geology110 earthand space science（geology110地球和空间科学）.docVIP

Geology 110: Earth and Space Science Chapter 3 (Near-Earth Objects) Homework SELF-REFLECTION AND COMPREHENSION SURVEYS Checkpoint 3.1, p. 62 #1: Which characteristics are true of both planets and asteroids? They are approximately spherical in shape. There are thousands of examples. They formed 1 to 2 billion years ago. They are present in the solar system. Checkpoint 3.2, p. 62 (FOR NOTEBOOK ONLY…message for online classes) #2: Compare and contrast the characteristics of the planets (see Chapter 2) in our solar system with those of asteroids by placing the numbers from the list of characteristics in the most suitable locations on the diagram. Characteristics 4, 7, and 10 have been plotted for you. Radius greater than 500 km Essentially spherical in shape Orbit the Sun Have a gravitational field Can rotate May be made of materials similar to those found on Earth Possess moons Thousands of examples Have atmospheres Have less predictable orbits Have a variety of shapes Formed after the Big Bang over 4 billion years ago Have craters Some will collide with Earth Example: Mars Example: Eros Checkpoint 3.3, p. 63 #3: Read the article below and answer the questions that follow. Consider the difference among observations, hypotheses, and predictions. Asteroid Crashes the Moon? Early in the morning of November 15, 1953, amateur astronomer Leon Stuart was looking at the surface of the Moon through his homemade telescope. As he watched, he saw a bright flash that seemed to come from the lunar surface. He was able to snap a photograph of the event on a camera connected to the telescope. Stuart published the image in a journal for amateur astronomers and wrote a short article that interpreted the flash to represent the only known record of an asteroid crashing into the Moon. Stuart’s interpretation has been challenged over the years since its publication. Some scientists have suggested that what he actually observed was a “point meteor,” an asteroid