Solar System Overview

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to the solar system as discussed in the lecture notes.

Sun

The star at the center of our solar system, containing 99.8% of its mass.

Terrestrial Planets

The group of planets including Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, characterized by rocky surfaces.

Jovian Planets

Also known as Gas Giants, this group includes Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Dwarf Planets

Planetary bodies such as Pluto and Eris, mostly located beyond Neptune.

Astronomical Unit (AU)

The average distance between the Earth and the Sun, used to measure distances in space.

Light Year (Ly)

The distance that light travels in one year, often used for vast distances in the universe.

Radiometric Dating

A method used to date materials based on the decay rate of radioactive isotopes.

Accretion

The process through which particles collide and stick together to form larger bodies in space.

Gravitational Collapse

The process by which a cloud of gas and dust condenses under its own gravity to form stars or planets.

Protoplanetary Disk

A rotating disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star, from which planets can form.

Chemical Condensation

The process that explains differing compositions of planets based on proximity to the protostar.

Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs)

Any object in the solar system that orbits the Sun at a greater distance than Neptune.

Planetary Differentiation

The process by which density variations lead to segregation of materials in a planet's interior.

The Nice Model

A hypothesis explaining the current architecture and dynamics of the solar system, focusing on the migration of giant planets.

Grand Tack Model

A theory suggesting that the migration of giant planets in our solar system influenced the formation of terrestrial planets.