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Planetary Science
Planetary Science and Solar System Formation
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the definition of speed? | Speed is the rate at which an object moves, calculated as distance divided by time. |
| How is velocity defined? | Velocity is speed in a given direction. |
| What is acceleration? | Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time. |
| What is the approximate acceleration due to gravity on Earth? | Approximately 10 m/s². |
| What did Galileo demonstrate about falling objects? | Galileo showed that all falling objects accelerate at the same rate, regardless of their mass. |
| What is momentum? | Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity. |
| What is Newton's first law of motion? | An object moves at constant velocity unless a net force acts to change its speed or direction. |
| What is Newton's second law of motion? | Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). |
| What is Newton's third law of motion? | For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. |
| What keeps a planet rotating and orbiting the Sun? | The conservation of momentum and the gravitational force between the planet and the Sun. |
| What is the universal law of gravitation? | Every mass attracts every other mass with a force that is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. |
| What is a torque? | A torque is a special force needed to change an object's angular momentum. |
| How does light interact with matter? | Light can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted by matter, affecting how we perceive objects. |
| What are the three basic types of spectra? | Continuous spectra, emission spectra, and absorption spectra. |
| How does light inform us about the composition of celestial bodies? | Light spectra can reveal the elements present in stars and planets based on their absorption and emission lines. |
| What is the significance of conservation laws in physics? | Conservation laws, such as conservation of momentum, state that certain properties remain constant in isolated systems. |
| What is the formula for calculating speed? | Speed = distance / time. |
| What happens to momentum in a closed system? | The total momentum remains constant unless acted upon by an external force. |
| What is the relationship between force and momentum? | A net force acting on an object changes its momentum, resulting in acceleration. |
| What is the formula for acceleration? | Acceleration = change in velocity / time. |
| What is the speed of light? | The speed of light is approximately 300,000 km/s. |
| What is the difference between speed and velocity? | Speed is a scalar quantity (magnitude only), while velocity is a vector quantity (magnitude and direction). |
| What is angular momentum? | Angular momentum is the momentum of an object in rotational motion, dependent on its mass, velocity, and distance from the axis of rotation. |
| What is a net force? | A net force is the overall force acting on an object when all individual forces are combined. |
| What does it mean for an object to be in equilibrium? | An object is in equilibrium when the net force acting on it is zero, resulting in no change in motion. |
| How does air resistance affect falling objects? | Air resistance opposes the motion of falling objects, causing them to accelerate at a lower rate than the acceleration due to gravity. |
| What is the role of gravity in the motion of planets? | Gravity provides the centripetal force necessary for planets to maintain their orbits around the Sun. |
| What is the definition of energy? | Energy is the ability to do work, measured in Joules (J). |
| How much energy do we consume daily from food? | About 10 MJ of energy. |
| How much energy is contained in a gallon of gas? | About 100 MJ. |
| What are the basic types of energy? | Kinetic, potential, and radiative energy. |
| What does the conservation of energy state? | Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed or transferred. |
| What is thermal energy? | The collective kinetic energy of many particles in a substance. |
| How is temperature related to thermal energy? | Temperature measures the average kinetic energy of particles, while thermal energy measures the total kinetic energy. |
| What determines gravitational potential energy on Earth? | It depends on the object's mass (m), strength of gravity (g), and height above the ground (h). |
| How does gravitational potential energy change in space? | It increases when an object or gas cloud is spread out and decreases when it contracts. |
| What is the mass-energy equivalence formula? | E = mc², where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light. |
| What is the thermoelectric effect? | It converts a temperature difference into electricity, used for powering spacecraft in the outer Solar System. |
| What happens to gravitational force if the distance between two masses is doubled? | The gravitational force decreases by a factor of 4. |
| What does Newton's law of gravity allow us to understand about planetary orbits? | It helps measure the mass of orbiting systems and explains why orbits are ellipses. |
| What is Kepler's third law? | It relates the orbital period and average orbital distance of a system to the total mass of the system. |
| What must happen for angular momentum to change? | An external twisting force (torque) must act on the object. |
| What happens to the Earth's spin rate as the Moon moves away? | The Earth's spin rate decreases, leading to longer days. |
| What is the relationship between angular momentum and the Earth-Moon system? | The total angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system is conserved, with exchanges of momentum occurring between them. |
