Solar System Flashcards
Convection envelope
Hot gases from the radiative zone are able to rise to the surface and fall as they cool which creates large convection cells
What three components make up the majority of the Sun’s mass?
Hydrogen (70%)
Helium (28%)
Metals (2%)
Photosphere
The visible surface of the sun
Chromosphere
Temperatures increase and large solar flares occur here
Radiation zone
Energy generated by nuclear fusion moves outward as electromagnetic radiation. This energy is conveyed as gamma ray photons.
Corona
A very thin and hot layer of the Sun that is only visible during a total eclipse
Core (of the sun)
The hear in the core destroys the composition of atoms
Solar flare
Sudden, bright outbursts of energy that happen as the sun’s magnetic fields twist, tear, and reconnect
Sunspot
Dark, planet-sized regions of the sun that are cooler than the surrounding surface
List the five terrestrial worlds
Mercury Venus Earth The moon Mars
3 features of Mercury’s core
Thick
Makes up 75% of the planet’s radius
Partially molten
-causes magnetic field
Why does Mercury lack an atmosphere?
The intense solar winds
Atmosphere on Venus
It produces a run-away greenhouse gas effect
What’s unique about the clouds on Venus?
The planet is surrounded by a thick layer of clouds composed of sulfuric acid
Earth’s core
The core is a nickel iron mixture and is solid. It spins in a molten outer core which causes a magnetic field that protects the earth from solar winds
How long does it take the moon to orbit the earth?
29.5 days
Name and describe the two types of terrain on the moon
There’s heavily crated and older highlands as well as younger and smoother maria (impact craters later flooded by lava)
Why don’t solar eclipses happen every month?
The moon’s orbit is tilted 5% to Earth’s orbit around the sun
What are two types of lunar eclipses and how do they differ?
Penumbral Shadow: the earth blocks only some of the Sun’s rays from reaching the moon
Umbral Shadow: the earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the moon
Core of mars
Not very dense and made up of iron sulfide
What exists at the north and south poles of Mars?
North - many volcanoes
South - heavily crated
Atmosphere on Mars
It’s a very thin atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide
What are asteroids?
Chunks of rock and metal that orbit around the Sun. Most likely rocks and debris that never formed into planets.
Composition of Jupiter’s atmosphere
Hydrogen (75%) Helium gas (24%)
Structure similar to those of terrestrial planets but temperature and pressure vary greatly
What creates the banding pattern on Jupiter?
Circulation cells
What is the Great Red Spot?
A storm, similar to a hurricane, that has been going on for centuries on Jupiter. Caused by a continual high pressure.
What are Saturn’s rings composed of?
Ice particles
What gives Uranus its blue color?
Condensed methane gas in the atmosphere
How can a spherical planet be tipped in its side?
A collision with another planet-sized body early in the history of the solar system caused Uranus to tip
What makes up neptune’s atmosphere?
Hydrogen, helium, and methane
What are comets?
Small icy bodies that spend most of their lives well beyond the orbit of Neptune
What causes the tails of comets to form?
Comets from tails when they enter the inner solar system. Their tails are made of melting ice and dust being blown into space by solar winds.
In what regions are the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud found?
Kuiper Belt: begins in Neptune’s vicinity and extends about 100 AU into space
Oort Cloud: a huge spherical region centered on the Sun and extends about halfway to the nearest stars
