Download Sun forms first

1. How do supernovas influence the formation of
new solar systems?
ANS: They provide the material and energy
required to form a new Sun, and all the
planets, as well as comets, asteroids, and
meteors
2. The theory that states our solar system formed
from a great cloud of gases, energy and dust is
known as…
ANS: The nebular theory
3. Why did the solar system form the way it did, with the
terrestrial planets near the Sun, and the Jovian planets,
beyond that?
ANS: Because the frozen gases that make up the Jovian
planets would vaporize in any closer to the sun, and
only the dense, rocky planets can exist that close.
4. By what process do the dense rocky planets form?
ANS: Accretion
5. What space objects are found between Mars and
Jupiter, and can be deflected out of that orbit through
collision, sending them off to impact planets?
ANS: Asteroids
6. These frozen objects carry small pieces of rocky
material, and when their orbit takes them close
to the sun, these objects sublimate and form
tails.
ANS: Comets
7. Long period comets come from what region in
space?
ANS: Oort Cloud
8. When does a meteor become a meteorite?
(meteoroid)?
ANS: As soon as it enters Earth’s atmosphere
and burns up.
9. Give one piece of strong evidence that Earth’s
moon was likely the result of a Mars-sized collision.
ANS: Similar materials; density similar to
Earth’s mantle
10. In what direction do ALL planets revolve
around the Sun?
ANS: Counterclockwise
11. Which planets are able to have surface
features, such as valleys and mountains?
ANS: The terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus,
Earth and Mars
12. Which type of planet, by nature, has the
smallest diameter?
ANS: Terrestrial planets
13.What is a “hot” Jupiter?
ANS: An extrasolar planet that is a gas giant
which orbits very close to its Sun.
13. Which types of planets have atmospheres made
mostly of gases, like hydrogen, helium, and CO2?
ANS: Jovian
14. Is Doppler Spectroscopy/Radial Velocity Method a
direct or indirect method of detecting extrasolar planets?
Why?
ANS: Indirect, because it detects slight “wiggles” in
the regular orbits of stars that have planets moving around
them. (due to planet’s gravitational influence)
15. How does the Photometric method of extrasolar planet
detection work?
ANS: When a planet crosses in front of a star, it
causes a slight “dimming” in the amount of light produced
by the star. This dimming can be quantified and attributed
to the transit of the planet.
16. Planets in our solar system are formed of layers
of material. Name one way that planets in our
solar system have differentiated.
ANS: mass/density; temperature
17. Explain briefly the Protoplanet Hypothesis, and
how it differs from Nebular Hypothesis.
ANS: Protoplanet hypothesis attempts to explain
solar system differentiation in that planets formed
simultaneously with the Sun, accreting in a flattened
disc over millions of years. The heavy, dense planets
formed closer to the Sun, while the gas giants
formed out beyond the orbit of Mars in an area
called the frost line. The difference between it, and
nebular theory is that the Sun forms first in nebular
hypothesis, followed by the planets.
18. Explain how fusion energy in stars gets started.
ANS: Once a star begins forming, the heavier
denser particles sink towards the center. As the
star grows in mass and density, the center begins to
heat up, until finally it is hot enough to sustain
itself through fusion of hydrogen.
19. Discuss the current theory regarding the
formation of the Earth’s moon.
ANS: Fission/daughter theory states that a
Mars-sized object impacted the Earth with a
glancing blow, knocking off a part of the early
planet’s differentiated mantle (which is less dense).
This material became our moon.
20. In what region within our solar system do short
period comets come from?
ANS: Kuiper Belt
21. Why is Pulsar Timing unproductive when it
comes to extrasolar planet detection?
ANS: Because they are rare in our galaxy, and
even if they were common, there would be
little chance for life on a planet orbiting a
pulsar.
22. What element would you largely find at Earth’s
core, and why?
ANS: Iron…because it is a very dense and
common element
Use the following to answer the next few
questions:
silicates
mantle
sister
atmosphere
hydrosphere
fission
23. Theory whereby Earth’s moon formed
simultaneously with Earth.
24. Formed on Earth’s surface due to density and
temperature differentiation.
25. Make up crust and mantle, and are
considerably less dense that the core materials.
26. Modification of this theory of moon formation
is accepted.