Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

Questions and Answers

What was Kepler's First Law?

Planets revolve around the Sun in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse.

Which of the following does Kepler's Second Law support?

When a planet is closer to the Sun, its speed is greater than when it is farther away.

What was Kepler's Third Law?

The square of the time period for an orbit of a planet is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun.

About how many times does Earth orbit the Sun in the time it takes Saturn to orbit just once?

About 30. Signup and view all the answers

What would happen if the ozone layer were completely destroyed?

Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun would get through the atmosphere and cause damage to life. Signup and view all the answers

In the image of the Moon shown, identify which of the labeled regions correspond to maria and which ones correspond to terra.

C, B, E are terra; A, D, and F are maria. Signup and view all the answers

From the Apollo astronauts' descriptions, what is the lunar surface physically like?

The surface is covered with fine dust. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of lunar surface is relatively young compared to the other?

The dark lunar maria are younger than the bright highlands. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is/are caused by dense atmospheres?

All of the above. Signup and view all the answers

How can we tell the Moon does not have a substantial atmosphere?

If the Moon had an atmosphere, it would scatter sunlight in all directions and the lunar sky would look bright. Signup and view all the answers

Why did astronauts walk on the surface of the Moon with slow hops?

The gravity on the Moon is smaller than the gravity on Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What chemical compound gives the Martian soil its distinctive color?

Iron oxide. Signup and view all the answers

The distribution of craters on Mars can be best described as?

The Southern Hemisphere has numerous craters and the Northern Hemisphere has few. Signup and view all the answers

What general conclusion can we draw about the history of Martian geology?

The southern hemisphere with its highlands and craters are much older surfaces than the crater-deficient northern hemisphere with its lowlands. Signup and view all the answers

What is known about the formation of Valles Marineris?

Different parts of Valles Marineris were shaped by different kinds of geological processes and NOT a single process. Signup and view all the answers

What evidence do we have that suggests Mars was once much wetter than it is today?

Both A and B. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following could be the reason that Mars has only a thin atmosphere?

The gravity on Mars was insufficient to hold a thick atmosphere and hence the gases in the atmosphere escaped over time. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

Kepler's First Law states that planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun located at one focus of the ellipse.
Kepler's Second Law indicates that a planet's speed varies; it moves faster when closer to the Sun and slower when farther away.
Kepler's Third Law presents the relationship ( P^2 \propto a^3 ), where the square of a planet's orbital period (P) is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun (a).

Orbital Mechanics

Saturn orbits the Sun approximately once in the time that Earth completes about 30 orbits, due to its greater average distance from the Sun.

Atmospheric and Lunar Surface Studies

If the ozone layer were entirely depleted, increased ultraviolet radiation would pass through the atmosphere, posing dangers to living organisms.
The Moon's surface is predominantly covered with fine dust, as described by Apollo astronauts, indicating a lack of substantial atmosphere.
The Moon has no notable atmosphere, as it does not scatter sunlight adequately; thus, the lunar sky does not appear bright.

Lunar Features

In early astronomical terminology, regions on the Moon identified as terra (land) include areas labeled C, B, E, while maria (seas) are identified as A, D, and F.
The dark lunar maria are determined to be younger than the bright highlands, which are subjected to more impact craters.

Martian Geology

Martian soil has a distinctive red coloration due to the presence of iron oxide.
The distribution of craters shows that the Southern Hemisphere of Mars is heavily cratered, indicating an older geological surface compared to the Northern Hemisphere, which is relatively smooth.
Evidence suggests that the southern highlands are significantly older than the northern lowlands that lack craters.

Valles Marineris Formation

Valles Marineris was formed through various geological processes, not just a single formation process, indicating a complex geological history.

Martian Water Evidence

Features such as outflow channels and subsurface water ice indicate that Mars was once a much wetter planet than it is currently.

Martian Atmosphere

Mars has a thin atmosphere likely due to its insufficient gravity to retain a thicker atmosphere over time, allowing atmospheric gases to escape into space.

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Description

Explore the foundations of planetary motion through Kepler's laws. This quiz covers the elliptical orbits, varying speeds of planets, and the relationship between orbital period and distance from the Sun. Test your knowledge on the principles that govern celestial mechanics.