Shared Flashcard Set

Details

The Solar System
Planets, Formation of Solar System, Facts, Terms
67
Astronomy
Undergraduate 2
10/10/2011

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Geocentric
Definition

Idea that Earth is the center of the solar system.

-Ptolemy

Term
Mercury
Definition
small, fastest orbit, no moons, caloris basin (impact)
Term
Venus
Definition
thickest atmosphere, retrograde rotation, roundest orbit, hottest planet, greenhouse effect, sulfur clouds, carbon dioxide
Term
Earth
Definition
nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere, most dense, active surface (lack of craters), life
Term
Mars
Definition
dust storms, largest volcanoes, river canals, polar icecaps, carbon dioxide atmosphere  

Term
Jupiter
Definition
largest, belts/zones (pressure), fastest rotation, liquid metallic hydrogen, most moons

Term
Saturn
Definition
lowest density, roche limit, encke gap, cassini division, Shepard satellite 

Term
Uranus
Definition
offset magnetic field, 98 tilt

Term
Neptune
Definition
strongest winds, Great Dark Spot, methane clouds, coldest, offset magnetic field

Term
Io
Definition
moon, Jupiter, most active surface, geysers- sulfer, 

Term
Europa
Definition
moon, Jupiter, most round, pure ice

 

 

Term
Ganymede
Definition
moon, Jupiter, largest, new/old terrain

Term
Callisto
Definition
moon, Jupiter, dead, frozen, cratered 

Term
Titan
Definition
moon, Saturn, nitrogen atmosphere-hydrocarbons & methane, rains methane, large

Term
Direct Motion
Definition
Normal eastward movement of planet
Term
Retrograde motion
Definition
backwards movement of planet
Term
Heliocentric
Definition
Idea that Sun is center of Solar System (Copernicus)
Term
Conjunction
Definition
when a planet lines up with the sun
Term
Greatest Elongation
Definition
point where an inferior planet is far from the sun as it can be
Term
Opposition
Definition
point where superior planet is far away from sun as possible
Term
Perihelion
Definition
point in orbit where a planet is closest to sun
Term
Aphelion
Definition
point in orbit when a planet is farthest from sun
Term
Force
Definition
push/pull
Term
Mass
Definition
measure of how an object resists acceleration when acted upon by a force. Proportional to amount of matter in object.
Term
Weight
Definition
measure of force of gravity in an object
Term
Gravity
Definition
force of attraction between any two objects having mass
Term
Acceleration
Definition
any change in speed/direction of an object's motion
Term
Lagrangian Points
Definition
points of gravitational stability in the orbit of a planet
Term
Synchronous rotation
Definition
when one side of a body always faces the planet it revolves around (moons)
Term
Solar nebula
Definition
material from which the solar system formed
Term
Density
Definition
mass of an object divided by volume
Term
Chondrite
Definition
first rock-sized bodies formed in solar nebula from dust grains
Term
Planetesimal
Definition
larger bodies formed early in solar nebula that were chemically differentiated.
Term
Aurora
Definition
light produced when particles from sun collide with atmospheric molecules; solar winds
Term
Accretion
Definition
process of acquiring material
Term
Chemical differentiation
Definition
Sinking of denser elements to the center of a young molten planet
Term
Greenhouse effect
Definition
trapping of heat by carbon dioxide or other gases
Term
Condensation temperature
Definition
temperature at which a substance in the vacuum of space solidifies
Term
Differential rotation
Definition
rotation of a star or planet at different speeds at its equator and poles
Term
Zone
Definition
dark, reddish, low-pressure bands that rise
Term
Belt
Definition
Light-colored, high pressure bands that sink
Term
Shepard Satellite
Definition
small moons that maintain shape of rings around Saturn and Uranus
Term
Maria
Definition
dark, relatively smooth areas on Moon
Term
Resonance
Definition
repeated push or pull capable of summing into a larger push or pull
Term
Regolith
Definition
powdered stone fragments that make up lunar "soil"
Term
Roche Limit
Definition
distance a moon can be from a planet before shattering from tidal forces
Term
Anorthosite
Definition
rock that makes up lunar highlands
Term
Liquid metallic hydrogen
Definition
responsible for Jupiter's magnetic field
Term
Scarp
Definition
long, meandering cliff formed when a planet surface cools and shrinks
Term
Galilean Satelites
Definition
Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto
Term
Highlands
Definition
oldest terrain on moon
Term
Mare basalt
Definition
rock makes up lunar maria
Term
Asteroid
Definition
large, irregularly shaped rocky object orbiting Sun, b/t orbits of Mars and Jupiter, left-over planetismimal
Term
Widmanstatten Pattern
Definition
crystalline pattern found in iron meteorites
Term
Kirkwood Gaps
Definition
place in asteroid belt caused by resonance with Jupiter where no asteroids
Term
Oort Cloud
Definition
spherical shell of comets that orbit sun at great distance
Term
Comet
Definition
conglomerate of ice and rock that orbit sun in highly elliptical orbit
Term
Coma
Definition
huge sphere of tenuous gas surrounding nucleus of comet
Term
Radiant
Definition
point in sky where meteors appear to fall from
Term
Meteoroid
Definition
small chunk of rock in space
Term
Fusion Crust
Definition
crust of meteorite caused by entry into earth's atmosphere
Term
meteor
Definition
streak of light in atmosphere
Term
Kupier Belt
Definition
collection of comets in plane of solar system located beyond orbit of pluto
Term
Radiation pressure
Definition
force exerted by reflecting light
Term
meterorite
Definition
rock or iron specimen that has fallen from space
Term
Titus-Bode law
Definition
empirical scheme for predicting orbital distances of planets
Term
Meteor shower
Definition
when Earth passes through the orbit of a burned out comet
Supporting users have an ad free experience!