Date                             Topic                    Reading Assignment


Monday, Feb 16     Light                                  section 6.4
                      Light and Matter
                      Thermal Radiation
                        Hotter -> Brighter
                        Hotter -> Bluer
                        Larger -> Brighter
                      Emission and Absorption of Light
                      Sky Assignment 8 due

Wednesday, Feb 18  Tour of the Solar System               Chapter 8
                      Characteristic Properties           section 9.1
                         Patterns of motion
                         Terrestrial and Jovian planets
                         Asteroids and comets
                      Planets Assignment 1 due

Monday, Feb 23     Formation of the Solar System          Chapter 9
                      Solar Nebula Theory                 sections 9.2-4,12.1
                         Condensation
                         Accretion
                         Dispersal
                      Extra-Solar Planets                 section 9.6
                      Planets Assignment 2 due
 
Wednesday, Feb 25  Planetary Geology                      Chapter 10
                      Interiors
                        differentiation                   section 10.2
                          core, mantle, crust
                        sources of heat                   section 10.2
                          accretion
                          differentiation
                          radioactivity
                      Geological processes                section 10.3
                        impact cratering
                        volcanism & tectonics
                        erosion
                      Comparison                          sections 10.4-7,
                        Earth, Moon, Mercury, Venus Mars    14.2
                      Planets Assignment 3 due

Monday, March 1    Planetary Atmospheres                  Chapter 11
                      Evolution of Atmospheres            section 11.5-6
                        Formation, Escape of gases to space
                      Heating and Cooling                 sections 6.4,11.2-4
                        Absorbing sunlight, radiating infrared    
                        Greenhouse Effect                 sections 11.2,14.4,6
                      Planets Assignment 4 due

1. Identify 3 characteristic properties of the solar system that any theory of its origin must explain.
2. Compare and contrast the Jovian and Terrestrial planets as groups.
3. Describe the Solar Nebula Theory of planet formation.
4. Describe how the terrestrial planets formed
5. Describe how the Jovian planets formed
6. Describe the role of comets and asteroids in the formation of the solar system.
7. Describe the significance of bombardment in the early solar system?
8. How well does the solar nebula theory explain recent observations of planets around other stars ("extrasolar" planets).
9. Compare and contrast the structure and evolution of the terrestrial planets.
10. Describe the differentiation into core, mantle and crust.
11. Describe the heating and cooling processes in the interior. Describe the importance of planetary size on its evolution.
12. Compare the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets. Describe and explain the differences in composition. Describe and explain the differences in energy balance.
13. Describe and explain the Greenhouse Effect. Describe the processes contributing to global warming of Earth.
14. Describe the factors that effect long-term climate changes
15. Describe how Earth's climate is exceptional compared to Mars and Venus.

This page has been accessed times.

Visions of the Universe