These are a set of questions that should help you prepare for exam 3. Use this as a guide, not a substitute, for studying class notes and textbook chapters. As a general rule, it is easy to ask questions about the unique properties individual planets have. * Moon What are the primary features of the Maria and Highlands, and how does this relate to how each was formed? Why has the moon been so crucial for the reconstruction of the bombardment history of the solar system? How do we believe the moon formed? * Planet Interiors What is albedo, and what is its importance to planetary astronomy? What is Density, and what is its importance to planetary astronomy? Draw a picture of the interior of a terrestrial planet and label the components. What are the compositional variations due to? How do we know about the inner structure of planets? In terms of planets, what are the 4 principle energy sources, and for which planets, or period of time, is each important? How do the interior regions cool off? Why are plate tectonics, a thick atmosphere, and rotation important in shaping the surface of a planet? * Atmospheres What are the atmospheres of Venus, Earth and Mars comprised of? What are their clouds comprised of? How does sunlight heat a planet without an atmosphere? I.e., what are the important factors? What does the atmospheric structure of the terrestrial planets depend on? Why is the sky blue? What is the greenhouse effect, and why is it important? Draw a diagram of the generic terrestrial atmosphere (i.e., the Earth's) and label it. Make sure you know what the primary processes are occurring in each layer. * Mercury Why is Mercury's rotation period 2/3 of its orbital period around the Sun? What is the evidence of "recent" geological activity on Mercury? How do we believe that Mercury came to obtain its relatively large core? How were the hollows and the Caloris Basin formed? Does Mercury have evidence of volatiles on its surface? * Venus Why is the surface temperature of Venus so high? Venus has no large craters and no erosion. What is the most likely explanation for this? * Mars Why does Mars have seasons? What other planets have seasons? How do Mars and Pluto lose part of their atmospheres during their winter months? What limits the size of mountains on terrestrial planets. I.e., why can Mars have higher mountains than the Earth? What is the evidence of past/present water on Mars? What makes the ejecta blankets surrounding Martian craters smoother than those seen on the Moon or Mercury? * Jovian Planets How is it that the Jovian planets have large atmospheres relative to the terrestrial planets, and why are their atmosphere primarily hydrogen and helium (i.e., as opposed to the heavier atoms and molecules contained in the Earth's atmosphere)? Make sure that you can identify the Jovian (and terrestrial) planets by appearance. What causes the belt/zone structure of Jupiter's atmosphere? Why does Saturn appear so flattened? Which Jovian planets have internal heat sources, and what is the cause? How are planetary rings formed? How does the size of the grains/rocks that make up the rings affect their visibility? * Jovian Moons Make sure you know why the moons Io, Europa, Enceladus, Titan, and Triton are of such great interest. What is the geological evidence for the shaping of Titan's surface by methane rain or subsurface springs? Make sure you can answer general questions relating what is seen on the surfaces of these moons to the age of the surface. * Extrasolar Planets What are the four possible methods one can use to find extrasolar planets, and which two methods have been the most successful? What are the biases inherent in the successful search techniques, and what kinds of planets have been found as a result of this bias? How do the extrasolar planetary systems discovered to date differ from our solar system?