The atmosphere of Jupiter

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the atmosphere of Jupiter and provides five statements to evaluate.
Option A: 'has bands with winds running north and south.' This is incorrect because Jupiter’s prominent atmospheric feature is the east-west oriented jet streams that create alternating bands (belts and zones). Winds typically flow east-west along latitude bands, not north-south across them.
Option B: 'has bands with winds running east and west.' This is the accurate description. Jupiter displays distinct horizontal bands caused by fast rotation and deep atmospheric convection, with strong eastward and westward jet streams along different latitudes.
Option C: 'is transparent enough to show the ground beneath.' This is false since Jupiter is a gas giant; it lacks a solid surface or ground to reveal, and its atmosphere remains opaque to visible observation at the depths above the cloud tops.
Option D: 'is smooth and featureless.' This is incorrect because Jupiter is famous for its dynamic, patterned atmosphere—bands, storms, and the Great Red Spot—rather than being smooth and featureless.
Option E: 'lies above vast oceans of water.' This is not accurate in a planetary context: Jupiter does not have oceans like those on Earth. It is a gas giant with a composition of hydrogen and helium, and while there may be liquid layers deeper inside, the notion of vast surface oceans is not applicable to its atmosphere.
In summary, the only statement that correctly characterizes Jupiter’s atmosphere is that it has bands with winds running east and west.

ASTRON 2140 AU2025 (23428) Quiz 4 - 2025 Nov 21

The atmosphere of Jupiter

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