Download Exam 1 Review

Exam 1 Review
This review sheet serves as a reminder of the material covered in the lectures. It
should be noted that some items from lecture may not be included on this review sheet,
but will still be referenced on the exam. As such, use these questions as a reminder of
the material that was covered in the lectures while studying from the textbook and the
notes you took during lectures. Questions for the exam will focus on classroom
lecture/discussion, which may include additional material not found within this
review sheet.
Overview of Science and Astronomy
What are the goals of science, in general, and astronomy, in particular? Do you
understand how the scientific method works? What the major limitations astronomers
face in studying celestial objects? Can you provide any examples of such limitations?
Do you understand the effects that the precession of Earths’ rotational axis has?
Do you have a good understanding of the following terms:
 Rotation vs. Revolution vs. Precession
 Facts, Laws, Theories, Models
Do you understand the basic properties of the following objects?
Stars
Star Clusters
Moons (Satellites)
Galaxies
Planets
the Universe
Exoplanets
Planet Properties:
Are you comfortable with the following properties of planets? Can you use a table of
planetary properties to compare the characteristics of the planets of the Solar System?
Semi-Major Axis
Eccentricity
Orbital Inclination
Rotational Inclination
Average Density
Albedo
Orbital Period
Rotation Period
Equatorial Radius
Oblateness
Surface Gravity
Escape Velocity
What are the general properties of the Terrestrial Planets and the Jovian Planets?
What are Kepler’s three (3) Laws of planetary motion?
What are Newton’s three (3) Laws of Motion and the Law of Gravity? Can you calculate
the force of gravity between two objects?
Solar System Formation
What is the composition of the gas and dust that makes up the interstellar medium (ISM)
and how does it relate to the composition of the objects in the Solar System?
Explain how the Solar Nebula Theory accounts for the following properties of the Solar
System:
How the composition of terrestrial planets relates to its position near the Sun.
Terrestrial planets have small atmospheres.
Why do all the planets have orbits that lie in nearly the same plane?
All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction that the Sun rotates.
Earth
Can you describe the basic structure of the Earth’s geology? Do you understand how
scientists know the properties of the Earth’s interior? Do you know what types of
geologic formations are located above the three different plate boundaries?
Can you describe the basic structure of the Earth’s atmosphere?
Do you understand how the ozone layer prevents UV photons from getting to the surface
of the Earth?
Can you describe how the Greenhouse Effect keeps the surface of the Earth at a
temperature of about 17 degrees Celsius?
Describe how the carbon dioxide cycle acts as a temperature regulation system for the
Earth.
Do you understand how the magnetic field of the Earth is generated and how that
magnetic field protects Earth from the Solar Wind and creates aurora?
Moon
Can you describe the general properties of the Moon in terms of its geologic structure,
surface features, and atmosphere? Do you know how craters are formed? Do you know
how the relative ages of the lunar highlands and mare can be determined?
Do you understand how the Moon affects the tides of the Earth?
Do you know the different types of eclipses that occur and what conditions that need to
be met in order for an eclipse to occur.
The Solar System
The best advice I can give (without giving away all the questions on the exam) is that you
should be able to compare all the major properties of each planet that were covered in
class. To help you do this, I’ve posed a few questions that you can ask yourself when
studying each individual planet.

Are there any interesting surface features? If so, how were they formed? How
are the surface features of different planets observed? How do the surface
features of one planet compare to similar surface features on other planets (in
terms of size, formation, etc.)? Knowing the names of surface features will be
useful.

What are the surface conditions like on each planet? What makes the surface
conditions the way they are?

Is there anything significant about the atmosphere of each planet? How does the
atmosphere of one planet compare/contrast to the atmosphere of other planets?
Be sure to learn important aspects such as composition, air pressure, temperature,
weather/storms.

Are there any interesting facts about a planet’s orbit/rotation?

What historical/social aspects were covered for each planet?

How do the ring systems of the Jovian planets compare?

What evidence, if any, can be used to imply that Pluto may not be a planet?

What are the interesting aspects of the major moons (listed below) that were
covered?
Io
Phobos/Deimos
Europa
Titan
Ganymede
Charon
Callisto
Janus/Epimetheus
Solar System Debris
Do you understand the three criteria that an object in the solar system must satisfy in
order to qualify as a planet?
What are the properties of Pluto that made astronomers not consider it a planet ever since
its discovery?
Can you describe the similarities and differences between comets and asteroids
(composition, orbits, origins, etc.)?
Odd Number
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
D
D
A
C
C
E
E
C
D
B
B
D
D
B
E
A
D
B
E
D
Ignore
Ignore
---
C
B
C
C
D
E
D
A
B
C
B
E