Earth From a Larger Perspective

Question 1

the study of the landforms, processes, and materials of solid-surface celestial bodies including planets, their satellites, and minor bodies (asteroids and comets).

Answer 1

Planetary Geology / Astrogeology

Question 2

The branch of science which deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.

Answer 2

Astronomy

Question 3

Is the science of the origin and development of the universe. Its modern counterpart is dominated by the Big Bang theory, which brings together observational astronomy and particle physics.

Answer 3

Cosmology

Question 4

This concept was first proposed in 1927 by ____________, stating that all matter in the universe had at one time existed at a single point.

Answer 4

Big Bang Theory, Georges Lemaître

Question 5

The Life Cycle of a Star

Answer 5

1. Giant Gas Cloud and Dust (Nebula)
2. Protostar
3. T-Tauri Phase
4. Main Sequence
5. Red Giant
6. Fusion of Heavier Elements
7. Supernovae and Planetary Nebulae

Question 6

the pattern that appears when the actual brightness (or absolute magnitude) and color (or color index) of many stars are plotted against each other.

Answer 6

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

Question 7

a system of millions or billions of stars held together by gravity

Answer 7

Galaxy

Question 8

The Milky Way Galaxy is said to contain how many stars?

Answer 8

200-400 billion

Question 9

all solar system objects formed from a rotating cloud of dust and gas called a nebula

Answer 9

Nebular Hypothesis

Question 10

The Sun contributes about _____% of the total mass of the Solar System.

Answer 10

99.86%

Question 11

The entirety of all the metals in the Solar System is only ____% of its entire composition.

Answer 11

0.2%

Question 12

How does the Sun form its helium atoms?

Answer 12

The Sun’s hydrogen atoms merge and undergoes nuclear fusion

Question 13

The estimated temperature within the Sun

Answer 13

17,000,000 degrees Celsius

Question 14

Electromagnetic energy ranges from radio waves to __________.

Answer 14

Gamma rays

Question 15

Visible light is in between ________ and ________ waves.

Answer 15

Ultraviolet rays and Infrared waves

Question 16

The furthest point of the Earth from the Sun is called the _________, which measures ___________ km away from the Sun.

Answer 16

Aphelion, 152.1 million km

Question 17

The planets are classified as either _________ or ___________.

Answer 17

terrestrial or gaseous

Question 18

The planets formed nearest to the sun mainly contains _____________.

Answer 18

Metallic Iron

Question 19

True or false: some outer planets contain water in them.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What are the criteria for a celestial body to be classified as a planet?

Answer 20

a) is in orbit around the Sun
b) has sufficient mass for its self gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape
c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit

Question 21

1 Astronomical Unit (AU) is equivalent to _________ km.

Answer 21

149.6 million km

Question 22

These are relatively small, dense, rocky planets closest to the
Sun

Answer 22

Terrestrial planets

Question 23

There are four types of processes that appreciably affect planetary surfaces, which are:

Answer 23

1. Impact cratering
2. Volcanism
3. Tectonism
4. Atmosphere

Question 24

These are relatively small bodies, 0.6 to 6 miles (1–10 km) in
diameter, composed of small rocky fragments embedded in a mass of ice and frozen gases.

Answer 24

Comets

Question 25

These are small bodies that orbit the Sun, but are different in that they are composed primarily of rocky and metallic materials.

Answer 25

Asteroids

Question 26

a body of rock and/or metal that is smaller than a planet or asteroid

Answer 26

Meteoroid

Question 27

a solid piece of debris that originated in outer space and survived its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon

Answer 27

Meteorite

Question 28

What is the difference between a meteoroid and a meteor?

Answer 28

A meteoroid is a body of rock smaller than an asteroid, while a meteor is a meteoroid that has entered a planet’s atmosphere

Question 29

It is the largest carbonaceous chondrite ever found on Earth, and is often called “The most studied meteorite in history”.

Answer 29

Allende Meteorite

Question 30

What differentiates a planet from a dwarf planet?

Answer 30

A dwarf planet as the same properties as a planet except it has not cleared its orbit, making it prone to collision with other planetary bodies