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STUDY QUESTIONS PART 3

Study Questions Weeks 9  and 10

Chapter 10: Mars

1. Be able to describe the relative positions of the Earth, Sun and Mars. Define the terms:  conjunction, opposition, and quadrature with respect to the orbit of Mars.
2. Describe the overall surface of Mars. Know the general characteristics of the southern highlands, the northern plains,  and the uplift areas (Tharsis and Elysium). 
3. Be able to describe/discuss the features of Mars in terms of the four processes: impact cratering, volcanism, tectonics, and erosion.
4. How does the northern region differ from the southern region?
5. Describe the general characteristics of Valles Marineris.
6. Describe the general  characteristics of the Martian  polar caps.
7. Describe the impact craters on Mars. How are they different from those on the Moon?
8. Describe the overall distribution of impact craters.
9. Describe the surface features that are attributed to running  water on Mars.
10. Describe the evidence for catastrophic flooding on Mars
11. What are the characteristics of "outflow channels" and  "runoff channels"?
12. Describe the evidence for water on Mars.
13. What are the characteristics of Martian volcanoes?
14. Describe  tectonic features on Mars.
15. Describe the geologic history of Mars.

Mars Exploration

• What are the overall goals for all the NASA missions to explore Mars?
• Be able to summarize three of the Mars missions discussed in class. Know:  what they did or will do, was it/will it be an orbiter or lander, what were/are some of the keystone accomplishments of the mission, and what were/are the major scientific or technical objectives of the mission.

Spectrometers

1. What is the basic purpose of a spectrometer (in the context of planetary exploration...i.e what do they tell us about the surface of planets?
2. What do you see when you look at an excited gas with a spectrometer (Note: a simple spectrometer is a plastic diffraction grating in a cardbaord slide mount)?
3. How is it that you can identify different elements by looking at their visible spectrum?
4. What does a gamma ray spectrometer actually measure? (In other words, what is the actually physical property, and of what object, that the spectrometer measures).
5. Why do atoms in the surface of a planet give off gamma rays? (note: there are two reasons)
6. List the different types of spectrometers you have heard about (though you may not know haw they work).

Study Questions Week 11

Jovian Planets and moons

1. Be able to visually identify the Jovian planets.
2. Describe and compare the  composition of the Jovian planets.
3. Describe and compare the internal structure of the Jovian planets.
4. Describe and compare the magnetic fields of the Jovian planets.
5. Describe and compare the rings of the Jovian planets.
6. Discuss the possible internal heat sources for the Jovian planets.
7. Describe the defining characteristics of the Galilean moons. Be able to identify each from a description of its major surface features. Be able to identify each from an image of the full moon.
8. Describe the defining characteristics of these moons of Saturn: Titan, Enceladus, Iapetus, and  Mimas. Be able to identify each from a description of its major surface features.

Study Questions Week 12

Formation of the solar system

1. What are the major observed characteristics of our solar system which should be explained by the theory of formation?
2. What are the irregularities observed in the solar system that a theory of formation will have to allow for?
3. What is the difference between evolutionary theories and catastrophic theories of formation of the solar system?
4. Describe the condensation theory.
5. What is accretion?
6. Describe or define planetesimal. 
7. Discuss the standard theory of formation of the solar system.
8. How do the gas giants form?
9. What is the evidence that Jupiter formed farther out in the solar system and "migrated" in to its current location? 
10. Discuss asteroids and comets in the context of the standard model of solar system formation.
11.  In the context of the standard model, why do rocky planets form in the inner solar system?
12. What role might "catastrophies" have played in shaping the appearance of the solar system today?