SOLAR SYSTEM Flashcards

1
Q

Definition of asteroid, comets, meteor and meteorite

A

asteroid - rocky body that orbits sun.
comet - ice and dust
meteorite - asteroid that collides with Earth
meteor - asteroid that burns in Earth’s atmosphere

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2
Q

Meteorites

A
  • remnants of terrestrial planet that failed to form
  • 4.6Ga
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3
Q

Types of meteorites

A

stony - 93% of meteorites, similar to Earths mantle
iron - 6% of meteorites, similar to Earth’s core
carbonaceous chondrites - <1% of meteorites, water + organic compounds

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4
Q

Impact craters

A
  • created by bolides (extraterrestrial impact object)
  • small = common, large = rare
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5
Q

Characteristics of an impact crater

A
  • ejecta (radial pattern)
  • inverted strata (older sediment on top)
  • shocked quartz (shock waves cause quartz to crumble)
  • iridium (not often found on earth, indicate iron meteorite)
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6
Q

Solar nebula disc theory

A
  1. Cloud (nebula) of hydrogen gas
  2. Nebula starts to collapse and spin (“protoplanetary disc”)
  3. Nuclear fusion begins in middle - forms a sun
  4. Heavier elements accrete to rocky lump + gas (“planetismal”)
  5. Planetismals accrete to form planet
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7
Q

Solar system age

A

Solar system - 4.6Ga
Earth - 4.6Ga
Universe - 14Ga

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