Randy L. Phelps.

RANDY L. PHELPS

This is the Solar System Module

For this assignment, please look through the "lecture" notes for the "Inner Solar System", and for the "Outer Solar System". These notes contain the material, in condensed form, that I will expect you to become familiar with. As will be discussed below, the lecture notes contain web links that you should explore as part of the web-based assignment. Together my notes, along with the links, will allow you to fill in the "Summary Table" discussed below, to answer the questions that will form the basis of the exam questions regarding the planets.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Become familiar with the material in the lecture notes.
Additionally, you should use the links provided within the web-based lecture notes for the "Inner Solar System", and for the "Outer Solar System", to become familiar with the unique characteristics and histories of individual planets.
Additionally, take a look at the Scientific American article: "Tour of the Solar System" (currently not active).
Also explore the following sites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/solarsystem/	A BBC Site for Solar System Information
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/intro.html	Students for the Exploration and Development of Space site
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome.htm	A NASA photographic site

Also, there may be some movies that illustrate characteristics of the planets within the web links. They are somewhat large to download, but take some time to look at some of them. They can be interesting!

It is also your job, over the specified time period, to fill in the "Summary Table" using the Web links listed in the web-based lecture notes on the planets. Using this table, you will also fill in some graphs that you will use to learn about the overall characteristics of the Solar System, and to make predictions/theories about its origin. If you attach your completed "Summary Table" and charts to your exam when you take it, you will be given up to 10 extra credit points for the exam.
A number of questions are also presented that you should be able to answer upon completion of this assignment. These questions, and similar ones, will form the basis of the exam material for this section of the course. It is, therefore, to your advantage, to answer these questions.