GED Science TestEarth and Space ScienceMedium
A space agency is planning a mission to explore a newly discovered exoplanet. The exoplanet is described as having a thick atmosphere composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, with no solid surface, and a very strong magnetic field. Based on this description, which type of planet is it most likely to be?
- ATerrestrial planet (e.g., Earth, Mars)
- BDwarf planet (e.g., Pluto, Eris)
- CIce giant (e.g., Uranus, Neptune)
- DGas giant (e.g., Jupiter, Saturn)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Gas giant (e.g., Jupiter, Saturn)
The description of a thick atmosphere of hydrogen and helium, no solid surface, and a strong magnetic field are all characteristic features of gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn in our own solar system.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Terrestrial planets have solid surfaces, thinner atmospheres (if any), and are primarily rocky.
- B. Dwarf planets are smaller, have solid surfaces, and are typically icy/rocky, not gas-dominated.
- C. While ice giants also lack a solid surface and have thick atmospheres, their primary composition includes heavier elements like water, methane, and ammonia ices.
Gas Giant Planets
Large planets primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, lacking a solid surface, and characterized by thick atmospheres and strong magnetic fields.
- Examples: Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system.
- Formed further from the sun where lighter elements were abundant.
- Have many moons and ring systems.
Memory trick: Gas Giants: Gassy, Grand, and Gravitational.