Astronomy test 3
the debris disk around the star Beta Pictoris is about ___ times the diameter of our solar system
20
which element would not have been found in Earth's early atmosphere? what is the most abundant gas found in Earth's atmosphere today?
Carbon dioxide CO2
the ___ couples convection in the liquid core with Earth's rotation to produce electric currents that are believed to be responsible for Earth's magnetic field
Dynamo effect
why can't S waves travel through Earth's liquid core?
Earth's liquid core does not have the rigidity required for shear waves to travel along
(T/F) during solar system formation, solid particles contracted from the gas of the nebula as it cooled
F
(T/F)all the planets in the solar system revolve in a clockwise motion
F
(T/F)the Moon's crust is thicker on the side facing Earth
F
who was the first to propose solar system formation with gravity as a key component of the hypothesis?
Georges-Louis de Buffon
the Kepler mission has found a lot more of ___ than Earth-like extrasolar planets
Hot Jupiters--> Jovian Planets --> hot Neptunes --> Hot Earths
which term is described as small, icy bodies that orbit the Sun just beyond Neptune?
Kuiper belt objects
numerous meteorites found on Earth originated form which planet?
Mars
planetesimals beyond the orbit of ___ failed to accumulate into a protoplanet because the gravitational field of ___ continuously disturbed their motion
Mars; Jupiter
where can you find midocean rise?
Pacific Ocean
the formation of the Red Sea as Africa pulls apart from the Arabian peninsula is an example of what geological feature?
Rift valley
the inner planets are composed of ___
Rock and metal
which theory best describes today's current thinking about the birth of a solar system
Solar nebula theory
(T/F) Earth's core is hot, dense, and mostly composed of iron and nickel
T
(T/F) Earth's magnetic field is a direct result of its rapid rotation and its molten metallic core
T
(T/F) asteroids are believed to be debris left over from the failure of a planet to form at a distance of about 3 AU from the Sun
T
(T/F)all terrestrial planets are separated into layers of different densities
T
(T/F)most of Earth's history has been destroyed by an active crust and erosion
T
(T/F)terrestrial planets, like earth, are made up of rock and metal
T
(T/F)there is no air on the Moon to scatter light and soften shadows
T
which of the following astronomical objects has the thickest atmosphere?
Venus
which statement best describe an extrasolar planet?
a planet discovered orbiting another star outside of our solar system
which statement is a common misconception with regard to Earth's atmosphere?
all of Earth will warm at the same rate if there is global warming
what does molten rock solidify into?
basalt
what part of Earth's magnetic field is the first line of defense to solar wind particles?
bow shock
according to solar nebula theory what is the first step in planetesimal formation?
condensation
what is the first stage of planetary development
differentiation
what is the process in planetary formation in which heavy metals settle to the core of the planet while lower density materials floated to the surface to form a crust?
differentiation
If plate tectonics is what builds up Earth's mountains and continents, then what process tears them down?
erosion
Once a protoplanet reached a large mass, what is the next step for it to formally grow into a planet?
gravitational collapse
comets are composed of...
ice and dust
comets
icy bodies with "tails" on a extreme elliptical orbit
Descartes hypothesis of solar system formation was problematic because he did not understand the ___
involvement of gravity
which best describes the appearance of an asteroid
irregulr in shape and covered with craters
as radioactive substance gradually decays, the abundance of daughter ___ gradually increases
isotopes
75% of Earth's surface is covered by___
liquid water
The outer planets are composed of ___
low density gas
the radioactive age of a rock is actually the length of time since the material in that rock was last ___
melted
what astronomical object is the most important source for determining the age of our Solar system?
meteorites
what are the small bits of rock and metal that collide with Earth's atmosphere?
meteors
when Earth was young its atmosphere had no free ___
oxygen
which hypothesis was out-ruled by the solar nebula theory
passing star hypothesis
meteor
piece of dust or tiny rock burning in a planet's atmosphere
which is the correct order of planetary object class during their formation?
planetesimals, proto-planets, and planets
planetesimals
small, irregular bodies mostly found between Mars and Jupiter
Kuiper Belt objects
small, irregular icy bodies found orbiting beyond Neptune
what combination of forces releases the gas and dust of a comet when it approaches the Sun?
solar wind and radiation pressure
what was the key physical property in determining the two categories of planets during solar system formation?
temperature
why do terrestrial planets not have rings?
terrestrial planets do not have large enough masses to retain particles in the rings
terrestrial planets
the inner four rocky planets of our Solar System
why do scientist refer to Earth's mantle as a plastic
the mantle has the properties of a solid, but can flow under pressure
jovian planets
the outer four gaseous planets of our Solar system
what important role does the ozone layer play in Earth's atmosphere?
the ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet photons
why is the very center of Earth's core a soldi and not a liquid?
the pressure at the central core raises the melting point of the metals higher than its temperature
what is a characteristic of all terrestrial planets
they all have a rocky surface
observing changes in the brightness of the star when the orbiting planet crosses in front of the star
which best describes the transit method?