Study Guide for ASTR1010, test #3

This test will take place on Monday November 10, 2003 at 5:30pm

Chapter 6:

- What planets were known in ancient times?

- When (years) were Uranus, Neptune, Ceres, and Pluto discovered?

- Define "comparative planetology"

- Following table 6.1, as you move from the inner to the outer planets;

--- How does semimajor axis (a) change?

--- Period?

--- Mass?

--- Radius?

--- Density?

--- Eccentricity? What two planets have particularly eccentric orbits?

--- Rotation period?

--- What planet is most unlike the other 8?

- How does one directly measure the distance to another planet?

- What law is used to find the mass of a planet, given that a moon or satellite is observed near it?

- What two properties of a planet are needed in order to calculate the planet's density?

- What are two ways to measure the rotation period of a planet?

- In what direction do all planets orbit the Sun (clockwise or counter-clockwise)?

- Describe the Titius-Bode Law.

- What are the terrestrial planets?

- What are the Jovian planets?

- What are asteroids? How big are they? What is their general composition (rocky or icy)? Where are they mostly located?

- What are meteoroids? How big are they? What is their general composition?

- What are comets? What is their general composition?

- For the rest of the chapter (spacecraft missions to various planets/bodies), study the notes posted on my website for chapter 6.

Chapter 7: Earth

- What are the different layers of the Earth?

- Describe the different layers of the Earth's atmosphere.

- What are the more prominent elements/molecules present in the Earth's atmosphere? What is the single most prominent component?

- What is convection? In what two layers of the Earth does it occur?

- What is Rayleigh scattering? How does it affect our sky and how we view the Sun?

- What is the greenhouse effect? What are some typical greenhouse gasses?

- Describe a planet's primary atmosphere.

- Describe a planet's secondary atmosphere.

- How does the presence of oceans affect an atmosphere's evolution?

- Describe the third atmosphere (life), which only Earth exhibits.

- What two elements/molecules are produced by life on Earth?

- What are P-waves? Can they travel through liquids? Can they travel through solids?

- What are S-waves? Can they travel through liquids? Solids?

- Which are faster, P-waves or S-waves?

- What did the study of P-waves reveal about the Earth's core?

- What are some elements present in Earth's core?

- What is basaltic material? From what layer of Earth does it come from?

- Define "differentiation"

- Describe plate tectonics

- What is continental drift?

- Where are volcanoes on Earth concentrated?

- What is the lithosphere?

- What is the asthenosphere?

- What happens when two plates collide?

- What happens when two plates grind against each other?

- What happens when one plate slides under another?

- What process causes plate tectonic motion?

- What is Pangaea?

- What is Earth's magnetosphere?

- What are the Van Allen belts? Where are they located? What are they made of?

- How do our magnetosphere and the Van Allen belts protect us?

- What causes auroral displays?

- What causes Earth's magnetic field?

- How are high and low ocean tides caused?

- What are spring and neap tides? What phases of moon must be present for them?

- What are the long-term tidal effects of the Moon on the Earth's rotation?

Chapter 8: the Moon and Mercury

- Define "greatest elongation"

- Does the Moon have a magnetic field? Does Mercury? Why or why not is there a magnetic field present?

--- How about atmosphere?

--- Particularly eccentric orbit?

--- What are the surface temperatures like?

--- What are the compositions?

- What are lunar maria?

- What are the lunar highlands like?

- What is the range of size of lunar craters?

- Are the maria older or younger than the highlands? How do you know?

- Where are maria located on the Moon? Are they evenly distributed?

- What is a synchronous orbit?

- How is the rotation of Mercury most accurately measured?

- What is Mercury's spin-orbit resonance?

- Why doesn't Mercury have a synchronous orbit like the Moon does?

- What are the hot longitudes? What are the warm longitudes? What is the approximate temperature of each?

- At the poles of Mercury, where in the sky is the Sun always located?

- Does Mercury have a moon?

- Why do craters on the Moon last for billions of years, but craters on Earth fade?

- Define "regolith"

- Is there any volcanic or tectonic activity present on the Moon? Were they present in the past?

- Why are crater walls on Mercury not as high as lunar crater walls?

- What is the Caloris Basin? What is "weird" terrain?

