The evidence for recent geological activity on Pluto came as a surprise to most scientists, because they did not expect Pluto to retain enough heat to drive such activity. Which of the following best explains why Pluto is so geologically active despite its small size?
A. The activity is driven by tidal heating caused by Pluto’s moons.
B. Pluto’s tall mountains built of water ice must be unstable, and when they collapse they can cause geological activity
C. The activity is driven by heat from the many impacts that occur in the Kuiper belt.
D. The activity involves nitrogen ice, so Pluto does not need much heat to cause this ice to undergo change.
E. The activity is driven by the heat of a subsurface ocean.
Ans: D. The activity involves nitrogen ice, so Pluto does not need much heat to cause this ice to undergo change.
You might also like to view...
One of the most popular symbols of astronomy is Saturn with its system of rings. Describe the structure and makeup of these rings
What will be an ideal response?
Describe how conditions on Venus have produced a runaway greenhouse effect
What will be an ideal response?
Why wouldn't you use carbon-14 dating on a piece of shell that was estimated to be 1 million years old?
A) Sea shells do not have radioisotopes. B) Carbon dating is only useful on plants. C) Uranium dating is better for items older than 1/2 million years. D) Carbon dating can only be used on items that were once alive. E) The amount of radioactive carbon in the sample would probably too small to measure.
A system of terrestrial-sized planets has been detected in orbit around a millisecond pulsar
Indicate whether the statement is true or false