ACING EAPS 100, MIDTERM EXAM, WITH ESSENTIAL A+
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How did the universe form (what is the most widely accepted scientific theory)?
According to this theory, all of the energy and matter if the universe originally existed in an
incomprehensively hot and dense state. About 13.8 billion years ago, our universe began as a
cataclysmic explosion, which continued to expand, cool, and evolve to its current state.
Big bang theory
a theory which proposes that the universe originated as a single mass, which subsequently
exploded
How did the Solar System form (what is the most widely accepted scientific theory)?
Proposes that the Sun and planets formed from a rotating cloud of interstellar gases (mainly
hydrogen and helium) and dust called the solar nebula. As gravity contracted the solar nebula,
most of the material collected in the center to form the hot protosun. The remaining materials
formed a thick, flattened, rotating disk, within which matter gradually cooled and condensed
into grains and clumps of icy, rocky material. Repeated collisions resulted in most of the
material clumping together into increasingly larger chunks that eventually became asteroid-
sized objects called planetesimals.
Nebula theory
a model for the origin of the solar system that supposes a rotating nebula of dust and gases
that contracted to form the Sun and planets
Terrestrial planets
having relatively large cores composed mainly of iron and nickel. Relatively meager
atmospheres that are typically dominated by carbon dioxide or nitrogen, and most small solar
system bodies are airless (examples - mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars)
Terrestrial planets formed by
,the composition of planetesimals was largely determined by their proximity to the protosun. As
you might expect, temperatures were highest in the inner solar system and decreased toward
the outer edge of the disk. Between the present orbits of Mercury and Mars, the planetesimals
were composed of materials with high melting temperatures- metals and rocky substances.
Then, through repeated collisions and accretion, these asteroid-sized rocky bodies combined to
form the four protoplanets that eventually became Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Jovian Planets
really small solid cores. Big gas houses in 2 of them and the other 2 but not as much. Very thick
atmospheres composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with lesser amounts of water,
methane, ammonia, and other hydrocarbons (examples- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune)
Jovian Planets formed by
the planetesimals that formed beyond the orbit of Mars, where temperatures were low,
contained high percentages of ices- water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and methane- as well as
small amounts of rocky and metallic debris. It was mainly from these planetesimals that the
four outer planets eventually formed. The accumulation of ices accounts, in part, for the large
sizes and low densities of these outer planets. The two most massive planets, ties of these
outer planets. The 2 most massive planets, Jupiter and Saturn, had surface gravities sufficient to
attract and retain large quantities of hydrogen and helium, the lightest elements.
Jovian planet structures
different by the inner planets are substantially smaller than the outer planets, also called gas
giants. Other properties that differ among the plants include densities, chemical compositions,
orbital periods, and numbers of satellites. Variations in the chemical composition of planets are
largely responsible for their density differences.
the average density of the terrestrial planets
is about 5 times the density of water,
the average density of the Jovian planets
, is only 1.5 times that of water.
The outer planets are also characterized
by long orbital periods and numerous satellites.
The terrestrial planets are
dense, having relatively large cores composed mainly of iron and nickel.
The 2 largest Jovian planets, Jupiter and Saturn,
likely have small, solid cores consisting of iron compounds, like the cores of the terrestrial
planets and rocky material similar to Earth's mantle. Progressing outward, the layer above the
core consists of liquid hydrogen that is under extremely high temperatures and pressures.
Uranus and Neptune also have
small iron-rich, rocky cores, but their mantles are likely hot, dense water and ammonia. Above
their mantles, the amount of hydrogen and helium increases, but these gases exist in much
smaller amounts than in Jupiter and Saturn.
How did the Earth become differentiated?
The core is made of iron- heavier than the rocks around it, the dense iron core is sinking, the
lighter rocks are on the outside, it organized itself by density
What is relative geologic age-dating?
rocks placed in their proper sequence or order of formation based on geologic principles
What is absolute geologic age-dating?
Exactly what time it was from like dinosaur, radioactive decay, they know when something exist
specifically
What is the definition of "half-life" in regards to a radiometric isotope?
the time required for one-half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How did the universe form (what is the most widely accepted scientific theory)?
