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- What is meant by “Terrestrial planet” in this lesson?Rocky Planets and Their Surfaces
- A terrestrial planet is a rocky planet with a solid surface in the usual category.
- What is meant by “Differentiation” in this lesson?Rocky Planets and Their Surfaces
- Differentiation separates materials by processes including density-related movement during suitable conditions.
- What is meant by “Impact crater” in this lesson?Rocky Planets and Their Surfaces
- An impact crater forms through collision with a body.
- What is meant by “Geological activity” in this lesson?Rocky Planets and Their Surfaces
- Activity changes a world's surface or interior through processes such as volcanism or tectonics.
- What is meant by “Atmospheric evolution” in this lesson?Rocky Planets and Their Surfaces
- Evolution changes atmosphere through escape, outgassing, chemistry, and other interactions.
- What is meant by “Comparative planetology” in this lesson?Rocky Planets and Their Surfaces
- Comparison tests explanations using differences and similarities among worlds.
- What is meant by “Gas giant” in this lesson?Giant Planets, Moons, and Small Bodies
- Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants dominated by hydrogen and helium in the standard grouping.
- What is meant by “Ice giant” in this lesson?Giant Planets, Moons, and Small Bodies
- Uranus and Neptune are ice giants with structures differing from gas giants.
- What is meant by “Planetary ring” in this lesson?Giant Planets, Moons, and Small Bodies
- A ring is a system of orbiting particles rather than one solid disk.
- What is meant by “Tidal heating” in this lesson?Giant Planets, Moons, and Small Bodies
- Tidal heating converts energy through changing gravitational deformation.
- What is meant by “Asteroid” in this lesson?Giant Planets, Moons, and Small Bodies
- An asteroid is a smaller Solar-System body commonly rocky or metallic.
- What is meant by “Comet” in this lesson?Giant Planets, Moons, and Small Bodies
- A comet contains volatile-rich material and can become active when heated.
- What is meant by “Lunar phase” in this lesson?Moon Phases, Eclipses, Tides, and Seasons
- A phase is the visible fraction of the Moon's illuminated half.
- What is meant by “Solar eclipse” in this lesson?Moon Phases, Eclipses, Tides, and Seasons
- A solar eclipse requires the Moon between Earth and Sun with suitable alignment.
- What is meant by “Lunar eclipse” in this lesson?Moon Phases, Eclipses, Tides, and Seasons
- A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes into Earth's shadow.
- What is meant by “Orbital inclination” in this lesson?Moon Phases, Eclipses, Tides, and Seasons
- Inclination is tilt relative to a stated reference plane.
- What is meant by “Tidal effect” in this lesson?Moon Phases, Eclipses, Tides, and Seasons
- Tidal effects arise from differences in gravitational influence across a body.
- What is meant by “Seasonal geometry” in this lesson?Moon Phases, Eclipses, Tides, and Seasons
- Earth's axial tilt changes sunlight angle and day length over the year.
