AST101H1 Lecture Notes - Volcanism, Plate Tectonics, Planetary Science
10 May 2012
School
Department
Course
Professor
23
AST101H1 Full Course Notes
Verified Note
23 documents
Document Summary
Active: earth, venus very similar in composition, size and shape (only surfaces different) Main difference between active and inactive geology: their size (they are larger) Mainly happened in the early solar system. Differentiation: making those heavy stuff sink into the interior, giving up potential gravitational energy in the form of heat. Heavy stuff sinks to middle, lighter stuff rises to surface. Takes longer for planet to decay if larger. Convection: heat is carried by hot material moving to a cooler area, eg. boiling: eg. hot water at bottom of pot and starts to expand where the cold sinks to the bottom and then get heated itself. Conduction: heat is transferred by contact: eg. when you touch a hot surface, heat flows between layers by touch. Radiation: energy escapes as light, heat is carried away by electromagnetic radiation. What must be the main way that planets lose their heat to space: radiation.
