Solar System Flashcards
(33 cards)
Convection envelope
Hot gases from the radiative zone are able to rise to the surface and fall as they cool which creates large convection cells
What three components make up the majority of the Sun’s mass?
Hydrogen (70%)
Helium (28%)
Metals (2%)
Photosphere
The visible surface of the sun
Chromosphere
Temperatures increase and large solar flares occur here
Radiation zone
Energy generated by nuclear fusion moves outward as electromagnetic radiation. This energy is conveyed as gamma ray photons.
Corona
A very thin and hot layer of the Sun that is only visible during a total eclipse
Core (of the sun)
The hear in the core destroys the composition of atoms
Solar flare
Sudden, bright outbursts of energy that happen as the sun’s magnetic fields twist, tear, and reconnect
Sunspot
Dark, planet-sized regions of the sun that are cooler than the surrounding surface
List the five terrestrial worlds
Mercury Venus Earth The moon Mars
3 features of Mercury’s core
Thick
Makes up 75% of the planet’s radius
Partially molten
-causes magnetic field
Why does Mercury lack an atmosphere?
The intense solar winds
Atmosphere on Venus
It produces a run-away greenhouse gas effect
What’s unique about the clouds on Venus?
The planet is surrounded by a thick layer of clouds composed of sulfuric acid
Earth’s core
The core is a nickel iron mixture and is solid. It spins in a molten outer core which causes a magnetic field that protects the earth from solar winds
How long does it take the moon to orbit the earth?
29.5 days
Name and describe the two types of terrain on the moon
There’s heavily crated and older highlands as well as younger and smoother maria (impact craters later flooded by lava)
Why don’t solar eclipses happen every month?
The moon’s orbit is tilted 5% to Earth’s orbit around the sun
What are two types of lunar eclipses and how do they differ?
Penumbral Shadow: the earth blocks only some of the Sun’s rays from reaching the moon
Umbral Shadow: the earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the moon
Core of mars
Not very dense and made up of iron sulfide
What exists at the north and south poles of Mars?
North - many volcanoes
South - heavily crated
Atmosphere on Mars
It’s a very thin atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide
What are asteroids?
Chunks of rock and metal that orbit around the Sun. Most likely rocks and debris that never formed into planets.
Composition of Jupiter’s atmosphere
Hydrogen (75%) Helium gas (24%)
Structure similar to those of terrestrial planets but temperature and pressure vary greatly
