The Solar System Survey and The Earth Flashcards
How did the solar system form
The solar system formed about 4.5 billion years ago from a vast cloud of interstellar gas and dust called the solar nebula
What are the two main competing factors in the formation of the solar system
Gravitation pulls things in, while rotation pushes things away
What are protoplanets
Bodies formed from the solar nebula that eventually developed into planets
What is Earth’s albedo
0.37 (37%), meaning 37% of sunlight is reflected back into space
What is the composition of Earth’s atmosphere
Nitrogen, oxygen, noble gases, carbon dioxide.
What are the sub-layers of Earth’s atmosphere
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere
What are the characteristics of Earth’s inner core
Solid metal ball, radius of 1,220 km, made mostly of iron and nickel, with temperatures at 5,400°C
What are the characteristics of Earth’s outer core
Liquid iron and nickel, heated by radioactive decay, generates Earth’s magnetic field
What is the composition of Earth’s mantle
Dense, hot, semi-solid layer made of iron, magnesium, and silicon, forming the asthenosphere and lithosphere
What is Earth’s crust composed of
Composed of low-density rock, including silica, aluminum, and oxygen
What causes earthquakes and how are they measured
Sudden and violent shaking of the ground due to movements within the Earth’s crust or volcanic action, measured using seismographs
How do the ecliptic planes of most planets compare to that of Pluto’s
Most planets’ ecliptic planes are level with each other and the Sun, except for Pluto’s
What is the sidereal period of revolution for Earth
365.26 days
What are the layers of the Earth
Core (Inner and Outer), Mantle, Crust, Atmosphere
