Solar System

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Solar System Geocentric = Earth (geo) is center of universe Heliocentric = Sun (helio) is center of universe Which is correct? Heliocentric… proved by Copernicus and Galileo.

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Solar System. Geocentric = Earth (geo) is center of universe Heliocentric = Sun (helio) is center of universe Which is correct? Heliocentric… proved by Copernicus and Galileo. Solar Nebula Theory. How to make a solar system : Start with nebula = a large cloud of dust and gas. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Solar System

Page 1: Solar System

Solar System

Geocentric = Earth (geo) is center of universe

Heliocentric = Sun (helio) is center of universe

Which is correct?

Heliocentric… proved by Copernicus and Galileo.

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Solar Nebula Theory

How to make a solar system:

1. Start with nebula = a large cloud of dust and gas.

2. The nebula begins to spin and contract from gravity. This creates a flattened disk.

ie: pizza, skirt on spinning ice skater.

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Solar Nebula Theory

3. The middle of the disk reaches high temp. and ignites!

Nuclear Fusion = when lighter elements combine into heavier elements (Hydrogen + Hydrogen = Helium)

4. Voila… a star is formed.

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Planet Formation

Dust and rocks begin to clump together… like a snowball = accretion.

Planetesimals = objects size of small moons with gravitational fields.

Differentiation = dense materials sink to form core, light materials float and form crust.

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Planets

Definition (2006):

1. Must orbit around the Sun.

2. Enough mass to be a sphere.

3. Cleared the “neighborhood” around its orbit.

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Planet Groups

Terrestrial Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

-- Rocky surface-- Small diameter -- High density-- Few moons

Jovian Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

-- No surface-- Large diameter-- Low density-- Many moons

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Pluto

Pluto resides in Kuiper Belt.

In 2005, Eris (same size as Pluto) found in Kuiper Belt.

Pluto does not clear out its orbit

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Kuiper Belt

Region located 30 to 55 AU (past Neptune).

1,300 objects discovered so far.

May have over a trillion comets and 200 dwarf planets.

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Elliptical OrbitsAll planet have elliptical (oval) orbits.

Eccentricity = how flat

1. Two fixed points within ellipse (foci)2. Sun is at one of the foci.

Circle = 0 eccentricityLine = 1 eccentricity

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Gravity

Aristotle = heavy objects fall faster than light objects.

Kepler = laws of planetary motion (didn’t know cause).

Galileo = first to test “how objects fall” (didn’t know cause).

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Isaac Newton

Gravity is a force.

From Galileo’s ideas he determines that the moon is falling into Earth, but keeps missing it (orbit).

Thought experiment – gravity cannon.

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Asteroids

Rocky and Metallic objects that orbit the sun.

Most located between Mars and Jupiter.

Periodically destroy all life on Earth.

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Comets

Ball of dust and ice that revolves around the sun.

“Dirty snowball”.

Most come from Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud… very far from Sun.

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Exoplanet

Exoplanet = planet orbiting another star.

Over 1,075 confirmed so far.

First rocky planet found.