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Astronomy week 5 Flipped classroom

Last updated 5 months ago

7 questions

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Question 1

1.

The capture theory seemed to be the most well accepted theory until the 1970's. What happened to change popular opinion away from the capture theory and towards the giant impact theory?

Question 2

2.

A dwarf planet must fit two criteria - a) that it orbits the sun directly (ie is not a moon of a different planet) and b) is large enough to create a gravitational field to pull itself into a sphere. A planet fits those two criteria plus one more - it has cleared its orbit of other debris. Would you guess that at the time of the creation of the moon, the earth would be considered a planet or a dwarf planet?

Question 3

3.

If the giant impact theory says that the moon was formed when a small planet with an iron core that formed separately from the earth impacted the earth, why is the moon poor in iron, and have a mantle that is practically identical to earth?

Question 4

4.

We know the density of Mercury not because we have taken samples, but because we know the overall mass and volume of the planet. What information do we have from simple observation to determine the mass of the planet?

Question 5

5.

We know the density of Mercury not because we have taken samples, but because we know the overall mass and volume of the planet. We could not simply measure the radius with a telescope and ruler, what information would have helped us determine the radius of Mercury?

Question 6

6.

Though a much smaller planet, Mercury has a similar gravity to Mars. Why?

Question 7

7.

Why is it likely that Mercury lost some of its silicate core to impacts early on?

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