Notes:
Solar System
Main
Idea #1: Planets were born of space debris orbiting the sun
A.
Nebular Theory
1.
4.5 billion years ago, gravity caused gas and dust to contract together.
2.
particles began to spiral and form a flat disk
3.
particles collided and temperatures increased
4.
most of the matter moved to the center of the spiral
5.
high pressure and temperatures caused sun to form
6.
<1% of original material collided together and formed the planets
A.
Scientists originally thought the sun, moon, and stars orbited the
earth!
B.
In 1543, Copernicus published a book saying that everything orbited the
sun.
II
Planet’s Orbits
A.
affected by the sun’s gravity
B.
affected by their own speed
Notes:
The Planets
I.
Terrestrial-small, rocky, few moons
A.
Mercury
1.
gray
2.
no moons
3.
cliffs and craters
B.
Venus
1.
yellow
2.
no moons
3.
canyons, very hot due to CO2 (greenhouse effect)
C.
Earth
1.
Blue
2.
One moon
3.
The water planet, life
D.
Mars
1.
red (due to iron oxide)
2.
two moons
3.
once had water
II. The Jovian Planets- large, gas planets, rings, many moons
A.
Jupiter
1.
orange-red, striped
2.
16 moons
3.
The Red Spot-large storm system
4.
one faint ring
B.
Saturn
1.
orange-yellow
2.
18 moons
3.
most and brightest rings
C.
Uranus
1.
blue-green
2.
15 moons
3.
10 thin rings
4.
turned on side, equator goes North and South
D.
Neptune
1.
blue
2.
8 moons
3.
2 narrow moons
4.
Great Dark Spot (very high winds)
III.
Unique???
A.
Pluto
1.
gray
2.
1 moon
3.
Orbit crosses Neptune’s for 20 years (1979-1999)
Notes:
Comets, Asteroids, Meteors
I.
Comets-“dirty snowball”
A.
made of ice, dirt, and dust
B.
tailà
gas vapors
C.
influenced by planets and sun
D.
origin à
giant cloud outside solar system
II.
Asteroid Belt
A.
located between Mars and Jupiter
B.
leftover pieces that never formed planets
III.
Meteors à
“shooting stars”
A.
fragments that leave their orbit and are
captured
by the Earth’s gravity
B. most burned in Earth’s atmosphere
IV.
Meteorites
A. meteors that fall to Earth
B. usually only as big as a pebble