Exam 8 Flashcards
Which of the following did not occur during the collapse of the solar nebula?
- spinning faster
- heating up
- concentrating denser materials nearer the Sun
concentrating denser materials nearer the Sun
What’s the leading theory for the origin of the Moon?
It formed from the material ejected from Earth in a giant impact.
Which of the following best explains why finding 1 planet with such a moon is consistent with the nebular theory, while finding 6 planets with such moons is not consistent?
- The nebular theory holds that moons of any size should be rare, so finding 1 is not too surprising but finding 6 would be very surprising.
- Unusually large moons form in giant impacts, which are relatively rare events.
- The nebular theory says that only planets at least as large as Earth can have large Moons, and 6 Earth-size planets would not be likely to form in one solar system.
Unusually large moons form in giant impacts, which are relatively rare events.
“A star’s 5 terrestrial planets orbit in the opposite direction of its 3 jovian planets.” This discovery would be inconsistent with the nebular theory because the theory holds that __________.
all the planets formed in a rotating, disk-shaped nebula
“Beyond its jovian planets, a star has two ice-rich objects as large as Mars.” This discovery is consistent with the nebular theory, because this theory predicts that _________.
this might have happened in our own solar system if it had taken longer for the solar wind to clear the solar nebula
Our solar system was created by the gravitational collapse of the
Solar Nebula
Our Moon was most likely formed by a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized Our Moon was most likely formed by a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized
planetesimal
The first few hundred million years of the solar system’s history were the time of the _______, during which Earth suffered many large impacts.
heavy bombardment
Mars was formed by the ________ of smaller objects.
accretion
The era of planet formation ended when the remaining hydrogen and helium gas of the solar nebula was swept into interstellar space by the ________
solar wind
Ice can form from a gas through the process of _______
condensation
Hydrogen compounds in the solar system can condense into ices only beyond the _______
frost line
________ allows us to determine the age of a solid rock.
Radiometric dating
The materials that made up the solar nebula can be categorized into the four general types as follows. Rank these materials from left to right based on their abundance in the solar nebula, from highest to lowest.
- Hydrogen and helium gas
- Metals
- Rock
- Hydrogen compounds
Highest Abundance- Hydrogen and helium gas Hydrogen compounds Rock Metals -Lowest Abundance
The materials that made up the solar nebula can be categorized into these four general types. Rank these materials from left to right based on the temperature at which each would condense into a solid, from highest to lowest.
- Hydrogen and helium gas
- Metals
- Rock
- Hydrogen compounds
Highest Temp- Metal Rock Hydrogen compounds Hydrogen and helium gas -Lowest Temp
Rank these materials from left to right based on the distance from the Sun at which they could condense into a solid in the solar nebula, from farthest to closest.
- Rock
- Metal
- Hydrogen Compounds
Farthest- Hydrogen Compounds rock metals -Closest
What substances were found within the inner 0.3 AU of the solar system before planets began to form?
rocks, metals, hydrogen compounds, hydrogen, and helium, all in gaseous form
What substances existed as solid flakes within the inner 0.3 AU of the solar system before planets began to form?
none
Where would you expect terrestrial planets to form in the solar nebula?
anywhere between 0.3 AU and the frost line
The jovian planets are thought to have formed as gravity drew hydrogen and helium gas around planetesimals made of __________.
rocks, metals, and ices
Why didn’t a terrestrial planet form at the location of the asteroid belt?
Jupiter’s gravity kept planetesimals from accreting
