Download Lecture Exam 1 Review

Lecture 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.
Be sure that you understand how to use your scientific calculator properly.
Be able to write numbers in scientific notation and read/interpret numbers presented in
scientific notation. It may be helpful to review how to use scientific notation as a way of
making calculations in case you do not have a proper calculator.
Do you understand why astronomers use units such as the astronomical unit (AU) and the
light-year (L.Y.)? How are the astronomical unit and light-year defined?
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 have a good understanding of the following terms?
 Rotation vs. Revolution
 Facts, Laws, Theories, Models
What properties define an object as a planet? How do Pluto, the Moon and an asteroid
fall short of that definition? What characteristic(s) separate a star from a planet?
Matter/Light Properties
What are the three particles that make up and atom? What are the basic properties of
those particles (e.g. location in the atom, electrical charge)? Do you know what makes
one element different from another?
What is an isotope? What is a molecule?
Do you understand how the concept of temperature is related to the motion of
atoms/molecules?
You should be able to recall the different forms of radiation (visible light, ultra-violet, xrays, etc.) and know how they compare in terms of wavelength (i.e. short wavelength vs.
long wavelength).
Planet Properties:
You should have a working knowledge of the planetary properties listed in the table
below. This means that, if given a table of planetary properties, you can compare a
variety of characteristics of the planets within our 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?
Example calculation:
Calculate the force of gravity between the Earth and the Moon, knowing that:
MEarth = 5.96 x 1024 kg, MMoon = 7.36 x 1022 kg, r = 3.84 x 108 m. G = 6.67 x 10-11
FGravity =
GMm
r2
(Answer: F = 1.98 x 1020 N)
Credit for such a calculation will be awarded on your ability to set up the formula with
the values substituted properly, carry through the calculation correctly, write your
 in scientific notation and provide proper units.
response
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.