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29 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
What is interesting about Mercury's orbit?
It was believed to be tidally locked with sun (NOT TRUE it presents its same face everyother time around).

It's rotation is longer than its orbit (a year is shorther than a day).
Mercury's atmosphere
Almost non existant (like earth's moon).

-its only minimal atmosphere comes from solar wind blown hydrogen particles.
What is the result of Mercury having virtually no atmosphere.
EXTREME TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS.

800-300 F (DAY/NIGHT)
Mercury's Surface is

-similar to what other body?
-plate tectonics?
- what accounts for the differences in craters?
the moon.

NO PLATE TECTONICS

flatter craters than the moon because it has higher gravity.
What other unique feature do we observe on mercury's surface?
Scarps- cliffs. These are due to surface cooling which has caused shrinking and splitting.
What is the most distinct feature of Venus?
Its rotation is retrograde. it is the only planet with the possible exception of Neptune.
What do we know about venus' atmosphere in comparison to earth's?
It is much more massive
what is in venus' clouds?
Instead of water like on Earth the clouds carry sulfuric acid.
What chemical compositions account for Venus' atmosphere? What is the effect?
Almost exclusively CO2 some nitrogen.

The result is extreme heat and NO FLUCTUATIONS IN TEMP.
Venus' surface reveals two similar features to that of earth what are they?
Land (though alot less)

Volcanoes (only other planet)
What effect does having volcanoes cause on Venus?
The surface of venus is very new because it is replaced by fresh volcanic rock.
On venus what are caldera?
Craters caused by volcanoes.
On venus, what are coronae?
Not full fledged volcanoes. but circular volcanic structures.
If venus' surface is constantly being made, what rocks are found?
Basaltic and granite (as on Earth)
Mars

-rotation period
-tilt
-moons
-chemical composition of atmosphere
25 hrs (like earth)
similar tilt to earth

2 small moons

mostly CO2 some nitrogen, argon, oxygen CO, water vapor
Giovanni Schiaparelli

-observed dark and bright spots. He believed...
-observed changes in surface color. He believed...
-observed long narrow features. He thought...
were caused by changes in seasons.

were evidence of plant life.

were canals built by civilizations to get water to the arrid desert.
Percivall Lowell
built AZ observatory

he believed the canals were used by civilizations (not schiaparelli)
Mars' soil is rich in what elements?
Iron and oxygen which give it its reddish-orangy color. OXIDATION,
What three features are seen on Mars' surface and where?
-frozen polar ice caps (CO2)

-North: rolling planes of volcanoes.

-South: heavily cratered.
2 surface features on Mars

-Tharsis bulge
-Valles Marineris
Tharsis bulge- mountain-like range at the equator (10 km high)

Valles Marineris- large Valleys... NOT DUE TO WATER.
Volcanoes on Mars

-size
-reason for size
Volcanoes on Mars are the largest in the solar system.

This is because there is alot less gravity on Mars.
is there water on Mars?
No. But long ago there was (4 billion years ago) when mars was warmer, and had a thicker atmosphere.
What happened to the water on Mars?
The water froze into permafrost (below surface) then with extreme volcanoes, it melted and finally froze again when volcanoes subsided.
Mars has two moons.

-What are their names?
-What are their origins?
Phobos and Deimos

Captured Asteroids.
Life on mars?
After some soil tests it appears as though threre isnt even microbial life currently. But no evidence against life when there was water.
Martian mediorite was found... what was the big hype?
thought that may contain evidence for life but cannot be sure.
What is the internal structure of Mercury like?
-Rocky, very dense, no liquid core
-solid mantle therefore no plate tectonics no volcanoes.
What does the internal structure of Venus look like?
-resembles that of young earth.
-no plate tectonics
Mars'internal structure
Alot of tectonic activity (volcanoes)

Weak magnetic field.