An Overview of the Solar System Flashcards
Earth science includes:
Geology, the study of the earth; Oceanography, the study of the ocean; Meteorology, the study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather; Astronomy, the study of the universe
It is the study of the stars, planets and other objects that make up the universe.
Astronomy
It is the study of the structure and history of the universe.
Cosmology
Tiny immovable earth at the center of the universe; the sun, moon and stars move slowly in the horizon, slowly revolving around the earth; in ancient and medieval times; finite universe
Geocentric view
The two types of matter according to the geocentric view
Earthly and celestial matter
A concept by Copernicus; the universe is infinite, stars distributed in all directions; earth is just one of the planets
Copernican concept
Sun (also a star) at the center
Heliocentric
Earthly matter different from celestial matter is untenable
Dualistic nature of matter
The Sun and celestial bodies that revolve around it, including the planets with their satellites, comets, and meteors
The solar system
Described the sun-centered system of planetary motion in 1543
Nicolaus Copernicus
A theory - beginning as a rotating cloud; most of the mass became concentrated in the center to form the sun; the remaining material condensed and accumulated to form the planets
Nebular hypothesis
Began to form from metallic and rocky clumps
Inner planets
Began forming from fragments with a high percentage of ices
Larger outer planets
The planetary system was formed from materials removed from the sun by great gravitational attraction.
Planetessimal theory
Theory of planet formation
Planetessimal theory
The original nebula was so massive that on further contraction and flattering, it broke into separate cloud or planet.
Protoplanet hypothesis
Proposed Protpolanet hypothesis
Gerald Kuoper (1949)
The nebula was assumed to have a composition mainly of hydrogen and helium, like the Sun with only 1% of heavier elements.
Dust cloud theory
Was the original 10% of the sun’s mass of planets and satellites
Dust cloud
Formulated Dust cloud theory
German physicist Carl Friedrick von Weizsacken and US chemist Harold Urey in 1945
Very hot = 100 B degrees C; expanding rapidly as it was propelled outward
Primordial universe
4 protons (hydrogen) fuse to form 4 hydrogen nuclei - form next heavier element (helium)
Primordial nucleosynthesis
The universe originated with an explosion and continues to expand.
Big bang theory
Big bang theory - the universe began with _____ of energy that instantly created space and time, as well as the creation of subatomic particles and the chemical elements
Cataclysmic explosion
Type of galaxy - poorly defined shapes; with population 1 stars (young blue); with relatively abundant interstellar dust and gas
Irregular
With Population, I stars in spiral arms where new stars form; in their nucleus and at the edge of galaxy Population II stars are found
Spiral
Do not form new stars; dust and gas already used up; massive galaxies with Population II stars (red giants and white dwarfs)
Elliptical
Type of planet - small, dense, rocky; less atmosphere; scarred by craters
Terrestrial/inner planets
Large, massive, gaseous; low-density world; able to retain H and helium (light elements)
Jovian/outer planets
Large, massive, gaseous; low-density world; able to retain H and helium (light elements)
Jovian/outer planets
Planet - smallest, coldest; with rocks and ice; low density
Pluto
Between inner and outer planets
Asteroid belt
Movement around the Sun
Revolution
Spinning on their respective axes
Rotation
The biggest, brightest, and hottest object in the solar system
Sun
The Sun’s hydrogen and helium content
70% and 28%
The planet nearest to the sun and second smallest, with a diameter of 3,011 miles
Mercury
Mercury - the _____ of nine planets
fastest; can travel 46 km in a second
The morning and evening star
Mercury
Named after the Roman Goddess of love and beauty; the brightest planet
Venus
Venus is the _____ largest planet.
sixth
The only planet known to support and have intelligent life
Earth
Percentage of liquid on earth
71%
The only natural satellite of earth
Moon
The closest distance of the moon to the earth
Perigee (356,000 km)
The farthest distance of the moon from the earth
Apogee (406,700 km)
The layer of the earth with three divisions
Crust
Composed of different gases
Atmosphere
Composed of lands
Lithosphere
Composed of water
Hydrosphere
Layer of rocks with a depth of 1,800 miles
Mantle
Composed of dense molten metal, while the outer core is molten metal
Core
The earth’s celestial neighbor beyond the solar orbit
Mars
The Babylonians called Mars the _____
Stars of death
Mars - named after _____
God of war
Moons of mars
Phobos and Deimos
The giant member of the planetary system named after the chief Roman god
Jupiter
God Jupiter or _____
Jove
Mostly make up the Jovian atmosphere
hydrogen and helium
Number of satellites of Jupiter
16
Discovered the four satellites of Jupiter
Galileo in 1610
A huge storm of swirling gas that has lasted for hundreds of years
Great Red Spot
The fifth moon of Jupiter
Io
Moon of Jupiter that resembles images of sea ice on Earth
Europa
The seventh and largest of Jupiter’s known satellites
Ganymede
Has the oldest, most cratered surface of any body yet observed in the solar system
Callisto
Has 23 satellites; orange-colored Titan as the largest
Saturn
Discovered Uranus in 1781
William Herchel
Number of Earth years for Uranus to orbit the sun
84
Reason why Neptune is blue-green in color
Methane in its atmosphere
Was first sighted by a German astronomer Galle in 1846
Neptune
Thought to consist of about 255 dust and chunks of rocky and metallic materials, and about 75% of ice
Core of Comets
Happens to the its ice when a comet comes near the sun
Sublimates
Nucleus, forming a large, thin atmosphere
Coma
Heavenly bodies in the solar system that, like the planets, revovle around the sun
Asteroids
Largest asteroids discovered with a diameter of 480 miles
Ceres
An asteroid that passed at only twice the distance of the moon in 1937
Hermes
Can be used to obtain rough estimates of their mineral properties
Spectra of Asteroids
Popularly known as “shooting stars” or “falling stars”
Meteors
A piece of a meteor that lands on the surface of the earth
Meteorite
Three classifications of meteorites
Iron, stone, and stony iron
Greek term of Pluto
Hades
Home to dwarf planets and is the birth place of many comets
Kuiper belt
A vast, spherical collection of icy debris; considered the end of the solar system
Oort cloud
Named for the dominance of radiation right after the Big Bang
Radiation era
Gravity split away from the superforce in this epoch
Planck epoch
Strong nuclear, weak, electromagnetic
Grand unification epoch
Began during which the universe rapidly expanded
Inflationary epoch
Electromagnetic and weak forces split off
Electroweak epoch
All of the universe’s ingredients present
Quark epoch
Formation of protons and neutrons
Hadron epoch
