation
◉ false (jovian rings). Answer: all jovian planets have spectacular ring
systems, true or false?
◉ true (rings of Saturn). Answer: Saturn has a spectacular ring system,
true or false?
◉ shorter. Answer: Smaller planets have __________ geological
lifetimes
◉ longer. Answer: Larger planets have __________ geological lifetimes
◉ weaker. Answer: smaller planets have __________ gravity
,◉ stronger. Answer: larger planets have __________ gravity
◉ true; counter-clockwise when viewed from above. Answer: all 8
planets orbit the Sun in the same direction, true or false?
◉ false; Venus and Uranus do not. Answer: all of the planets rotate in
the same direction that they orbit the Sun, true or false?
◉ nebula. Answer: a giant cloud of gas composed of mostly hydrogen
and helium that is many light-years across
◉ volatile ices. Answer: methane, ammonia, and water
◉ planetesimal. Answer: a baby planet
◉ accretion. Answer: the gaining of mass through stick collisions
◉ - Formed from a nebula 4.5 billion years ago
- Formed a protoplanetary disk
- Inner part was hot
- Outer part was cold
- Grew larger through accretion. Answer: how did the Earth form?
, ◉ core. Answer: most dense layer of the Earth
◉ iron and nickel. Answer: what is the core composed of?
◉ solid due to higher pressure. Answer: what state of matter is the
inner core?
◉ molten due to lower pressure than the inner core. Answer: what
state of matter is the outer core?
◉ iron-rich silicate rock. Answer: what is the mantle composed of?
◉ mantle. Answer: layer of the Earth that is less dense than the core
◉ mesosphere. Answer: the lowest layer of the mantle
◉ asthenosphere. Answer: layer within the mantle that is composed of
weak rock that is mostly solid but partially molten
◉ lithosphere. Answer: the rest of the mantle and the whole crust that
varies in thickness
