Docsity
Docsity
Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity

Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan

Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips
Sell on Docsity
Sell on Docsity
Docsity AI
Docsity AI
Log inSign up

Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity

Find documents

Prepare for your exams with the study notes shared by other students like you on Docsity

Search for your university

Find the specific documents for your university's exams

Docsity AINEW

Summarize your documents, ask them questions, convert them into quizzes and concept maps

Explore questions

Clear up your doubts by reading the answers to questions asked by your fellow students

Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan

Share documents
download point icon20 Points

For each uploaded document

Answer questions
download point icon5 Points

For each given answer (max 1 per day)

All the ways to get free points
Get points immediately

Choose a premium plan with all the points you need

Study Opportunities

Choose your next study program

Get in touch with the best universities in the world. Search through thousands of universities and official partners

Community

Ask the community

Ask the community for help and clear up your study doubts

Free resources

Our save-the-student-ebooks!

Download our free guides on studying techniques, anxiety management strategies, and thesis advice from Docsity tutors

Solar System - Science Olympiad, Exams of Earth Sciences

Virginia State University (VSU)Earth Sciences

Solar System - Science Olympiad

Typology: Exams

2025/2026

Available from 03/28/2026

KEYS000
KEYS000 🇺🇸

502 documents

1 / 28

Toggle sidebar

This page cannot be seen from the preview

Don't miss anything!

bg1
1 / 28
Solar System - Science Olympiad
1.
How did the terrestrial planets form?:
In the proto-Solar System, after the sun formed, the
rest of
the materials orbiting close around it began to clump together too. However, closer to the sun, lighter
materials like
gases
blew
away
and
only
rocky
material
was
left,
causing
the
four
terrestrial
planets,
and
some
of
their
moons,
to
form.
2. What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?:
Solid bodies with a core
surrounded
by
a
mantle
and
crust.
Comprised
mostly
of
heavier
materials,
like
rocks,
stones,
and
heavy
metals
like
nickel
and
iron.
They are smaller in size than the gas giants and very dense in comparison.
3.
How old is the Solar System?: 4.6 billion
years.
4.
How
did
Mercury
form?:
Like the rest of the terrestrial planets, Mercury was formed 4.55 billion
years
ago
and
is
primarily
rocky.
After
the
sun's
formation,
the
rocks
and
metals
very
close
it
began
to
come
together
to
form Mercury. However, all of Mercury's gases and atmosphere were blown away, leading to it being
small, but even more rocky than the other planets.
5.
How
did
Venus
form?:
Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals coming together to form
a
large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away Venus' atmosphere, and the heat has led to a
greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet to be especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further
pf3
pf4
pf5
pf8
pf9
pfa
pfd
pfe
pff
pf12
pf13
pf14
pf15
pf16
pf17
pf18
pf19
pf1a
pf1b
pf1c

Partial preview of the text

Download Solar System - Science Olympiad and more Exams Earth Sciences in PDF only on Docsity!

1 / 28

Solar System - Science Olympiad

  1. How did the terrestrial planets form?: In the proto-Solar System, after the sun formed, the rest of the materials orbiting close around it began to clump together too. However, closer to the sun, lighter materials like gases blew away and only rocky material was left, causing the four terrestrial planets, and some of their moons, to form.
  2. What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?: Solid bodies with a core surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of heavier materials, like rocks, stones, and heavy metals like nickel and iron. They are smaller in size than the gas giants and very dense in comparison.
  3. How old is the Solar System?: 4.6 billion years.
  4. How did Mercury form?: Like the rest of the terrestrial planets, Mercury was formed 4.55 billion years ago and is primarily rocky. After the sun's formation, the rocks and metals very close it began to come together to form Mercury. However, all of Mercury's gases and atmosphere were blown away, leading to it being small, but even more rocky than the other planets.
  5. How did Venus form?: Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals coming together to form a large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away Venus' atmosphere, and the heat has led to a greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet to be especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further

2 / 28 away.

  1. How did Earth form?: Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the terrestrial planets. However, another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be larger) and the material from that body and the chunk of Earth blown off formed the moon, which is why is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
  2. How did Mars form?: Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had formed the same way as well. It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown reasons, they have dried up, leading to Mars' nickname as "The Red Planet."
  3. How did the Moon form?: Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger, another body slammed into it. This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth, along with chunks of Earth blown off from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon, being responsible for its relatively large size.
  4. What are the surface features of Mercury?: Mercury's surface is made of volcanic basalt (a hint towards prior geologic activity) and is very smooth. However, Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing almost any incoming asteroids to impact, though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As a result, Mercury looks like a smooth, dark grey planet peppered with large and small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges all across it's surface. As the magma on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more compact than liquids. Mercury's surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting for almost half of the planet's surface area. Intercrater plains

