ASTA01H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Silicon Dioxide, Terrestrial Planet, Outer Core
Document Summary
The comparison of one planet with another is called comparative planetology. It is one of the best ways to analyze the worlds in our solar system. The rst feature to notice is diameter. Earth and venus are large and similar in size to each other. Size is a critical factor in determining a worlds personality . Small words tend to be internally cold and geologically dead. The terrestrial worlds are made up of rock and metal. Mantles composed of dense rock between the cores and crusts. One important way you can study a planet is by following the energy. The heat in the interior of a planet may be left over from the formation of the planet. It may also be heat generated by radioactive decay. In any case, it must ow outward toward the cooler surface where it is radiated into space. In owing outward, the heat can cause phenomena such as:
