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The Solar System


When you have completed this chapter you should be able to:

1. Distinguish between the rotation and revolution of a planet and state the two regularities of these motions shared by most planets and satellites.
2. Identify the inner and outer planets and list the common properties of the members of each group.
3. Discuss why Pluto does not fit into either of the above groups.
4. Discuss the nature and appearance in the sky of comets.
5. Give the two causes of the deflection of comet tails so they always point away from the sun.
6. Describe the appearance in the sky and the nature of meteors.
7. Describe how Venus is environmentally different from earth.
8. Discuss the possibility of life on Mars.
9. State what asteroids are and describe the danger asteroids pose.
10. Describe the Great Red Spot of Jupiter.
11. Discuss the nature of Saturn's rings and explain how this was discovered before spacecraft visited Saturn.
12. Use a diagram to account for the phases of the moon.
13. Explain why eclipses of the sun and moon occur.
14. Describe the surface features of the moon.
15. Outline the evolution of the moon's surface.
16. Discuss the various theories of the origin of the moon.









The Physical Universe, 11eOnline Learning Center

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