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Chapter 18
Chapter 18
18
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
05/09/2013

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Term
Radial velocity method provides information about the mass of an exoplanet, while planetary transit method output its size. This suggests that both methods allow astronomers to calculate
Definition
the density of the exoplanet.
Term
Current observations of planetary systems suggest that
Definition
our Solar System is a very unique planetary system in the galaxy and gas giant exoplanets are usually found closer than 1 AU to their host stars.
Term
_____ are the building blocks of proteins
Definition
Amino acids
Term
Primitive Earth's atmosphere consisted mainly of:
Definition
nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen rich gasses
Term
The theory of biological evolution of species states that:
Definition
evolution is the progress of organisms towards better and higher forms, all living things on Earth evolved from the common ancestor, and mutation is a driving force for the organism to increase its chances for survival and reproduction
Term
Natural selection is a process
Definition
when the organisms best equipped with reproductive fitness will likely to pass on to future generations
Term
Are bacteria considered to be a life form?
Definition
Bacteria is a simplest (single cellular) life form on Earth
Term
Extremophiles represent
Definition
a type of organisms that thrive in physically or geochemically extreme conditions detrimental to most life forms on Earth
Term
The panspermia concept
Definition
suggests that the Earth was “seeded” with life when celestial objects collided with the planet and has gained credibility from recent observational evidence of presence of complex organic materials in cometary tails, interstellar medium and meteorites
Term
Panspermia in Greek means:
Definition
seeds everywhere
Term
Biomarkers of life in exoplanets can be found using
Definition
IR spectra of ozone and methane molecules from their atmospheres
Term
The Urey-Miller experiment has shown that
Definition
The primordial soup of organic molecules exposed to electric discharges forms amino acids, the building blocks of life
Term
Life can be defined as a process of
Definition
replication of organisms driven by natural selection and metabolism that allows an organism to grow, reproduce and adapt to the environment
Term
Europa is likely to have primitive life forms because it
Definition
probably has a subsurface ocean of liquid water heated by volcanic processes
Term
The planetary transit method help to calculate a _____ of an exoplanet
Definition
size
Term
The radial velocity method helps to calculate an exoplanetary's
Definition
mass
Term
The habitability zone is
Definition
a range of distances from a parent star to an exoplanet at which water can be found in liquid state
Term
A common feature of all life forms on Earth
Definition
contains DNA
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