Download 579 The Family of the Sun The Inner Planets The Outer Planets The

Confirming Pages
17
The Solar
System
Jupiter is the largest planet.
GOALS
When you have finished this chapter you
should be able to complete the goals
• given for each section below:
The Family of the Sun
17.1
17.2
17.3
The Solar System
Inner Planets Mostly Rock, Outer Planets
Mostly Liquified Gas
• Distinguish between the rotation and
revolution of a planet and state the two
regularities of these motions shared by
most planets and satellites.
• Identify the inner and outer planets
and list the common properties of the
members of each group.
Comets
Regular Visitors from Far Away in the
Solar System
• Discuss the nature and appearance in
the sky of comets.
• Give the two causes of the deflection of
comet tails so they always point away
from the sun.
Meteors
“Shooting Stars” Usually Smaller Than a
Grain of Sand
• Distinguish among meteoroids, meteorites, and meteors and explain why
meteor showers occur.
The Inner Planets
17.4
Mercury
It Always Appears near the Sun
17.5
17.6
17.7
17.8
• Describe the surface of Mercury.
• Account for the large temperature difference between Mercury’s sunlit and
dark sides.
Venus
Our Sister Planet
• Compare the surface features and atmosphere of Venus with those of the earth.
• Explain why the sun rises in the west
on Venus.
• Give the reason life is not expected to
exist on Venus.
Mars
Small and Cold with a Varied Landscape
• Describe the evidence for water on Mars.
Is There Life on Mars?
Maybe
• Discuss the possibility of life on Mars.
Asteroids
Millions of Tiny Planets between Mars
and Jupiter
• State the nature and location in space
of asteroids and describe the likelihood
and danger of collisions with them.
The Outer Planets
17.9
Jupiter
Almost a Star
17.10 Saturn
Lord of the Rings
• Describe the compositions and structures of Jupiter and Saturn and the
nature of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.
• Discuss the nature of Saturn’s rings and
why this was known before a spacecraft
visit.
• Explain why several of the satellites of
Jupiter and Saturn are of such interest
to astronomers.
17.11 Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and More
Far Out
• Describe Kuiper Belt objects and discuss
why Pluto is considered one of them.
The Moon
17.12 Phases of the Moon
A Little Less Than a Month per Cycle
• Use a diagram to account for the
phases of the moon.
17.13 Eclipses
Now You See It, Now You Don’t
• Explain why eclipses of the sun and
moon occur.
17.14 Lunar Surface and Interior
Mountains and Maria, Probably Ice but
No Atmosphere
• Describe the surface features of the
moon.
17.15 Evolution of the Lunar Landscape
A Violent Past, a Quiet Present
• Outline the evolution of the moon’s
surface.
17.16 Origin of the Moon
A Collision Was Probably Responsible
• Outline the probable origin
of the moon.
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