Review 2
Blackbody radiation. Relationship of wavelength at maximum intensity and
Temperature (Wien’s Law):
The observed electromagnetic spectrum from a star has a peak at 500 nm. What is its
surface temperature in degrees Kelvin?
Stefan-Boltzmann law: How many times more energy is emitted per unit of time and unit
of surface area of a star with surface temperature 4000 K as compared to that emitted
from the same-size area and same amount of time of a different star with surface
temperature 8000 K?
The inverse square law (Chapter 6, page 103, Fig, 6.3). How many times lower would
the intensity of light from a given star become if the star was 3 times farther away?
What is the Coriolis effect? What is the structure of Earth’s interior and how do we know
about it? The Earth’s magnetic field and its reversal. What is seafloor spreading and
what kind of plate motions do exist? Layers of Earth’s atmosphere. What are the Van
Allen belts. How did the earth’s atmosphere, earth’s interior and oceans form and how
did they evolve from primeval time?
Lunar eclipses. What causes them and why don’t we see them as often as once a month?
What is the moon’s synchronous rotation? Features of the moon surface.
Moon’s size and density relative to those of the earth.
Compare the atmospheres of Moon, Mercury and Venus and Mars. What are their
similarities and what are their differences? Compare the densities of the Moon to that of
Mercury and that of the Earth.
Main characteristic of Mercury’s rotation and orbit around the Sun.
Main characteristic of Venus’s rotation and orbit around the Sun.
Compare the conditions of surface temperature, pressure, composition of atmosphere and
of clouds between Earth, Mercury and Venus and Mars.
What are the main features of the surface of Mercury and what is their origin.
What are the main features of the surface of Venus and what is their origin.
What are the main features of the surface of Mars and what is their origin.
What is the role of volcanic activity on Mercury, Venus and Mars.
Compare the composition of the interior of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
What are the main chemical elements which can be found on Jupiter and Saturn?
What is the structure of the interior of Jupiter and Saturn?
What is the origin and structure of the belts of Jupiter?
What is the Great Red spot and how it was created?
What are the main features of the rings of Saturn?
What is the structure of the Jupiter’s atmosphere?