Origin of the solar system Flashcards
What explains why all planets orbit the sun in roughly the same plane?
Formation from a rotating disk of interstellar material
Which planet rotates in the opposite direction (retrograde) to most of the others?
Venus
What separates the terrestrial and Jovian planets?
The asteroid belt
Which component makes up the most mass of the solar system?
The sun
What explains the relatively slow rotation of the Sun compared to predictions from the conservation of angular momentum?
Magnetic breaking due to solar wind
Why don’t terrestrial planets have thick atmospheres of hydrogen and helium?
Their gravity wasn’t strong enough to retain the light gases
What is the main difference between chondrites and the Sun’s composition?
Chondrites lack hydrogen and noble gases
What process is believed to have formed the moon?
Impact of a Mars-sized body
Which meteorite type contains both metal and silicate crystals?
Pallasite (stony-iron)
What is a carbonaceous chondrite considered to be?
A good analogue for original planetary building blocks