- What are scarps? How did they (most likely) form?

- What might have caused Mercury's weak magnetic field?

- Is there any volcanic or tectonic activity present on Mercury?

- What did radio astronomers find in the polar regions of Mercury?

- Describe the four theories of the origin of the Moon. Which one is most likely the correct one?

Chapter 9: Venus

- How does Venus compare to Earth in mass, density, surface gravity and radius?

- What is Venus' rotation period? What is so strange about the rotation of Venus?

- Why is Venus so bright? (there are a few reasons)

- Does Venus have any moons?

- What is the best way to calculate the distance to Venus and its rotational period?

- What is the strange orbital resonance between Earth and Venus? What is the consequence of it, in terms of us observing Venus from Earth?

- Do the clouds of Venus rotate faster or slower than the surface?

- In what kind of light is the structure of Venusian clouds best observed?

- Compare the temperatures of the atmosphere and surface of Venus.

- What are Ishtar and Aphrodite?

- Is the surface of Venus generally flat, or does it show drastic changes in altitude?

- How much (percentage) of Venus' surface is covered by continent-type lands?

- What are lava domes? How are they formed?

- What are shield volcanoes? How are they formed?

- What is a caldera?

- What is a corona volcanoe? How is it formed?

- Which of these three volcanoe types is unique to Venus?

- Do we have any direct evidence for currently active volcanoes on Venus? What are two pieces of indirect evidence for currently active volcanoes on Venus?

- Why are there no small meteor craters on Venus?

- How does Venus' atmosphere compare to Earth's?

- Why are there V-shaped cloud patterns on Venus?

- What are the more prominent elements/molecules in Venus' atmosphere? What is the most prominent component?

- What is the composition of Venusian clouds?

- What is the runaway greenhouse effect? How does it affect temperature and pressure on Venus' surface?

- How does Venus' magnetic field compare to ours?

- Does Venus have a molten iron core, as does Earth? Why does Venus have such a small magnetic field?

- Does Venus have a magnetosphere? Is its atmosphere protected from the solar wind? Is the surface?

- Does Venus exhibit plate tectonic motion?

Chapter 10: Mars

- What do the terms superior and inferior planet mean? Which one describes Mars? Venus? Mercury?

- How does Mars' eccentricity compare to Earth's? How about its mass? Radius? Density? Rotational period? Magnetic field?

- Define conjunction and opposition.

- What are the names of Mars' moons?

- What are two ways to measure the rotation period of Mars?

- Does Mars go through seasons?

- How does the Northern hemisphere compare with the Southern hemisphere? Which is older?

- Does Mars have plate tectonic motion?

- Is Mars basically pretty flat, or does it exhibit an extreme range of altitudes?

- What is the Tharsis Bulge? Where is it located (N hemisphere, S hemispher, or equator)?

- What is Olympus Mons? What kind of volcanoe is it? What is it about Mars that allows it's volcanoes to get so high?

- Is there any direct or indirect evidence for currently active volcanoes on Mars?

- What is Valles Marineris? Where is it located? Did it form via water like the Grand Canyon on Earth?

- What are splosh craters? What do they indicate?

- What are runoff channels?

- What are outflow channels?

- Is there any direct evidence for liquid water present on Mars currently?

- Was there probably liquid water in the past? If so, where is the water now?

- What is permafrost?

- What are the seaonal polar caps? What are they made of?

- What are the residual polar caps? What are they made of?

- Why is the southern hemisphere's winter longer than the northern's?

- Why is Mars red? What elements in the soil and air combine to produce the red color?

- How does the density of the Martian atmosphere compare with Earth's and Venus'?

- What are the more prominent elements/molecules present in the Martian atmosphere? What is the most prominent component?

- Do clouds occur on Mars? Fog? What are they made of?

- Except for the southern hemisphere summer, does Mars undergo drastic seasonal changes?

- What happens during the southern hemisphere's summer?

- How and why did the Martian atmosphere develop differently than Earth's or Venus'?

- What is the reverse runaway greenhouse effect?

- Are Mars' moons more like Earth's moon, or like asteroids?

- Are they very reflective or not very reflective?

Mars Missions

Study the notes given on my website under "Mars Missions lecture."