4 / 28

  1. What are the internal features of Mercury?: Mercury has an extremely large core relative to its size. The core is mostly iron and iron compounds and is about 1800 km in diameter. The mantle and crust are only 600 km in Diameter, and are mostly silicates. This is because the temperature of the early son evaporated and destroyed a large portion of the rocky material, causing the core to be larger than it normally would be, as it is the size of a core in what would be a much larger planet. The core seems to have a liquid outer core and superdense solid liquid core.
  2. Features to look for in identifying Mercury?: Dark Grey surface, round, shallow imprints into the surface, a relatively smooth surface, a relatively large core of iron and iron compounds, and a planet about 2500 km in diameter.
  3. Surface features of Venus?: Venus' surface appears red due to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but its surface is covered in lava from volcanic activity, basaltic rocks, and sulfuric acid. It has very few craters, since the extremely heavy atmosphere destroys any craters that would impact. Only strong asteroids can survive, of which there are very few. There are two "continents"- Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra. These are the few parts of Venus with solid land, and are made of mostly rough, patchy rocks with valleys and canyons. The rest of the surface is mostly melted rock- lava and magma.

5 / 28

  1. Internal features of Venus'?: Venus' internal surface is mostly normal, with a metallic core, rocky mantle and crust. However, about 300-500 million years ago, there seems to have been a "resurfacing" in which large amounts of magma rose from the mantle to the surface, causing "lava oceans" along the surface.
  2. Features to look for to identify Venus?: Bright orange or red surface, lava oceans, a pinkish, tan, atmosphere, few craters due to an atmosphere, about 38,000 km in circumference. There are two continents on the planet, made of rough, patchy soil. A large belt of lava surrounding the planet.
  3. Surface feature of Mars?: Grainy, rocky surface whittled away into most pebbles and boulders. Large dust storms cover the planet. Lots of craters and mountains, including both the tallest mountain, Olympus Mons, and the deepest canyon, the Maris Vallerinis, in the entire solar system. It also has polar caps.
  4. Interior of Mars?: Mars has a core relatively larger than Earths- about 1/2 of its total radius. It is metallic, like all the planets. Mars' mantle is made of rocky peridotite, a rock made of silicon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium. Not much is known about it.
  5. Features to look for to identify Mars?: A red surface, covered in dust and small rocks, like a giant, rocky plain. Extremely large mountains and canyons fill the landscape, along with a few craters. Two polar ice caps and large, dark waves across the planet.
  6. Surface Features of the Moon?: Relatively large, very reflective and a lightish grey color.

7 / 28 made of heavy metals.

  1. Features to identify Asteroids?: Grey and rocky, very large, possibly lumpy and oddly shaped, and its features are very large relative to its total size.
  2. Mercury Land Formations: Hollows - strange bumps made as lighter elements are blown away leaving only the denser material in strange shapes. The Caloris Basin - Caloris Planitia, An extremely large basin containing several of the largest craters in the solar system. It is surrounded by a ring of mountains. The Mercury Spider – Pantheon Fossae, a large web of ridges and trenches surrounding a crater in the center of the Caloris Basin. How it formed is unknown. The Rachman Nott Basin - A double ringed basin on Mercury that, at its lowest, is more than 5 km below average elevation. Plains of Mercury - Intercrater plains were either formed by lava or magma that changed in elevation, or were caused by large amounts of asteroid impacts in certain areas. Smooth plains were formed billions of years ago when Mercury was geologically active, and magma washed over parts of the planet, making them smooth.

mately 16% of 8 / (^28) on's

  1. What is/are the most numerous and significant geologic feature(s) on the Moon?: Craters and ringed basins What material from partially remelted mantle covers approx. the moon's surface?: Basalt
  2. During the pre-Nectarian time on the Moon, what left more traces that we can see now?: Volcanism on the moon
  3. What is Mercury's oldest surface feature?: Intercrater plains
  4. What are some similarities between Mercury's craters and the Moon's craters?: Small crater shape and rims, peaks, and terraces formed with increased size.
  5. What are some differences between Mercury's craters and the
    1. Terrestrial planets: A planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals.

10 / 28

  1. Venus: What is this object?
  2. Mars: What is this object?
  3. Pluto: What is this object?
  4. Caloris Basin: What is this (on Mercury)
  5. Olympus Mons: What is this object? (On Mars)

11 / 28

  1. Ceres: What is the closest dwarf planet to Earth?
  2. on the Moon: Where is the Plato Crater located?
  3. Venus: Where is this?
  4. High impact rates, and was greatly affected by the magnetic field.: Noachian Period on Mars had:
  5. Rarely, and from momentary events (volcanic eruption, meteorite): When did Mars meet conditions for liquids?
  6. Mars: Where is this?
  7. Intercrater plains (mercury): What is this object?
  8. Ceres: What is this object?

rsis region in Mars. 13 / 28 Third Law?

