Geology 305 - Midterm 1 Review Material - Astronomy

(Chapter 1, Chapter 2, pg 34-39; ch. 21, ch. 22; ch. 23 pg 694-698, ch. 24, pg. 722-727, 734-735)

density element atom ion isotope atomic mass atomic number black hole retrograde regolith differentiation

light year AU (Astronomical Unit) galaxy nebula supernova electromagnetic spectrum Doppler effect sunspot asteroid comet exoplanets

meteorite meteor shower Jovian planet Terrestrial planet lunar highlands maria iron meteorite stony meteorite big bang nebular theory density

1. What is science?

2. What is the scientific method?

3. What types of questions does science generally answer?

4. What are the basic particles that make up an atom?

5. Express density as a formula. What is the difference between weight & mass?

6. What can stars evolve to? (black holes, neutron stars, white dwarf)

7. How does the Doppler Effect apply to light energy?

8. What is the Red Shift?

9. Describe an important piece of evidence for an expanding universe.

10. What event do most scientists describe as the beginning of the universe?

11. What are the two main types of planets?

12. What are the differences between these types of planets with respect to position from sun, size, density, composition, and moons?

13. What are some important features of the planets?

14. Can you identify scientific discoveries associated with: Eratosthenes, Aristarchus, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton?

15. How did Ptolemy explain the appearance of retrograde motion?

16. What are Kepler's three laws?

17. Geologists generally agree that Earth is how old?

18. What are the two main categories of meteorites?

19. What is significant about carbonaceous chondrites?

20. What two pieces of evidence can scientists obtain from meteorites?

21. Explain how the solar system formed from an initial nebula.

22. How did all the elements heavier than hydrogen probably form?

23. How many generations of stars have we probably seen in our part of the Milky Way galaxy?

24. What are possible explanations for the Moon's formation?

25. Which explanation is favored?

26. What are two types of rock (regions) found on the Moon?

27. What formed all the craters on the Moon?

28. Explain how lunar 'soil' forms.

29. What are three basic layers to Earth?

30. How does the Sun produce energy?What are the products of this energy production?

31. What evidence is there that our Sun is probably a second or third generation star?

32. What is a typical temperature of Sun's surface?It's interior?

33. What is Edwin Hubble's contribution to Astronomy