Chapter 9, Problem 1RQ

Briefly explain how the larger jovian moons tend to differ in general from the smaller ones. How does the formation process of the moons explain these differences?

To determine

The difference between large Jovian moons from the smaller ones.

Answer to Problem 1RQ

The large Jovian moon is different from the small Jovian moon in appearance and the properties by which they orbit around the planet.

Explanation of Solution

The large Jovian moon is different from the small Jovian moon in appearance and the properties by which they orbit around the planet.

Most of the small moon such as (Calypso, Pandora, Phoebe, Janus)are irregular in shape and sometimes they resemble to potatoes, peanuts and other snacks while mostly all the large moons are spherical in shape such as  (Titan, Ganymede, Io , Europa).

The small objects have very less gravity, and it is very weak that it cannot force the rigid material by which the moons are made of to form the sphere.

Many small moons are fragments of large moons that are broken apart so they have similar characteristic as the larger moon.

The two largest moons, Titan of Saturn and Ganymede of Jupiter are bigger than Mercury. Almost all of the moderate to large size moons orbit around the planet in the same way as planets orbit around the sun.

Many of the small moons also have orbits that are extremely elliptical to their host planets and some moons have retrograde motion too.

Conclusion:

Thus, the large Jovian moon is different from the small Jovian moon in appearance and the properties by which they orbit around the planet.