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Published byEugene McCormick Modified over 9 years ago
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Solar System All masses that orbit the sun plus the sun!
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Solar System Contents Sun (most of the mass!) Planets and their satellites Asteroids (asteroid belt) Comets (Oort cloud) Gas and dust (all over!)
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Terrestrial Planets Earthlike: rocks, metals Solids and fluidlike materials Surfaces that record change Small sizes, but high densities Inside asteroid belt
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Jovian Planets Jupiter-like: Liquids & gases No solid surfaces to preserve changes Large sizes, low densities, made mostly of hydrogen and helium Outside asteroid belt
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Planet Models Mass & spherical shape (Newton’s law of gravitation) Radius (from angular size and distance) Bulk density (mass/volume) => infer general composition Contain density layers (lowest, surface; highest, core)
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Evolution of Planets Heat (energy flow)! Heat goes from hotter to cooler regions Drives internal & surface change Eventually radiates into space
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Energy Transfer Conduction (solids; adjacent particles collide) Convection (fluids; lower density blobs rise) Radiation (radiate energy, emitted and absorbed)
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Internal Evolution Energy flow from core to surface to space Source: Stored energy of formation, radioactive decay Results in volcanism, tectonics on solid surfaces (terrestrial); convection in liquids & gases (Jovian)
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External Evolution Impact cratering: Solid objects from space, hit at tens km/s Bomb-like explosion; many megatons (H-bomb!) Creates circular impact craters on solid surfaces; turbulent regions in liquids
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