Universe Chapter 1- Part 2

Question 1

What is the Solar System composed of?

Answer 1

Eight planets that revolve around the sun in same direction

Question 2

How are the orbits of the planets?

Answer 2

Orbits are in same plane, solar system looks like a rotating disk. Planets rotate in same direction except VENUS (because it’s flipped) and URANUS (because it’s very inclined)

Question 3

Difference between Telluric and Jovian Planets:

Answer 3

Telluric planets are rocky while Jovian planets are gaseous

Question 4

In how many zones are the solar system populated?

Answer 4

Into Three zones:

1) Asteroid Belt
2) Kuiper Belt
3) Oort Cloud

Question 5

Steps of formation of solar system:

Answer 5

1) Gravitational Collapse - 2) Protoplanetary Disk- 3)Aggregation of material: formation of planetesimals- 4)Formation of protoplanets- 5)Planetary differentiation.

Question 6

What are some properties of the sun:

Answer 6

• average star (diameter: 1.5 million km)
• Surface of Sun called Photosphere
• Temperature is 5800 K
• consists 70% H, 23% He, 2% other
• contains 98.8% of material of solar system
• has 5 million years to end

Question 7

What is the sun?

Answer 7

The sun is the source of light, its a solar energy that supports life on Earth. The sun ejects a stream of charged particles and energy called solar wind BUT our planet is protected by its magnetic field.

Question 8

What are the Planetary Atmosphere related to?

Answer 8

size, mass, temperature, how the planet was formed and presence of life.

Question 9

List the characteristics of planets:

Answer 9

. Atmosphere of Jovian planets: H, He, H2O, NH3, CH4

. Different colors of planets: due to differences in amounts of gases, differences of temperature (T)

Question 10

The Earth’s Moon:

Answer 10

• 1/4 the size of Earth
• Earth-Moon distance: 380,000 km
• Revolution around Earth
• Rotation around it’s self during same period of 27 1/3 days
• *THE MOON is the debris of the collision from that planet that was once developed near EARTH**

Question 11

Characteristics of ASTEROID BELT:

Answer 11

is between Mars and Jupiter
Composed of rocks and metals (iron and nickel)
Thousands of asteroids surround the sun.

Question 12

What are METEOROIDS?

Answer 12

METEOROIDS are smaller debris from asteroid collisions
Meteoroids that burn in atmosphere are METEORS
Meteoroids that reach the ground are METEORITES

Question 13

Kuiper Belt & Oort Cloud:

Answer 13

are two reservoirs of comets
~ KUIPER BELT: donut shaped, around sun, short period
~ OoRT CLOUD: thick bubble of icy debris around solar system, long period

Question 14

What are COMETS?

Answer 14

Comets are debris from formation of solar system. have elliptical orbits that bring them close from the sun, are randomly oriented, Comet reservoirs are the Oort cloud, Comets are visible.