According to this theory, all of the energy and matter if the universe originally existed in an
incomprehensively hot and dense state. About 13.8 billion years ago, our universe began as a
cataclysmic explosion, which continued to expand, cool, and evolve to its current state.
Big bang theory
a theory which proposes that the universe originated as a single mass, which subsequently
exploded
How did the Solar System form (what is the most widely accepted scientific theory)?
Proposes that the Sun and planets formed from a rotating cloud of interstellar gases (mainly
hydrogen and helium) and dust called the solar nebula. As gravity contracted the solar nebula,
most of the material collected in the center to form the hot protosun. The remaining materials
formed a thick, flattened, rotating disk, within which matter gradually cooled and condensed
into grains and clumps of icy, rocky material. Repeated collisions resulted in most of the
material clumping together into increasingly larger chunks that eventually became asteroid-
sized objects called planetesimals.
Nebula theory
a model for the origin of the solar system that supposes a rotating nebula of dust and gases
that contracted to form the Sun and planets
Terrestrial planets
having relatively large cores composed mainly of iron and nickel. Relatively meager
atmospheres that are typically dominated by carbon dioxide or nitrogen, and most small solar
system bodies are airless (examples - mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars)
Terrestrial planets formed by
,the composition of planetesimals was largely determined by their proximity to the protosun. As
you might expect, temperatures were highest in the inner solar system and decreased toward
the outer edge of the disk. Between the present orbits of Mercury and Mars, the planetesimals
were composed of materials with high melting temperatures- metals and rocky substances.
Then, through repeated collisions and accretion, these asteroid-sized rocky bodies combined to
form the four protoplanets that eventually became Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Jovian Planets
really small solid cores. Big gas houses in 2 of them and the other 2 but not as much. Very thick
atmospheres composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with lesser amounts of water,
methane, ammonia, and other hydrocarbons (examples- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune)
Jovian Planets formed by
the planetesimals that formed beyond the orbit of Mars, where temperatures were low,
contained high percentages of ices- water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and methane- as well as
small amounts of rocky and metallic debris. It was mainly from these planetesimals that the
four outer planets eventually formed. The accumulation of ices accounts, in part, for the large
sizes and low densities of these outer planets. The two most massive planets, ties of these
outer planets. The 2 most massive planets, Jupiter and Saturn, had surface gravities sufficient to
attract and retain large quantities of hydrogen and helium, the lightest elements.
Jovian planet structures
different by the inner planets are substantially smaller than the outer planets, also called gas
giants. Other properties that differ among the plants include densities, chemical compositions,
orbital periods, and numbers of satellites. Variations in the chemical composition of planets are
largely responsible for their density differences.
the average density of the terrestrial planets
is about 5 times the density of water,
the average density of the Jovian planets
, is only 1.5 times that of water.
The outer planets are also characterized
by long orbital periods and numerous satellites.
The terrestrial planets are
dense, having relatively large cores composed mainly of iron and nickel.
The 2 largest Jovian planets, Jupiter and Saturn,
likely have small, solid cores consisting of iron compounds, like the cores of the terrestrial
planets and rocky material similar to Earth's mantle. Progressing outward, the layer above the
core consists of liquid hydrogen that is under extremely high temperatures and pressures.
Uranus and Neptune also have
small iron-rich, rocky cores, but their mantles are likely hot, dense water and ammonia. Above
their mantles, the amount of hydrogen and helium increases, but these gases exist in much
smaller amounts than in Jupiter and Saturn.
How did the Earth become differentiated?
The core is made of iron- heavier than the rocks around it, the dense iron core is sinking, the
lighter rocks are on the outside, it organized itself by density
What is relative geologic age-dating?
rocks placed in their proper sequence or order of formation based on geologic principles
What is absolute geologic age-dating?
Exactly what time it was from like dinosaur, radioactive decay, they know when something exist
specifically
What is the definition of "half-life" in regards to a radiometric isotope?
the time required for one-half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay
