Major Theme: The Earth as a basis of comparison for understanding the terrestrial planets.
Learning Objectives
- Describe how impacts have affected the evolution of the terrestrial planets.
- Explain how radiometric dating is used to measure the ages of rocks and terrestrial planetary surfaces.
- Explain how scientists use both theory and observation to determine the structure of terrestrial planetary interiors.
- Describe tectonism ad volcanism and the forms they take on different terrestrial planets.
- Summarize the knowledge of water on the terrestrial planets.
Outline
Impacts help to shape the evolution of the planets.
- Comparative Planetology
- Impacts and Craters
- Giant Impacts Reshape Planets
Planetary surfaces evolve through tectonism
- The theory of plate tectonics
- The role of convection
- Tectonism of other planets
Volcanism signifies a geologically active planet.
- Terrestrial volcanism is related to tectonism
- Volcanism int he Solar System
The Geological evidence of water
- Water and erosion
- The search for water in the Solar System
The surface of a terrestrial planet is affected by processes in the interior.
- Probing the interior of the Earth
- Building a model of Earth’s interior
- The evolution of planetary interiors
- Magnetic fields
Radioactive dating tells us the age of the Moon and the Solar System.
Activities:
- Read textbook: Chapter 8, 9, 10
- Topic class notes
- Lecture Tutorial: Earth’s Changing Surface (pair and share).
- Geology of Mars worksheet
- Lab 7: Planetary Geology Lab (see lab manual). For Part 1, review how to read a vernier caliper. For part 5 (a-g): Download the Google Earth Pro program and refer to the Google Map of Mars.
Extra Stuff:
- Star Chart of the Month
- Virtual moon atlas: explore the moon from home.
- Listen to AstroCast Ep 221: Geomorphology
- VENUS- A Traveler’s Guide to the Planets (start at 24 min)
- The evidence for climate change: Decoding the Weather Machine
