The Cosmic Perspective (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN: 9780134874364
Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett, Megan O. Donahue, Nicholas Schneider, Mark Voit
Publisher: PEARSON
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Chapter 9, Problem 46EAP
Dating Planetary Surfaces. We have discussed two basic techniques for determining the age of a planetary surface: studying the abundance of impact craters and radiometric dating of surface rocks. Which technique seems more reliable? Which technique is more practical? Explain.
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How many impacts would you expect to strike a 100m2 region in one hour during Earth’s formation, assuming that Earth grew to its present size in 10 million years from particles averaging 100 grams each? (Hint: Assume that Earth had its current radius of 6378km.) (Notes: The surface area of a sphere is 4pir2 ; 1yr=3.2x107 .)
a. About 1300.
b. About 13 .
c. About 13,000.
d. About 130
Scientists find evidence of a large meteor impact on the coast of the YucatánPeninsula in Mexico. What can the scientists most likely expect to find in the layers of rock that are about the same age as the impact?A. evidence of the mass extinction of many speciesB. evidence of a gradual change of one species over timeC. evidence of a rapid change in one speciesD. evidence of the stability of many species over time
Activity #1. Compare and Contrast. Similarities and differences of Venus, Earth and Mars.
Do this on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Compare and contrast the three (3) terrestrial planets using table 1.
2. Provide explanations for your observations using table 2.
3. Answer the following guide questions.
Guide questions:
1. Does planet size affect gravity?
2. Why do you think Venus has the highest mean temperature among the three planets?
3. Is presence of water a primary factor for a planet to sustain life? Why or why not?
4. Based on your observations using table 2, what are the notable features that makes the
earth the only habitable planet among the three terrestrial planets?
5. What conclusions can you make?
Chapter 9 Solutions
The Cosmic Perspective (9th Edition)
Ch. 9 - Prob. 1VSCCh. 9 - Use the following questions to check your...Ch. 9 - Use the following questions to check your...Ch. 9 - Use the following questions to check your...Ch. 9 - Describe the core-mantle-crust structures of the...Ch. 9 - Summarize the processes by which planetary...Ch. 9 - Why does Earth have a global magnetic field? Why...Ch. 9 - Define each of the four major geological...Ch. 9 - Prob. 5EAPCh. 9 - Why is the Moon so much more heavily cratered than...
Ch. 9 - Summarize the ways in which a terrestrial world’s...Ch. 9 - Briefly summarize the geological history of the...Ch. 9 - Briefly summarize the geological history of...Ch. 9 - Choose five features on the global map of Mars...Ch. 9 - Why isn’t liquid water stable on Mars today, and...Ch. 9 - Choose at least three major geological features of...Ch. 9 - What evidence tells us that Venus was “repaved”...Ch. 9 - Describe the conveyor-like action of plate...Ch. 9 - Briefly explain how each of the following...Ch. 9 - To what extent do we think the geologies of the...Ch. 9 - Surprising Discoveries? Suppose we were to make...Ch. 9 - Prob. 18EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 19EAPCh. 9 - Surprising Discoveries? Suppose we were to make...Ch. 9 - Prob. 21EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 22EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 23EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 24EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 25EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 26EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 27EAPCh. 9 - Surprising Discoveries? Suppose we were to make...Ch. 9 - Prob. 29EAPCh. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Prob. 33EAPCh. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 9 - Prob. 38EAPCh. 9 - Mars Attracts. William Herschel, Giovanni...Ch. 9 - Prob. 41EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 42EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 43EAPCh. 9 - Prob. 44EAPCh. 9 - Dating Planetary Surfaces. We have discussed two...Ch. 9 - Comparative Erosion. Of Mercury, Venus, the Moon,...Ch. 9 - Miniature Mars. Suppose Mars had turned out to be...Ch. 9 - Change in Fundamental Properties. Choose one...Ch. 9 - Predictive Geology. Suppose another star system...Ch. 9 - Mystery Planet. It’s the year 2098, and you are...Ch. 9 - “Coolest” Surface Photo. Visit the Astronomy...Ch. 9 - Surface AreatoVolume Ratio. Compare the surface...Ch. 9 - Doubling Your Size. Just as the surface...Ch. 9 - Lunar Footprints. Assume that the Moon is hit by...Ch. 9 - Geological Proportions. Express the approximate...Ch. 9 - Internal vs. External Heating. In daylight,...Ch. 9 - Prob. 60EAPCh. 9 - More Plate Tectonics. Consider a seafloor...
