Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Astronomy
Helping Megan Out
84
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
12/12/2009

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What are the two parts of an eclipse?
Definition

Umbra- where the sunlight is completely blocked

Penumbra- where sunlight is partially blocked

Term
What are the different types of eclipses?
Definition

Solar- Shadow of moon sweeps across Earth, sunlight blocked by moon

Total Solar Eclipse- Moon's umbra barely reaches Earth during a total solar eclipse

Lunar Eclipse-Moon sweeps through the shadow of Earth

Total Lunar eclipses- eclipsed moon is not completely dark, occurs 1/yr

Term
Which type of eclipse occurs when the shadow of moon sweeps across earth and sunlight is blocked by the moon?
Definition
Solar Eclipse
Term
What type of eclipse is it when the moon's umbra barely reaches Earth during a total solar eclipse?
Definition
Total Solar Eclipse
Term
What type of eclipse occurs when the moon sweeps through the shadow of the Earth?
Definition
Lunar Eclipse
Term
Is a totally eclipsed moon completely dark during a total lunar eclipse?
Definition
no.  The earth's atmosphere bends (reracts) sunlight into its umba; umbra is not completely dark
Term
How much bigger is the sun's diameter than the earth?
Definition
the sun's diameter is 100x earth's
Term
How much more massive is the sun than the earth?
Definition
300,000 times more massive than the Earth
Term
The Sun accounts for ____% of the mass of the solar system?
Definition
99.8%
Term
What are some differences between the planets and the sun?
Definition

Planets are much smaller (Jupiter's diameter is 10x smaller than the Sun's)

 

Planets are much less massive than the Sun (Sun is 1000x more massive than Jupiter)

 

Planets are mostly liquid and solid composition because they are much cooler

 

Term
How many planets are there?
Definition
8
Term
The tail of a comet faces ______ from the Sun.
Definition
Away
Term
Meteoroids are called what if they land on Earth?
Definition
Meteorites
Term
What direction do the planets orbit around the sun (when viewed from far above the North Pole)?
Definition
Counterclockwise
Term
Most planets have rotation nearly ______ to their orbits?
Definition
Perpindicular
Term
What is mass?
Definition
a measure of resistance of object to being put into motion; its inertia
Term
What is volume?
Definition
a measure of space occupied by an object
Term
What is density?
Definition

a measure of an amount of mass contained in a unit volume

if P=density, M=mass, V=volume then

P=M/V

Term

What are the Inner (terrestrial) planets?

What is their defining characteristic?

Definition

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

they all have solid surfaces

They are mostly composed of Rock and Metals

Term

What are the Outer (Jovian) planets?

What is their defining characteristic?

Definition

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

They are bigger and have a liquid form

They are composed of low-density elements such as Hydrogen/Helium

Term
What are the 4 main types of geological processes?
Definition

Impact cratering (bombardment by cosmic debris)

Volcanism

Tectonis

Erosions

Term
What are some methods to estimate geological age?
Definition

Radioisotopic Dating of Rocks

Crater Counting on Surface

 

Term
How does Radioisotopic dating work?
Definition

It requires a sample of surface material

Involves measurement of ratio of radioactive 'parent' to 'daughter' nuclei

Measures time since rock solidified from molten state

Provides an absolute age in years

Term
How does crater counting a surface work?
Definition

Assumes impacts have occurred throughout history

Approximates geological age of a surface by the number of craters on it

Gives a relative age only

Term
What is the geological age of a solid surface?
Definition
The approximate time since surface has been significantly modified by a geological process
Term
What is the physical age of a planet or satellite?
Definition
the time since formation of the entire object (4.5 billion years for objects in the solar system)
Term
Internal heat of planets and satellites comes from 3 sources. What are they?
Definition

1. Accretion-planets and satellites formed by the falling together of smaller objects, which generates heat

2. Differentiation- Layers

shortly after formation, denser materials settled towards center (like oil and water), which generates heat

3. Radioactive decay generates heat

Term
What do volcanism and tectonics require?
Definition
Substantial Internal Heat
Term
Smaller planets and satellites cool ______ because they expose more surface area relative to their volumes.
Definition
faster
Term

Which of the following is not a reliable source of knowing about the Earth's interior?

A. Drilling into it

B. Measure Earth's average density

C. By studying earthquake results

D. By studying seismic waves

Definition

A. Drilling into it

So far, the deepest we've managed to drill is 8 miles=not much!

Term
What are seismic waves created by?
Definition

Tectonic activity (like earthquakes)

or by impacts on surface

Term
What are the 3 layers of planets and satellites?
Definition

Core-highest density (metals, mostly iron)

Mantle-lower density (dense rocks)

Crust-lowest density (low density rocks; chemically different from the mantle)

Term
A Lithosphere is...
Definition

the outermost layer

-may include part or even all of the mantle

Term
What are the two types of terrain on Earth? Which one is more abundant?
Definition

Continents (highlands) ~ 45%

Ocean Floors (low lands) ~ 55%

Term
Long mountain chains are significant because...
Definition

They're the sites of earthquakes

They are the boundaries of plates of the lithosphere

 

Term
What are the boundaries of plates of the lithosphere?
Definition
Long mountain chains
Term
A lithosphere consists of what?
Definition
Crust and upper mantle
Term

About how quickly do plates move?

