Shared Flashcard Set

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chapters 5, 6, 7
questions
53
Astronomy
12th Grade
12/15/2012

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
the difference in the gravitational force is small between moon and earth, but it produces a noticeable deformation, a strettching along the line joining EArth to the Moon called a
Definition
tidal bulge
Term
daily fluctuation in ocean level caused by the gravitational influence of the moon and the sun on earth
Definition
tides
Term
the moon presents the same face toward the earth at all times
Definition
tidal locking
Term
the constant upwelling of warm air and the current downward flow of cooler air to take its place
Definition
convection
Term
the partial trapping of solar radiation
Definition
greenhouse effect
Term
why does the moon not have an atmosphere?
Definition
the moon has a lot less pulling power; its escape speed is small
Term
roughly circular dark areas on the moon that resemble earth's oceans; extensive flat plains that resultsed from the spread of lava earlier on
Definition
lunar maria
Term
light colored areas on the moon that resemble the continents; elevated several kilometers above the maria
Definition
highlands
Term
caused by impacting meteroids, found everywhere on the lunar surface
Definition
craters
Term
metoritic impacts are the main source of ____on the moon.
Definition
erosion
Term
charged particles from the solar wind are trapped by earth's magentic field lines to form:
Definition
van allen belts
Term
particles from the van allen belts often escape from the magnetosphere nearth earth's north and south magnetic poles, where the field lines intersect the atmosphere and their collision with air molecules create the ____.
Definition
aurora
Term
what are the two types of aurora?
Definition
aurora borealis (northern lights); aurora australis (southern lights)
Term
read about the formation of the moon p. 157-158
Definition
Term
mercury size
Definition
2400 km radius (smallest planet)
Term
mercury temperature
Definition
100-700 K
Term
merucry rotation period
Definition
59 solar days
Term
mercury atmosphere
Definition
no atmosphere because of such high temperature
Term
mercury surface features
Definition
intercrater plains; scarp (cliff); similar to the moon
Term
venus size
Definition
6100 km radius
Term
venus temperature
Definition
730 km
Term
venus rotation period
Definition
243 (retrograde spin--opposite of earths)
Term
venus atmosphere
Definition
much more massive than the earth's; very hot
Term
major surface features of venus
Definition
sheild volcanoes, coronae,craters;
Term
the largest volcanic structures on venus are huge, roughly circular regions known as ____.
Definition
coronae
Term
size of marrs
Definition
3400 km. radius
Term
temperature of mars.
Definition
180-270 kelvins (very cold)
Term
rotation period of mars
Definition
1.03 days
Term
atmosphere of mars
Definition
thin; composed of carbon dioxide
Term
major surface features of mars
Definition
lwo lying northern volcanic plains with few craters and highly cratered southern highlands; tharsis bulge; hellas basin
Term
What is the biggest volcano in the solar system?
Definition
olympus mons; it is big because there is not a lot of gravity on mars
Term
read about voyager missions
Definition
Term
size of jupiter
Definition
71,000 kilometers
Term
temperature of jupiter
Definition
120 kelvins
Term
rotation period of jupiter
Definition
.41 solar days
Term
atmosphere of jupiter
Definition
oval atmospheric blob called the Great Red Spot; lighter colored zones and belts; zones are regions of high pressure; belts are regions of low pressure; zonal flow
Term
size of saturn
Definition
60,000 kilometer radius
Term
temperature of saturn
Definition
97 kelvins
Term
rotation period of saturn
Definition
.43 solar days
Term
atmosphere of saturn
Definition
the clouds composed of ammonia ice, ammonium hydrosulfide ice, water ice; three times the cloud thickness on jupiter
Term
sruface features of saturn
Definition
bands, oval storm systems, turbulent flow patterns
Term
size of uranus
Definition
26,000 kilometers
Term
temperature of uranus
Definition
58 kelvins
Term
rotation period of uranus
Definition
.69 solar days (retrograde motion)
Term
atmosphere of uranus
Definition
hydrogen, helium, and methane;
Term
size of neptune
Definition
25,000 km radius
Term
temperature of neptune
Definition
59 kelvins
Term
rotation period of neptune
Definition
.72 solar days
Term
temperature of neptune
Definition
59 kelvins
Term
rotation period of neptune
Definition
.72 days
Term
atmosphere of neptune
Definition
has more methane than neptune that's why it looks more blue
Term
mjor features of neptune
Definition
great dark spot-large storm; slightly warmer than uranus
Term
which planet has the strongest magnetic field?
Definition
jupiter
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