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- B) Summarize the four general features of our solar system that a solar system formation theory must address. C) Briefly explain why we think our solar system ended up with rocky worlds in its inner regions and icy or gaseous worlds in its outer regions.arrow_forwardSome planets have very strong magnetic fields. What features must a planet have to cause this? a.both rapid rotation and a conducting liquid core b.only a rapid rotation c.only a liquid conducting core d.both a rapid rotation and a solid metallic core e.only a metallic corearrow_forwardWe believe that all of the terrestrial planets had similar histories when it comes to impacts from space. Explain how this idea can be used to date the formation of the martian highlands, the martian basins, and the Tharsis volcanoes. How certain are the ages derived for these features (in other words, how do we check the ages we derive from this method)?arrow_forward
- 1. Which of the outer planets have compositions dominated by the "ices" ingredient? Check the correct two. 2. Which of the outer planets have compositions dominated by the "gases" ingredient? Check the correct two. 3. Most of the spaceflight missions to the outer planets have been flyby missions, but two of them were orbiters. Which of these two spacecraft orbited giant planets? Check the correct two. (Hint: An orbiter might do a flyby of one planet and then go on to orbit a different planet.) 4. Jupiter's mass is how many times larger than the Earth's? Just type a number, no words or any other extra stuff. 5. Which of the outer planets has extreme seasons, with its rotational axis being tilted so much that it is practically in the plane of its orbit?arrow_forwardWhich of the following planetary traits is well established? choose one of the following: a) Mercury has a similar compositon to that of our moon, in that they both have a substantial metal content. b) Venus rotates more rapidly than Earth, but in the opposite direction. c) Earth's atmosphere exhibits a slightly stronger greenhouse effect than that seen on Venus. d)Astronomers have precisely calculated the mass of Mercury thanks to artificial satellites sent from Earth.arrow_forwardA new Terrestrial planet has been discovered orbiting a nearby Sun-like star. Astronomers have obtained spectra of this planet and determined that the atmosphere is composed of roughly 99% CO2, and the remaining 1% is mostly N2 and is very thin compared to Earth's atmosphere. Briefly describe how the planet could have developed such an atmosphere.arrow_forward
- We think the terrestrial planets formed around solid “seeds” that later grew over time through the accretion of rocks and metals. a) Suppose the Earth grew to its present size in 1 million years through the accretion of particles averaging 100 grams each. On average, how many particles did the Earth capture per second, given that the mass of the Earth is = 5.972 × 10 ^24 kg ? b) If you stood on Earth during its formation and watched a region covering 100 m^2, how many impacts would you expect to see in one hour. Use the impact rate you calculated in part a. You’ll need the following as well: the radius of the Earth is = 6.371 × 10 ^6 m and the surface area of the Earth is 4??^2Eartharrow_forwardCO2 and planetary warming: understanding Earth’s complicated atmosphere Mars has an atmospheric pressure of 6 mbar (compared with Earth atmosphere pressure of 1013 mbar), 96% of which is CO2. The average calculated temperature of Mars is -57°C, whereas the actual average temperature is -55°C so that the amount of warming due to CO2 is only 2°C. On the other hand, the average calculated temperature of Earth, with 0.4 mbar of CO2, is -19°C, whereas the actual average temperature is 15°C so that the amount of warming due to CO2 is 34°C, much greater than that on Mars, which has higher CO2 concentration. Explain how this is possible.arrow_forwardf. Assuming the Earth as an ideal sphere, determine the percentage volume of the core relative to the total volume of the earth. Note: Radius of the Earth is 6371 km, and radius of the core is 3481km.arrow_forward
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