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Students should be able to define:
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The sequence of solar system formation
Kepler’s Laws of motion
Newton’s Laws and the Law of Universal Gravitation
Processes which affect planetary surfaces
Identifying features of each planet
Typical densities of planetary materials
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relative ages by superposition of features
Terrestrial and Jovian planets
methods used in determining age of materials
factors which influence existence of life
differentiated interior structure
bodies in orbital resonance
sources of heat
evidence for plate tectonics
sources of observational bias and sampling
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Students should be able to compute:
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mass of a planet from orbital characteristics of a satellite
acceleration in a circular orbit
bulk density of a planet
escape velocity from a given height above a planetary surface
scale height in an atmosphere
equilibrium temperature
Roche limit (distance)
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Students should be able to explain:
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how accretion occurs
the composition of various parts of the solar nebula
orbital motions
which processes are at currently at work on a given planet or moon
which processes were present but have ceased on a given planet
how planetary size and shape affect its evolution
what bulk density tells about interior
what factors influence the presence of an atmosphere
vertical temperature and density structure in an atmosphere
how meteorites can be linked to parent bodies
how satellites induce tides
interior structure and how it is inferred
greenhouse effect
compare and contrast different planets
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