Question

Which of the following is a false statement about planetary satellites?

a. Europa is a Galilean satellite that shows evidence of flooding and ice fracture patterns. It has liquid water oceans under its icy surface and may have active plate tectonics.

b. Titan, the largest satellite of Neptune, is the only large satellite in a retrograde orbit.

c. Enceladus has the highest albedo in the solar system. It has a fresh icy surface, active cryovolcanism, and a thin atmosphere.

d. Miranda, a small satellite of Uranus, has likely been shattered and reassembled several times over the history of our solar system.

e. Mimas is responsible for the Cassini Division, the biggest gap in Saturn's rings.

f. A close-up picture of Hyperion, taken by Cassini reveals an unusual sponge-like appearance

Answer 1

Answer: Titan is the largest moon of Saturn, and it orbits in a prograde orbit, not a retrograde orbit. Therefore, option b is the false statement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The false statement about planetary satellites is b. Titan, the largest satellite of Neptune, is the only large satellite in a retrograde orbit.

b. Titan is not a satellite of Neptune. It is actually the largest moon of Saturn. Additionally, Titan is not in a retrograde orbit. A retrograde orbit refers to an orbit in the opposite direction of the planet's rotation, but Titan orbits Saturn in the same direction as Saturn's rotation, making it a prograde satellite.