Gravity and The Solar System
is a force of attraction between objects that is due to their masses and the distances between them.
Gravity
dark areas that form on the surface of the sun.
sun spots
are the four small, dense, rocky planets that orbit closest to the sun.
Terrestrial planets
have deep, massive gas atmosphere, which are made up mostly of hydrogen and helium.
Gas Giant
Which term defines a small, irregularly shaped body made of rock or organic material that orbits the sun?
asteroid
is the path that a body follows as it travels around another body in space.
Orbit
is an explosive release of energy that can extend outward as far as the sun’s outer atmosphere.
solar flare
equals the average distance between the sun and Earth, or approximately 150 million km.
Astronomical Unit
is a disk of material that circles a planet and consists of orbiting particles.
planetary ring
What is a minor body that orbits the outside the orbit of Neptune?
Kupier Belt Object
- when an object follows an elliptical orbit around the sun and the object is farthest from the sun.
Aphelion
- huge loops of relatively cool gas that extend outward from the photosphere thousands of kilometers into the outer atmosphere.
Daily Double
Prominence
is the heaviest created of the terrestrial planets. Temperatures rise and fall dramatically due to long periods of sunlight and darkness.
Mercury
Which planet has a density that is less than that of water?
Saturn
What is the glowing trail that results when a meteoroid burns up in Earth’s atmosphere
meteor
a point where the object is closest to the sun.
perihelion
is the process by which two or more low-mass atomic nuclei fuse to form another, heavier nucleus.
nuclear fusion
Has the densest atmosphere. It has equal diameter size as Earth. It has the highest surface temperature in the solar system. Carbon dioxide in atmosphere traps energy, which causes temperatures near the planet’s surface to remain high.
Venus
Which planet has the strongest winds in the solar system?
Neptune
The speed of a comet will depend on how far from or how close to the sun. Far from the sun, a comet may travel at slow, and close to the sun it will travel faster.
T or F
the inward force that causes an object to move in a circular path.
centripetal force
outer atmosphere of the sun
corona
has the highest surface gravity of the terrestrial planets. It supports life by having water, breathable air, and energy source.
Earth
Which planet is the largest planet in the solar system?
Jupiter
Most comets are located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
T or F
False
a cloud, from which the solar system formed. The inward pull of gravity is balanced by the outward push of gas pressure in the cloud
Daily Double
solar nebula
middle layer of suns atmosphere
chromosphere
has large dust storms. Dark volcanic rock and red-orange dust make up the surface
Mars
Which planet is near-twin to Jupiter and is the second largest gas giant planet made mostly of hydrogen and helium?
Saturn
is a spherical region that surrounds the solar system and extends almost halfway to the nearest star.
Daily Double
Oort Cloud
A body that could or did come together with many others under gravitation to form a planet.
Spell it correctly 100 extra points
planetesimal
visible surface of the sun
photosphere
What planet do we know least about?
Daily Double
Mercury
is a celestial body that orbits the sun and is round because of its own gravity.
Daily Double
dwarf planet
- is a region of the solar system that begins just beyond the orbit of Neptune and contains small bodies made mostly of ice.
Kupier belt
Name the steps of the formation of the solar system in order
1. The solar nebula collapse
2. the sun forms
3. Planetesimals form
4. Planets form
Where does nuclear fusion take place?
the core of stars
What rains from Venus's atmosphere?
Sulfuric Acid
- is a sand grain- to boulder- size, rocky body that travels through space.
meteoroid
What is a coma?
spherical cloud of gas and dust
Mars is a rocky planet. What makes up the surface of Mars? (2 things)
dark volcanic rock and red orange dust
When energy leaves the suns core it moves in the the_________?(2 words)
radiative zone
What is retrograde rotation?
clockwise spin of a planet
The blue color is caused by the absorption of red light by methane in its atmosphere.
Neptune
Comets have what 2 physical properties?
nucleus and tail
Which Danish astronomer built, which at the time was the worlds largest observatory?
Tycho Brahe
The sun has differential rotation, what is differential rotation?
the rotation of a body which different parts of a body have different periods of rotation
Name of Largest Volcano in our solar system
Olympus Mons
How many moons does Jupiter have?
62
What is the name of Pluto's largest moon?
Charon (pronounced Karen)