| What is the significance of meteorite impacts in terms of energy conservation? | Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, which is then transformed into heat, light, and sound upon impact. |
| What is the role of solar power in the inner Solar System? | It is used for powering spacecraft. |
| What is the effect of energy transfer between objects? | Energy can be exchanged or transformed but the total energy remains constant in an isolated system. |
| What is the difference between kinetic energy and potential energy? | Kinetic energy is energy of motion, while potential energy is stored energy based on position. |
| How does temperature affect thermal energy? | Higher temperature means higher average kinetic energy of particles, increasing thermal energy. |
| What happens to energy during a meteorite impact? | Kinetic energy is converted to heat, light, and sound. |
| What is the relationship between mass and energy in nuclear reactions? | A small amount of mass can release a large amount of energy, as seen in nuclear reactions like an H-bomb. |
| What is a hyperbolic trajectory? | A path taken by an object, like Oumuamua, that comes from outside the Solar System. |
| What is the due date for PS2? | Monday 19th, 9am Pacific |
| Are calculators allowed in exams? | No, calculators are not allowed and not needed. |
| What is the primary focus of the majority of the grade? | The majority of the grade will come from in-person exams. |
| What is the composition of the Sun? | The Sun is made mostly of hydrogen and helium gas (plasma). |
| What percentage of the solar system's mass does the Sun account for? | Over 99.9% of the solar system's mass. |
| Which planet is known for having extreme conditions due to the greenhouse effect? | Venus |
| What is the average temperature on Venus? | 470°C, day and night. |
| What is unique about Earth's moon? | The Moon is about 1/4 the size of Earth in diameter. |
| What are the major features of Mars? | Giant volcanoes, a huge canyon, and polar caps. |
| Which planet is known for having a large iron core? | Mercury |
| What is the average distance of Earth from the Sun? | 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) |
| What are Jupiter's Galilean moons? | Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. |
| What is the largest moon in the solar system? | Ganymede |
| What is unique about Saturn's rings? | They are made of countless small chunks of ice and rock. |
| What is the main characteristic of Uranus? | It has an extreme axis tilt. |
| What is Triton known for? | Triton is a retrograde moon, meaning it orbits backwards. |
| What defines a dwarf planet according to the IAU? | A dwarf planet does not satisfy the criterion of clearing the neighborhood around its orbit. |
| What spacecraft explored Mercury? | Mariner 10, MESSENGER, and Bepi-Colombo. |
| What is the average temperature on Mars? | 220 K |
| What is the primary composition of Jupiter? | Mostly hydrogen and helium, with no solid surface. |
| What spacecraft have explored Saturn? | Voyager 1, Cassini, and Dragonfly. |
| What is the average temperature on Jupiter? | 125 K |
| What is the significance of comparative planetology? | It helps us learn about Earth by studying it in context with other worlds. |
| What is the average density of Earth? | 5.52 grams per cubic centimeter. |
| What is the average rotation period of Venus? | 243 days |
| What is the average rotation period of Jupiter? | 9.93 hours |
| What is the average rotation period of Saturn? | 10.6 hours |
| What is the average distance of Neptune from the Sun? | 30.07 AU |
| What is the average temperature of Saturn? | 95 K |
| What is the average distance of Saturn from the Sun? | 1.43 billion kilometers (9.54 AU) |
| What are the primary components of Saturn's atmosphere? | Hydrogen and Helium |
| What is the average temperature of Uranus? | 60 K |
| What is the average distance of Uranus from the Sun? | 2.87 billion kilometers (19.2 AU) |
| What is the average rotation period of Uranus? | 17.2 hours |
| What is the average temperature of Neptune? | 60 K |
| What is the average rotation period of Neptune? | 16.1 hours |
| What is the average temperature of Pluto? | 44 K |
| What is the average distance of Pluto from the Sun? | 5.91 billion kilometers (39.5 AU) |
| What is the average rotation period of Pluto? | 6.39 days |
| What are the primary components of Pluto's composition? | Ices and rock |
| What is the average temperature of Eris? | 43 K |
| What is the average distance of Eris from the Sun? | 10.1 billion kilometers (67.7 AU) |
| What is the average rotation period of Eris? | 1.08 days |
| What are the primary components of Eris's composition? | Ices and rock |
| What are the two main types of planets in the solar system? | Terrestrial and Jovian |
| What characterizes terrestrial planets? | Rocky, relatively small, and close to the Sun |
| What characterizes jovian planets? | Gaseous, larger, and farther from the Sun |
| What is comparative planetology? | The study of patterns among planets to gain insights into their processes |
| What is a flyby mission? | A mission that flies by a planet just once to gather data |
| What is an orbiter? | A spacecraft that goes into orbit around another world |
| What is a probe or lander? | A spacecraft that lands on the surface of another world to explore it |
| What is a sample return mission? | A mission designed to gather samples from another world and return them to Earth |
| How does gravity cause tides? | The Moon's gravity pulls harder on the near side of Earth than on the far side, stretching Earth |
| What effect does tidal friction have on Earth's rotation? | It gradually slows Earth's rotation and causes the Moon to move farther away |
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