MATERIAL FOR EXAM #2, FROM TEXT:
Includes material from first half of the course:
Chapter 1 all
Chapter 2 skim historical material
Chapter 3 all
Chapter 4 Kepler's Laws; Escape Velocity
Chapter 7 all
Chapter 8 all
Chapter 9 all
Chapter 10 all
Chapter 11 all
Chapter 12 all
Chapter 13 all
Chapter 14 all
Chapter 24 all
KNOW FACTS ABOUT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM!
For example: age, size, density, composition, relative distances
Also: characteristics planet surfaces, atmospheres
And about space missions, the types, data returned
FORMAT OF THE EXAM:
NO multiple choice.
Will have short answers, short essays, a few longer essays, fill-in, drawings.
Also, there will be problems with computations required. (BRING YOUR CALCULATOR)
Advice: Don't write to excess, answer the questions clearly and concisely.
More advice: If you're uncertain about what a question - ask us! We'll both be there in the room for the Exam; we can clarify what's being asked.
EXAMPLES of some possible questions for Exam #2:
Terrestrial planets (20 points total for this question)
a) Define the term "terrestrial bodies" as applied to our solar system.
b) Name the terrestrial bodies, giving approximate relative sizes.
c) Why are Venus and Earth called 'twins'? Compare Earth's tectonics with that of its sister planet.
d) When did the Apollo missions take place? What was learned from them about the Moon? Why were they undertaken with such vigor?
e) What are the three mechanisms of heat production in planets? Give an example of each and sketch each. Ditto, with heat transport.
f) What shapes the surfaces of planets? For each terrestrial body cite the primary activity that has shaped its surface.
Planets and Geological Time (20 points total for this question)
a) What is the current estimate for the age of the solar system? How is it determined?
b) How old is the oldest rock on Earth found to date? Why does this differ from the estimate above? How does this compare with the surfaces of Venus or the Moon?
c) Radioactive Uranium 238 decays to what daughter product? With a half life of 4.5 b.y., how long until only 25% remains of the original radioactive parent?
d) Assuming Uranium and all other radioactive isotopes decayed 100 times faster, what would have been the result for the terrestrial planets? Would these isotopes prove useful for dating rocks?
e) How does Earth's age of the ocean floor compare with the continents? What is the oldest? The youngest ocean floor? Why the discrepancy? How does this compare with Venus' surface?
Planetary Atmospheres (20 points total for this question)
a) How do planets get their atmospheres? Give at least two processes.
b) Mars most likely had a thicker atmosphere in its past. Why don't we see this now?
c) Venus has a very thick atmosphere, but currently lacks significant weather at its surface and thus erosion. Why?
d) What gasses make up Earth's atmosphere? How does this compare with Venus'?
Outer bodies (20 points total for this question)
a) Describe Pluto and its satellites. How many?
b) Cite 4 specific arguments against Pluto being considered a planet. What arguments could be made for Pluto's inclusion in the list of planets?
c) What mission recently passed by Pluto? When? What did we already learn?
d) Compare Pluto's orbit to that of the 8 planets.
e) Based on its distance of 40 AU, calculate the period from Kepler's laws.
Outer solar system (20 points total for this question)
a) Name the outer planets giving approximate relative sizes.
b) Give the characteristics of the outer planets that make them different than the terrestrial planets.
c) Account for the difference in composition of the outer planets based on the formation of the solar system.
Exploration of the outer solar system (20 points total for this question)
a) Which satellites are considered possible locations of life?
b) Describe a mission that would look for life on these bodies.
c) What inner solar system bodies are candidates for life?
d) What are the requirements for life? How could an outer solar system moon offer these?
Asteroids and comets (20 points total for this question)
a) Describe how asteroids and comets formed as the solar system accreted.
b) Describe the size range of asteroids and their orbits. Name some.
c) Compare the composition and density of comets to asteroids. Where do comets come from?
d) What could be learned from a mission to a comet?
Extra-solar planets (aka 'Exoplanets') (20 points total for this question)
a) Describe how planets around other stars are discovered. Draw a picture.
b) What characteristics would define the 'Habitable' zone?
c) Once a planet has been discovered, what could indicate the presence of life?
d) Cite four characteristics of Earth and our Sun that may make it special, perhaps even unique in our galaxy ("Rare Earth"), and suitable for the development of life and ultimately the evolution to intelligence.
e) What missions are currently surveying stars for exoplanets? About how many have been discovered? (Check out exoplanet websites on class website for an update over the number when the textbook went to print.)
f) If several habitable planets are discovered, how would we 'communicate' with possible inhabitants? Should we? Should there be an established protocol?