A. about 1m/yr

B. a few cm/yr

C. about 3 km/yr

D. not at all

Definition
B. a few cm/yr
Term

What kind of land forms result from plate tectonics?

 

Definition
Mountains, mid-ocean rideges
Term
What drives plate tectonics motion?
Definition
heat flow from the interior (mantle)
Term
How has plate tectonics shaped our world today?
Definition
It has dramatically changed the arrangement of continents
Term
What causes volcanic activity on earth?
Definition
plate tectonics
Term
What are some examples of volcanism?
Definition

Volcanic mountains (like the Andes, Hawaii)

Volcanic planes (like the ocean floors)

Term
What is erosion?
Definition
The wearing away of earth's surface from wind, water and glaciers
Term
Tectonics and erosion has _____ the vast majority of craters on Earth
Definition
erased
Term

Earth's surface is...

A. Geologically Old

B. Dirt

C. Geologically Young

D. Geologically Middle-Aged

E. Rock

Definition
C. Geologically Young
Term
What are the types of terrains on the moon?
Definition

highlands (lighter in color, heavily cratered)

lowlands (deas, darker, lightly cratered)

Term

Which is geologically younger...

The moon's highlands -or- the moon's lowlands?

Definition
the moon's lowlands
Term

The moon's surface ____ been affected by plate tectonics

Has

Has not

Definition
Has not
Term
The moon has ___ (#) of long chains of mountains.
Definition
0
Term

The moon's lithosphere is ____

A. Thick

B. Thin

C. Average

D. full of aliens

Definition
A. Thick
Term
What type of erosion is present on the moon?
Definition
Micrometeorite bombardment (which is very slow)
Term
Are there any signs of volcanism on the moon?
Definition
The lunar seas which are volcanic planes
Term
How many landings on the moon were made by the Apollo missions?
Definition
6
Term
How long would a jet airplane take to fly to the moon?
Definition
17 days, if it could fly through space
Term
How long does it take the Saturn V rocket to make it to the moon?
Definition
3 days
Term
How old are the rocks from the lunar highlands?
Definition
4-4.4 billion years
Term

Lunar rocks contain ____ H2O

A lot of

A little

No

Definition
No
Term
The rocks from the lunar seas are how old?
Definition
3-3.8 billion years ago
Term
Where can you find the Imbrium Basin?
Definition
The moon
Term
How long ago was the moon formed?
Definition
About 4-4.4 billion years ago
Term
The "Wrinkle Ridges" seen on some areas of the lunar seas are evidence for what geological process?
Definition
Tectonics
Term
Erosion occurs very slowly on the lunar surface owing to
Definition
Micrometeorite bombardment
Term
Basalts are a type of ______ rock found in the lunar.
Definition
Volcanic, seas
Term
Mars is _____ the size of Earth but larger than the Moon.
Definition
1/2
Term
Mars atmosphere is ____ and made of _____. There are also a few water ice clouds
Definition
Thin;  CO2
Term
Liquid H2O is not stable on surface
Definition

H20 ICE possible in the ground

H20 VAPOR in the atmosphere

Term
Mars and Earth both have _______
Definition
higher and lower elevations
Term
Mars has no _________  and __________ don't fit together. Mars also has no _______.
Definition

mountain chains

continents

plate tectonics

Term
Earth has _______, _________ and continents fit together.
Definition

mountain chains

plate tectonics 

Term
Highlands mostly in ______ Hemisphere (heavily cratered so geologically old). Tharsis Bulge
Definition

Southern

 

Term
Lowlands mostly in _______ Hemisphere (lightly cratered, so geologically young)
Definition
Northern
Term

Geological process on Mars- Impact Catering

Craters in Southern hemisphere nearly as plentiful as in _________

Definition
Lunar highlands
Term
Volcanism on Tharsis Bulge
Definition
Enormous (extinct) shield of Volcanoes
Term
Olympus Mons
Definition

Largest Mountain in Solar System (same size as Hawaii)

400 miles across

80,000 feet high

Term
Volcanic Mountains are concentrated in
Definition
Tharsis Bulge Region
Term
Lowlands in Northern Hemisphere are ______
Definition
Probably Volcanic Plains
Term
Tectonics on Mars
Definition

Mariner Valley

 

An ANCIENT fault associated with the formation of Tharsis Bulge

 

Involve Vertical motion

Term

Erosion on Mars

Wind erosion is ______?

Definition
Eroded craters
Term
Wind erosion must be ____ because ancient craters still.......
Definition

Light;

litter the Southern Hemisphere

Term
Ancient water erosion
Definition

Channels

Catastrophic flooding

Term
Catastrophic liquid H2O erosion occurred early in Mars history because
Definition
climate was warmer
Term
What continues on Mars still?
Definition
Light wind erosion
Term
All planets orbit in the _____ direction of the _____
Definition
same; Sun
Supporting users have an ad free experience!