lecture 3 Flashcards
What are the planets and their order in our solar system?
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
What is an isotope?
When atoms possess same number of protons
(and therefore have same identity) but different numbers of neutrons, we say they are “ISOTOPES”
How many known elements are known and what is the percentage that only exist in trace/ultrasmall amounts or when synthesized in a laboratory?
118 known elements and 20%
What is nuclear fusion? Give an example of this.
-reactions where two elements with lighter nuclei (less protons) combine to form a single heavier nucleus (with more protons)
-releases energy that powers SUN and other STARS
Ex: 2 hydrogen atoms (each having 1 proton) combine to form helium (which has 2 protons). In the process, energy is released.
What is a satellite?
A natural object (aka. NATURAL SATELLITE or
MOON) or spacecraft that orbits a larger astronomical body.
What are the planets moons?
Earth has 1 MOON
Mars has 2 MOONS
Jupiter has 95 MOONS
Saturn has 146 MOONS
Uranus has 28 MOONS
Neptune has 16 MOONS
What is an asteroid?
Small natural bodies ≤ 1000 km in
size/DIAMETER that orbit SUN.
Where are asteroid found in?
Found in ASTEROID BELT and KUIPER BELT
What is an asteroid belt?
a TORUS-SHAPED (i.e.,
donut or ring-shaped) region found between
ORBITS of MARS and JUPITER
What is the first known asteroid?
In MIDDLE of ASTEROID BELT is CERES, first
known ASTEROID (now considered a DWARF
PLANET).
What is a dwarf planet?
a body, other than a NATURAL SATELLITE/MOON, that orbits sun and is smaller than MERCURY (smallest planet)
but large enough for its own GRAVITY to have
rounded its shape
What do you know about ceres?
- CERES (DWARF PLANET) was discovered in
1801 by Giuseppe Piazza in Palermo, Italy - DWARF PLANET CERES in ASTEROID BELT has diameter of 946 km
- CERES: Ancient Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility and motherly relationships.
ASTEROIDS closest to Jupiter can be
divided into two camps
- the “Greeks”, named after Greek heroes
- the “Trojans” named after Trojan heroes
How many asteroids are located beyond asteroid belt, closer to Jupiter (HILDAS ASTEROIDS)?
more than 5000 ASTEROIDS
What is the kuiper belt?
an asteroid belt in outer SOLAR SYSTEM containing many bodies leftover from when SOLAR SYSTEM formed
What are the smaller and bigger that are found in the Kuiper Belt?
multiple DWARF PLANETS: PLUTO, ORCUS, HAUMEA, QUAOAR and MAKEMAKE
What is Pluto?
A dwarf planet because shares its ORBITAL ZONE with many bodies from the KUIPER BELT! It has NOT “cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit”
What is ERIS?
(slightly smaller than Pluto)
revolves around the SUN beyond
orbit of Pluto
What is a planet?
comes from Greek “planetes” which means wanderers.
-a large natural body that revolves/orbits around a star
-does NOT radiate energy from internal NUCLEAR FUSION reactions
-SIZE: must be > 1000 km across (in diameter) or larger than CERES, the DWARF PLANET.
-SHAPE: must be large enough to be rounded by its ownGRAVITY/squeezed by its own GRAVITY into a SPHERE.
-Body must have “cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit”
What is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
What does “clearing the neighbourhood” mean?
DYNAMICAL DOMINANCE: refers to a body
becoming GRAVITATIONALLY DOMINANT.
