Download Study Guide for Quiz #2

Study Guide for Quiz #2
Astronomy 311: The Solar System
Mercury
Size:
Orbit:
Rotation
Revolution
Atmosphere:
Composition
Formation
Pressure
Surface:
Composition
Temperature
Craters
Venus
Earth
Moon
Mars
Asteroids
Mercury
Resurfacing
Volcanism
Key Features
Interior:
Structure
Core
Magnetic Field
Exploration:
Spacecraft
Venus
Earth
Moon
Mars
Asteroids
9: The Terrestrial Planets
Can you define these key words?
Density Gradient
Carbonate-Silicate Cycle
Greenhouse Effect
Can you answer these key questions?
Where does our information about the inner planets come from?
How are planetary properties determined?
Why do we say that there should have been two more terrestrial planets?
Why do we think that the inner planets have iron cores?
Why are the atmospheres of Earth, Venus and Mars so different?
Can you describe the Carbonate-Silicate cycle?
How does the Carbonate-Silicate cycle work on Venus, Earth and Mars?
Can you use these equations and understand what all the variables are?
Scale = (real size) / (model size)
Can you do the “Scale of the Solar System Exercise”?
10: Mercury
Can you define these key words?
Solar Transit
Mariner 10
Rayed Craters
Scarps
Caloris
Kinetic Energy
Spin Orbit Coupling
MESSENGER
Can you answer these key questions?
What has been the effect of the Caloris impact on Mercury?
What effect does spin orbit coupling have on Mercury?
What is unusual about Mercury’s interior and how do we know about it?
Can you use these equations and understand what all the variables are?
Volume of sphere = (4/3)  r3
Density = mass / volume
Kinetic Energy = KE = (1/2) m v2
Can you do the “Impactor Exercise”?
11: Venus
Can you define these key words?
Retrograde Rotation
Basalt
Opposition
Conjunction
Elongation
Venera 13
Magellan
Corona
Lava Dome
Can you answer these key questions?
How does Venus’s orbital motions differ from the other planets?
How did Venus’s atmosphere form?
How would you describe the surface of Venus?
What is the evidence for volcanism on Venus?
Can you do the “Planetary Configuration Exercise”?
12: Earth
Can you define these key words?
Absolute Zero
Habitable Zone
Convection
Crust
Mantle
P waves
S waves
Radiation Balance
Can you answer these key questions?
What was the Earth’s original atmosphere made of?
How did the Earth’s current atmosphere form?
What is the habitable zone? What defines its boundaries?
How do we learn about the Earth’s interior?
What is the structure of the Earth’s interior?
Can you use these equations and understand what all the variables are?
TF = 1.8TK – 460
P = AT4
TE = [RS/(2 DS)]½ TS
Can you do the “Temperature of the Earth Exercise”?
13: The Moon
Can you define these key words?
Maria
Highlands
Mare Basalt
Anorthosite
Regolith
Rim Walls
Central Peak
Heavy Bombardment Period
Can you answer these key questions?
Can you describe the principal features of the moon?
How has the moon been explored?
Why is the moon airless?
Can you describe and explain the difference between the maria and the highlands?
How did the moon form? What does our formation theory need to explain?
Can you relate a brief history of the moon?
Can you use these equations and understand what all the variables are?
PE = mgh
KE =(1/2)mv2
Can you do the “Moon Impactor Exercise”?
14: Mars
Can you define these key words?
Canals
Mariner 4
Spirit
Opportunity
Phoenix
Olympus Mons
Valles Marineris
Can you answer these key questions?
Why did people once think Mars was inhabited?
Where does our information about Mars come from?
What are the key surface features of Mars?
Can you describe the history of water on Mars? Where is the water now?
What are our current theories about life on Mars?
What future exploration of Mars is planned?
Can you discuss the history of Mars?
Can you do the “Temperature of Mars Exercise”?
15: Asteroids
Can you define these key words?
Asteroid
Meteor
Meteorite
Meteoroid
Iron meteorites
Chondrite Meteorites
Widmanstatten patterns
Fusion Crust
Chondrules
Carbonaceous Chondrites
Mass extinction
Ceres
Asteroid Belt
Trojan Asteroids
Near Earth Objects (NEO’s)
NEAR
C-Type Asteroid
S-Type Asteroid
M-type Asteroid
Can you answer these key questions?
How do we distinguish the different types of meteorites?
What is the relationship between impacts and mass extinctions?
How did the asteroid belt form?
Where does our information about asteroids come from?
What are the different types of asteroids?
Where do meteorites come from?
Can you do the “Meteorite Exercise”?