AST 1002: Outline for Topic C

[Sections Taught by Prof. H.L. Cohen]

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Topic C: The Planets (Comparative Planetology)

• Solar System Regularities (Ref. Tables 56)
  • Be familiar with all eight items in Table 5 except item #5 (omit Titius-Bode Rule)
  • Know names of planets according to mean distance
  • Know what is unusual about Sun's rotation. (What is the Sun's "spin problem"?)
  • Know definitions (and be able to distinguish between)
    –Planet and star
    –Asteroid and minor planet (they are the same!)
    –Rotation and revolution
    –Prograde (or "direct") and retrograde
    –Inclination, obliquity, eccentricity and oblateness
    –North pole and south pole (of rotation)
    –Double planet and twin planet (know examples)
    –Refractory and volatile materials
    –Inner planet and outer planet — contrast with inferior plaent and superior planet
    –Terrestrial and Jovian (How is meaning of "jovial" related to Jupiter?)
    
• Other Terminology to Know (Ref. Tables 5–6, Class Notes, Textbook, Dictionary, etc.)
  • Albedo
  • Circumference
  • Libration (esp. of Moon — What are its causes?)
  • Mass
  • Mean Density
  • Oblateness (Causes?)
  • Radius
  • Synchronous Rotation (see below)
  • Volume
• Synchronous Rotation
  
  • Know meaning and consequence if object has synchronous rotation
    
  • Which objects having synchronous rotation?
    
  • What is consequence if object does not rotate?
    
• Planetary Types (Terrestrial, Jovian, etc.)
  • Know characteristics of each type — i.e., be able to contrast each group in terms of . . .
    –Rotation period; obliquity
    –Size (radius); oblateness (why are planets oblate?; implication on planet's structure)
    –Mass, volume, mean density (what is implication on planet's composition)
    –Quantity of atmosphere; know major/minor atmospheric gases present
       (What are "light" gases; "heavy" gases)
    –Albedo (what implied about planet's visible "surface"?)
    –Does planet have internal heat, magnetic fields?
    –Planet structure (refractory vs. volatile vs. ice, etc.) core composition
    –How to Terrestrial & Jovian structures differ (see pg. 29 & pp.199–200 of text)
    –What are the two most abundant elements in Earth's crust? In core?
    –Number of satellites. (Which planets have many? Few? None? Planet with most?)
       (Who discovered Jupiter's four largest satellites?)
    –Which have rings? (Who discovered rings of Saturn?)
    
  • Know names of all Solar System objects (including Moon and Sun) in each planetary group
       (Terrestrial, Jovian and "Plutinos")
    
  • What is a Kuiper Belt Object (KBO)? Where located in Solar System?
    
  • Know location in Solar System of each planetary group
    
  • Suggestion — Make a summary table with several column headings: Feature, Terrestrial, Jovian, Plutino and Extremes or Interesting Cases. Under the "Feature Column," list relevant planet group features. (See suggestions in above list.) Finally, fill in remaining columns with all appropriate information for each planet type.
    (Example: For Feature = Size, you might list small, large, small for the Terrestrial, Jovian and Plutino groups respectively.)
  • For a starting example table, see Table 6b
• Solar System Patterns (Ref. Table 6)
  • Know names of planets (in "correct" order by mean distance)
  • In Table 6, know and understand what numbers mean (do not memorize lots of numbers)
  • Hence, look for the following features:
    –Patterns or groupings
    –Similarities and differences (or opposites — contrasting objects)
    –Extremes (largest, smallest, etc.)
    –Interesting cases
    –Distinctive features
    –Peculiarities, anomalies (oddities)
    –Implications (e.g., How does axis tilt of Uranus affect seasons/duration of daylight?)
• Example Summary:
  The following example shows how a particular planetary feature (in this case rotation) might be arranged and summarized according to the features listed above. However, you should be able make a similar summary for any row in Table 6 (eccentricity, inclination, rotation, obliquity, size, mass, mean density, oblateness, atmospheric composition, planet structure, albedo, number of satellites, rings, etc.).
  

  Rotation Period (Example)

  –Groupings	Jovian planets fast rotators (all less than one day) Terrestrial planets slow rotators (all one day or more)
  –Similarities	Earth and Mars (both nearly one day)
  –Extremes	Venus slowest, Jupiter and Saturn fastest
  –Interesting Cases	Moon's rotation/revolution synchronous (same)
  –Peculiarities	Sun slow rotator although large (Jovian planets large but fast rotators)
  –Anomalies	Three retrograde rotators (which ones?)
  –Some Implications	Rapid rotation increases oblateness Slow rotation may cause one side to "bake;" other "freeze"

  
  
• What do planet groupings (Terrestrial, Jovian, Plutinos) and chemical segregation suggest about Solar System's early development?
  –What inner, small rocky planets imply
  –What outer, large gas giants and small, icy objects imply
  
• Asteroids and Comets (Ref. Table 5, Items 7 and 8)
  • Know basic characteristics and regularities of asteroids (Table 5, Item 7)
  • Know basic characteristics and regularities of comets (Table 5, Item 8)
• Tentative List of Study Guide Questions To Omit for Topic C
  • Nos. 4 through 6 (questions referring to the Titius-Bode Relation); No. 47

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* This list is reasonably complete but students remain responsible for all material presented in class. Tables, figures, examples, etc., listed here refer to Study Guide items.

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For comments and suggestions contact Howard L. Cohen at cohen@astro.ufl.edu About this site (department disclaimer and recommended web browser) © Copyright 1999-2003 Howard L. Cohen