23-2 Flashcards
(16 cards)
what was the curiosity robotic explorer?
curiosity - NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover - discovered microbial life exists on Mars
What are Mercury’s basic characteristics and orbit?
Closest planet to the Sun, smallest planet, slightly larger than Earth’s Moon, no moons of its own. High orbital velocity but slow rotation — a Mercury solar day is twice as long as its year.
What is Mercury’s structure and what did Mariner 10 discover?
Has a weak magnetic field, a liquid iron core, and a dense metal interior.
Mariner 10 revealed a cratered surface and giant cliffs formed as Mercury’s crust cracked when the planet shrank and cooled.
What are Mercury’s surface temperature conditions?
Low gravity and no thick atmosphere let gases escape. Thin layer of sodium and potassium absorbs sunlight, results in extreme temperatures:
Hot enough to melt lead during the day, Freezing cold at night
What are Venus’s basic characteristics and orbit?
is the second planet from the Sun, with a similar size and mass to Earth so alled Earth’s twin. a day is longer than its year. Rotates east to west, likely due to a past collision
What is Venus’s internal structure and what missions studied it?
has an iron core and a rocky crust. Mariner 2 revealed details about its atmosphere and rotation. Soviet Venera probes and the U.S. Magellan mission used radar to map its surface through thick clouds.
What did radar mapping reveal about Venus’s surface features?
Surface shows craters, faults, and basaltic lava plains. Lacks a strong magnetic field, suggesting a solid core. About 80% of Venus’s surface is covered in volcanic plains, with many small shield volcanoes like Sabas Mons.
What is Venus’s atmosphere made of, and how does it affect conditions?
Covered by dense clouds of sulfuric acid. Atmospheric pressure is 90 times greater than Earth’s. Thick carbon dioxide atmosphere causes an extreme greenhouse effect, trapping heat
Why is Venus so hot, and what happened to its water?
Surface temperature is constant, day and night. Only 2% of sunlight reaches the surface.
May have had oceans, but they evaporated, intensifying the greenhouse effect and releasing hydrogen and oxygen into space
What are key facts about Earth’s location, surface, atmosphere, and structure?
Third planet from the Sun, distance measured in AU.
Surface temperature supports water in all three states. Atmosphere protects life from harmful rays. Three main layers:
(crust, mantle, liquid outer and solid inner core)
What are Mars’s basic characteristics and moons?
Fourth planet from the Sun, about half Earth’s size.
longer years, shorter days.
Appears red due to iron oxide.
Moons: Phobos (larger, cratered, spiraling inward) Deimos (smaller, orbits in 7 hours)
What is Mars’s internal structure and surface like?
no global magnetic field, magnetized regions. Mariner 9 suggested convection currents may have caused a field.
Surface: Cratered south, volcanic north. Features remain due to thin atmosphere.
What are some major landmarks on Mars and past missions?
Olympus Mons: largest volcano Valles Marineris: huge rift/canyon system.
Missions: Viking 1 & 2 found no life. Spirit and Opportunity confirmed water. Curiosity and Perseverance continue exploration.
What is Mars’s atmosphere and climate like?
Thin atmosphere: 95% carbon dioxide, with nitrogen and argon. Only 1% the density of Earth’s.
Experiences huge temperature swings, strong winds, and global dust storms.
What evidence shows Mars had water in the past?
Long channels suggest past water flow and climate change.
Mars once had a warmer, thicker atmosphere. Opportunity rover found minerals formed by water evaporation. Perseverance rover found signs of flowing water and materials needed for life.
What water features does Mars still have today?
Polar ice caps: South = frozen CO₂, North = frozen water
Frozen underground water likely exists. Mars has seasons (tilted axis), and ice caps shrink in summer.
