Chapter 6: Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System

Question 1

Four processes have shaped the terrestrial worlds:

Answer 1

Impact cratering, Tectonism, Volcanism, Erosion

Question 2

impact cratering

Answer 2

process resulting from the collision of solid planetary bodies

Question 3

meteoroids

Answer 3

small cometary or asteroid fragments in space

Question 4

meteor

Answer 4

a meteoroid that enters and burns up in a planetary atmosphere

Question 5

meteorite

Answer 5

any meteoroid that survive to hit the ground

Question 6

Which planets have a lot of craters?

Answer 6

Mercury and the Moon are covered with craters.

Question 7

radiometric dating

Answer 7

• Rocks returned from Moon missions give ages through radiometric dating.
• After one half-life, amount of radioactive material in a sample has decreased by half.

Question 8

seismic waves

Answer 8

waves produced by earthquakes

Question 9

Earthquakes produce seismic waves, which travel differently through different materials. What are the two types of waves and what do they travel through?

Answer 9

P waves travel through rock and liquid

S waves travel only through rock

Question 10

Name the 4 layers of Earth’s structure in order from outside to inside:

Answer 10

Crust , Mantle, Outer Core, Inner Core

Question 11

If one object is large enough to feel different gravitational pulls on opposite sides, it experiences ____ _____

Answer 11

tidal stress.

Question 12

lunar tides

Answer 12

the gravitational pull of the moon causes earth to stretch along a line pointing approximately in the direction of the moon

Question 13

solar tides

Answer 13

the gravitational pull of the sun causes earth to stretch along a line pointing approximately in the direction of the sun

Question 14

Which tides are stronger, solar or lunar tides?

Answer 14

lunar

Question 15

spring tide (strong)

Answer 15

when moon, earth, sun are in a line at new and full moon, solar and lunar tides overlap causing extreme tides ranging from extra high to extra low tides

Question 16

neap tide (weak)

Answer 16

when moon, earth and sun make a right angle, at 1st and 3rd crescent, the lunar and solar tides stretch earth in different directions causing less extreme tides

Question 17

Which terrestrial planets are the only terrestrial planets with a substantial magnetic field?

Answer 17

Earth and Mercury

Question 18

lithosphere

Answer 18

crust + part of upper mantle

Question 19

tectonism

Answer 19

modifies the lithosphere, warping, twisting, and shifting it to form visible surface features

Question 20

shield volcanoes

Answer 20

formed from very fluid lava

Question 21

composite volcanoes

Answer 21

formed from viscous lava

Question 22

Maria

Answer 22

large hardened lava flows (dark spots on Moon)

Question 23

erosion

Answer 23

wearing down of a world’s surface due to mechanical action.

Question 24

____ is the only planet that experiences erosion by water

Answer 24

Earth