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AS101 full lecture notes
- Course
- AS101 (AS101)
- Institution
- Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU )
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Notes on Our Solar SystemIntroduction:
Our solar system is a fascinating and intricate collection of celestial bodies, including the Sun,
planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. These notes provide an overview of the key
components, formation, characteristics, and exploration of our solar system.
1. Components of Our Solar System:
- The Sun: The central and largest object in our solar system, composed mainly of hydrogen
and helium. It provides light, heat, and energy to the other celestial bodies.
- Planets: Eight planets orbit the Sun in nearly circular paths. In order of increasing distance
from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They vary in
size, composition, and atmospheric conditions.
- Moons: Natural satellites that orbit planets. For example, Earth has one moon, while Jupiter
has more than 70 known moons.
- Asteroids: Small rocky objects primarily located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
They are remnants from the early stages of the solar system's formation.
- Comets: Icy bodies that originate from the outer regions of the solar system. When they
approach the Sun, they develop a coma (a glowing atmosphere) and a tail due to the
sublimation of ice.
- Dwarf Planets: Objects that are similar to planets but have not cleared their orbits of other
debris. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.
- Kuiper Belt: A region beyond Neptune where many icy bodies, including Pluto and other dwarf
planets, are located.
- Oort Cloud: A hypothetical spherical cloud of icy objects surrounding the solar system, thought
to be the source of long-period comets.
2. Formation and Evolution:
- The solar system formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago from a giant molecular cloud. The
cloud collapsed under gravity, forming a rotating disk called the protoplanetary disk.
- The Sun formed at the center of the disk, while the remaining material coalesced to form
planets, moons, and other objects through accretion and collisions.
- Over time, the solar system evolved, with planets acquiring their distinctive atmospheres,
surfaces, and characteristics.
- The process of planet formation is ongoing in other star systems, providing insights into the
formation of our own solar system.
3. Characteristics of Planets:
- Terrestrial Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are small, rocky, and have solid
surfaces.
- Gas Giants: Jupiter and Saturn. They are large, predominantly composed of hydrogen and
helium, and lack solid surfaces.
- Ice Giants: Uranus and Neptune. Similar to gas giants, but contain more "ices" such as water,
ammonia, and methane in their atmospheres.
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