  1. Every planet orbits in an ellipse.: What does Kepler's First Law show?
  2. All planets cover equal distances in equal times, despite being in an ellipse.- : What does Kepler's Second Law show?
  3. any planet's p^2:d^3 will be the same, each around 1.: What does Kepler's Third Law show?
  4. Slight occlusion allows us to see more of the Moon than visible to Earth.: What is a liberation?
  5. Kepler's laws of planetary motion: The motions of the planets in the solar system. They were derived by the German astronomer Johannes Kepler
  6. Natural satellites: Phobos, Deimos, Io, and Earth's Moon are all....
  7. Valles Marineris: A system of canyons that runs along the Martian surface east of the Also called the "Grand Canyon" of Mars

southern hemisphere rbits of the planets 14 / 28

  1. Venus: The second planet from the Sun...nicknamed as "The sister to Earth" 70 Earth: The third planet from the Sun...A planet that can sustain life...Roman for the Greek Gaia
  2. Hellas Planitia: A plain located within the huge, roughly circular crater located in the s of the planet Mars.
  3. The Moon: The satellite surrounding Earth.
  4. Asteroid Belt: The circumstellar disc in the Solar System located roughly between the o Mars and Jupiter.

or a solid-sur- ace called a vent. dust, soil, broken r terrestrial planets 16 / 28

  1. C-Type Asteroids: Carbonaceous asteroids...they are the most common variety, forming around 75% of known asteroids.
  2. Volcanism: The phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth face planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surf
  3. Regolith: A layer of loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock. It include s rock, and other related materials and is present on Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and for the and moons.
  4. S-Type Asteroids: This type of asteroid includes about 17% of the known asteroids in the solar system. Its surface is composed of nickel-iron with iron-silicates, and magnesium-silicates. The albedo of this type is lighter, at around 0.1 - 0.22.
  5. M-Type Asteroids: (metallic asteroids) are reddish in color ,8% of the solar system ,and make up most of the rest of the asteroids, and dwell in the middle region of the main belt. They seem to be made up of nickel and Iron Asteroids range greatly in size from less than 33 feet to the largest asteroid Ceres, with a size of 587 miles

are widely well leading (L4) and enus . 17 / 28

  1. Danilova, Aglaonice and Saskia: A group of three impact craters on Venus, which known.
  2. Trojan Asteroids: Asteroids sharing an orbit with a planet, but which are located at the trailing (L5) Varangian points
  3. Olympus Mons: Largest known volcano in the solar system, 13.6 miles high.
  4. Maxwell Montes: What feature is 20,000 ft high, the highest point on a planet.
  5. Ishtar Terra: Located on the North Pole of Venus, size of Australia or the U.S.
  6. Aphrodite Terra: Largest of three continent sized highlands, as big as Africa. Located on V
  7. Lada Terra: Major landmass near the south pole of Venus. Diameter of 5,353 miles.
  8. Caloris Panita: Very large impact basin, (960 miles in diameter) one of the largest impact basins in the solar system.
  9. Caloris Montes: A range of mountains around Caloris Panita, system of hills and valleys that

19 / 28 cover the planet* atmosphere traps the small amount of energy from the sun that reaches the surface atmosphere also traps the heat of the planet itself: What is the composition of Venus's atmosphere?

  1. The planet was formed accretion, first by small objects clumping together, and gravity pulling in more objects. Over years has changed. Scientists observe that over time has rusted and dried. Before that, they believe that was a much wetter climate with the possibility of supporting life.: How was Mars formed?
  2. The metallic core of the planet formed first by accretion- like most rocky planets, and then gathered lighter elements around it to form it's crust and mantle. The planet was formed 4.6 billion years ago. Under the influence of gravity, the planet continues to shrink, melting lots of the planet, materials separating by their density. The heaviest elements sank, forming an iron-rich molten core.: How was Mercury formed?started out looking the same as Earth, but evolved too quickly then too slowly

one focus. of having direction 20 / 28 once upon a time had a significant volume of water on the surface oceans lost in a short geological time scale loss of water caused evolution to slow down and made unable to develop plate tectonics (such as Earth's): How was Venus formed?

  1. How tides work: The gravitational attraction of the moon makes the ocean bulge in the direction of the moon, another bulge on the opposite side because the Earth is also being pulled toward the moon.
  2. Johannes Kepler: Who made Kepler's Laws?
  3. Kepler's First Law: All planets move about the Sun in elliptical orbit, have the sun as
  4. Kepler's Second Law - The Law of Equal Areas: A radius vector (quantity and magnitude)joining a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal lengths of time.
  5. Kepler's Third Law: The orbital period of a planet is equal to the semi-major axis of it's orbit