Solar System Review 2

What is an astronomical unit?

Average distance between the earth and sun

What is a light year?

Distance light travels in a year

Explain Ptlomey’s idea about our solar system. Include the name of the idea

Geocentric- where earth is the center of the universe

Explain Copernicus’s idea about our solar system. Include the name and idea

Heliocentric- correct idea of the sun is in the center of the solar system

What was Galileo’s contribution to our understanding of the solar system? Give two ideas

1. 4 moons around Jupiter

2. Support of the heliocentric idea

3. Fixing of the telescope

What is the difference between a planetary system and the solar system

1. Planetary system - A star and all the planets orbiting it
   Solar system - Our Sun and all the planets orbiting it

Contrast mass and weight

Mass- Amount of matter inside an object

Weight- Amount of gravity pulling on an object

Why are nickel and iron found at our core and the silicates found on the surface

1. Nickel and Iron- More dense and sinked to the core

2. Silicates- Less dense and floated towards the surface and formed crust

Name 3 things that resulted from the collision of Theia

The formation of the Moon, Earth's axial tilt, and the rotation to occur

How old is our solar system?

4.6 billion years old

What is the evidence for age of the solar system?

Dating of meteorites (4.9) , moon rocks (4.4) , and earths oldest minerals (3.9)

What is half life and how is it used to determine the age of a rock?

Half-life is the time it takes for half of the material to decay. They can calculate by how many half-lives have passed or radioactive decay

Where did water on earth come from?

Comets and volcanoes

How many extra solar planets have been confirmed? How many more potential candidates are there?

5893 confirmed and 4398 potential

What are 3 main ingredients needed for life?

1. Liquid water

2. Energy

3. Moderate temperture

List eight planets of our solar system in order

1. Mercury- Terrestrial

2. Venus

3. Earth

4. Mars

5. Jupiter- Gas Giants

6. Saturn

7. Uranus- Ice Giants

8. Neptune

Why is pluto classified as a dwarf planet

It’s orbit isn’t clear

Kepler 3 laws

1. Planets do not move in perfect circles but in ellipses

2. When an object is closer to the sun, it moves faster

3. The third law is used to determine the distance that planets are away from the sun.

Gravity pulls

Denser things objects closer to the sun

Biggest to smallest

1. Star

2. Gas Giant Planet

3. Rocky Planet

4. Some moons

5. Dwarf Planets

6. Asteroids

7. Comets

Carbon dating

Method to find the age of things

Earths surface was made of

Magma that was continually bombarded with comets(ice and dust) and asteroids(rock) bringing in new material