ASTR 1080 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Photosynthesis, Tropopause, Thermostat
23 Mar 2016
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Sun (at the center of the universe-dominates the solar system: over 99. 9% of solar system"s mass, made (98%) mostly of h/he gas (plasma, converts 4 million tons of mass into energy each second, midlife, surface temp. = 5,800k or 10,000f: when it dies it will turn into a planetary nebula. Mercury: made of metal and rock; large iron core, desolate, heavily cratered; long, tall, steep cliffs, very hot and very cold: 425 c (day), 170 c (night, day or night lasts 3 months, tidal forces determine orbit. Earth: an oasis of life, the only surface liquid water in the solar system, a surprisingly large moon, a balanced greenhouse effect. Jupiter: much farther from sun than inner planets, mostly h/he; no solid surface, 300timesmore massive than earth, 1000 times more volume, many moons, rings Jupiter"s moons can be as interesting as planets themselves, especially jupiter"s four.
