Astronomy
1st Edition
ISBN: 9781938168284
Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher: OpenStax
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Chapter 7, Problem 8E
What is comparative planetology and why is it useful to astronomers?
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We need to create a scale model of the solar system (by shrinking the sun down to the size of a basketball or ~30cm). First, we will need to scale down actual solar system dimensions (planet diameters and average orbital radiuses) by converting our units. There are two blank spaces in the table below. We will effectively fill in the missing data in the next set of questions. Use the example below to help you.
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Chapter 7 Solutions
Astronomy
Ch. 7 - Venus rotates backward and Uranus and Pluto spin...Ch. 7 - What is the difference between a differentiated...Ch. 7 - What does a planet need in order to retain an...Ch. 7 - Which type of planets have the most moons? Where...Ch. 7 - What is the difference between a meteor and a...Ch. 7 - Explain our ideas about why the terrestrial...Ch. 7 - Do all planetary systems look the same as our own?Ch. 7 - What is comparative planetology and why is it...Ch. 7 - What changed in our understanding of the Moon and...Ch. 7 - If Earth was to be hit by an extraterrestrial...
Ch. 7 - List some reasons that the study of the planets...Ch. 7 - Imagine you are a travel agent in the next...Ch. 7 - What characteristics do the worlds in our solar...Ch. 7 - How do terrestrial and giant planets differ? List...Ch. 7 - Why are there so many craters on the Moon and so...Ch. 7 - How do asteroids and comets differ?Ch. 7 - How and why is Earth’s Moon different from the...Ch. 7 - Where would you look for some “original”...Ch. 7 - Describe how we use radioactive elements and their...Ch. 7 - What was the solar nebula like? Why did the Sun...Ch. 7 - What can we learn about the formation of our solar...Ch. 7 - Earlier in this chapter, we modeled the solar...Ch. 7 - Seasons are a result of the inclination of a...Ch. 7 - Again using Appendix F, which planet(s) might you...Ch. 7 - Again using Appendix F, which planets might you...Ch. 7 - Using some of the astronomical resources in your...Ch. 7 - Explain why the planet Venus is differentiated,...Ch. 7 - Would you expect as many impact craters per unit...Ch. 7 - Using Appendix G, complete the following table...Ch. 7 - Calculate the density of Jupiter. Show your work....Ch. 7 - Calculate the density of Saturn. Show your work....Ch. 7 - What is the density of Jupiter’s moon Europa (see...Ch. 7 - Look at Appendix F and Appendix G and indicate the...Ch. 7 - Barnard’s Star, the second closest star to us, is...Ch. 7 - A radioactive nucleus has a half-life of 5108...
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