EARTH SCI LT #2 Reviewer

SUN
 4.5 billion years young
 The only star in the solar system
 The heaviest object in the solar system
 Made of 91% Hydrogen, 8.9% Helium
 Volume would need 1.3 million Earth to fill it.
 Source of life on earth
 On the “main sequence” stage
Inner Parts
1. Core – heart of the sun, where nuclear fusion happens.
2. Radiative Zone – region where energy produces in the core radiates towards the surface.
3. Convective Zone – the energy waves which is weakened by their passage through
radiative zone, pass through this region via constantly churning convection currents.
Outer parts
4. Photosphere – surface of the sun, where light & heat are emitted.
5. Chromosphere – lower atmosphere of the sun, highly agitated zone of thin gases,
reddish in color.
6. Corona – outer portion of the sun’s atmosphere.
7. Sunspot – dark area of the sun results from lower temperature of gases.
8. Granules – bright clouds observed in the chromospheres near the sunspot’s regions
9. Prominence – mixtures of hot gases, tongue-like flames of hydrogen gas, that shoot out
from the sun’s surface

THE PLANETS
Terrestrial, Rocky = Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Jovian, Gaseous = Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Small to big = Mercury – Mars – Venus – Earth – Neptune – Uranus – Saturn – Jupiter
 Hottest – Venus
 Largest – Jupiter
 Smallest – Mercury
 Red – Mars
 Tallest Mountain – Olympus Mons of Mars (21,229 m)
 Largest Storm – The Great Red Spot of Jupiter
 Largest Moon – Ganymede of Jupiter
 Brightest – Venus
  Spins on side – Uranus
 Most satellite/moon – Saturn
Earth
Spheres - lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere
Shape – oblate spheroid, slightly bulging in equatorial regions & its poles are flat.
Motions
 23 hrs. & 56 mins., 4 secs.
 Causes day & night
 Rotates eastward
Magnetic Field
– generated from the movements of molten matter in the liquid outer core
– reason why we can see the beautiful auroras at night in the thermosphere

Earth’s Seasons – occurs due to Earth’s tilt

- Winter: winter solstice, dec 21/22
- Spring: vernal equinox, mar 20/21
- Summer: summer solstice, june 21/22
- Autumn: autumnal equinox, sept 22/23
Earth’s moon: Luna – only one natural satellite

Eclipses:
– occurs when the sun, earth & moon align along a straight path
– shadows are formed during eclipse, SYZYGY
TYPES OF SOLAR ECLIPSE
- Total solar eclipse: areas where umbra is cast , 2 shadows
 - Partial solar eclipse: areas where penumbra is cast, 2 shadows
- Annular solar eclipse: areas where antumbra is cast, 3 shadows
TYPES OF LUNAR ECLIPSE
- Total lunar eclipse: visible anywhere on the night side of the earth, moon’s position
in umbra
- Partial solar eclipse: moon’s position in umbra and penumbra