The Solar System (with CD-ROM, Virtual Astronomy Labs, AceAstronomy, and InfoTrac)

by Seeds, Michael A.

• ISBN13: 9780534421021
• ISBN10: 0534421024
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-04-22
• Publisher: Brooks Cole

Summary

Mike Seeds' goal in THE SOLAR SYSTEM, Fourth Edition (adapted from the newly revised FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, Eight Edition) is to help students use astronomy to understand science and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating and engaging, this text illustrates the scientific method and guides students to these fundamental questions: "What are we?" and "How do we know?" In discussing the interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds provides not just facts, but a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of science. The book vividly conveys his love of astronomy, and illustrates how students can comprehend their place in the universe by grasping a small set of physical laws. Crafting a story about astronomy, Mike shows students how to ask questions to gradually puzzle out the beautiful secrets of the physical world. Mathematics is incorporated into the text (and in separate sections for easy reference), but the book's arguments do not depend on mathematical reasoning, keeping even math-averse students engaged. The revision addresses new developments in astrophysics and cosmology, plus the latest discoveries, from Mars' buried water to the exploration of the Kuiper Belt. This edition is now fully integrated with a FREE, brand-new student tutorial system. AceAstronomy is Web-based, assessment-driven, and completely flexible, creating a personalized learning plan to help each student focus on key concepts to be mastered. This superior system gives students fun, interactive learning opportunities and a greater chance for success.

Table of Contents

Exploring the Sky
The Scale of the Cosmos	p. 1
The Sky	p. 10
The Stars	p. 11
The Sky and Its Motion	p. 15
The Cycles of the Sun	p. 19
The Motion of the Planets	p. 21
Astronomical Influences on Earth's Climate	p. 26
The Cycles of the Moon	p. 31
The Changeable Moon	p. 33
The Tides	p. 36
Lunar Eclipses	p. 38
Solar Eclipses	p. 41
Predicting Eclipses	p. 46
The Origin of Modern Astronomy	p. 52
The Roots of Astronomy	p. 53
The Copernican Revolution	p. 59
The Puzzle of Planetary Motion	p. 68
Modern Astronomy	p. 74
Newton, Einstein, and Gravity	p. 78
Galileo and Newton	p. 79
Orbital Motion	p. 85
Einstein and Relativity	p. 92
Light and Telescopes	p. 100
Radiation: Information from Space	p. 101
Optical Telescopes	p. 104
Special Instruments	p. 113
Radio Telescopes	p. 115
Space Astronomy	p. 118
The Stars
Starlight and Atoms	p. 125
Starlight	p. 126
Atoms	p. 129
The Interaction of Light and Matter	p. 132
Stellar Spectra	p. 136
The Sun--Our Star	p. 148
The Solar Atmosphere	p. 149
Solar Activity	p. 156
Nuclear Fusion in the Sun	p. 166
Perspective: Origins	p. 173
The Birth and Death of Stars	p. 174
The Universe of Galaxies	p. 176
The Origin of the Universe	p. 177
The Story of Matter	p. 179
The Solar System
The Origin of the Solar System	p. 405
The Great Chain of Origins	p. 406
A Survey of the Solar System	p. 415
The Story of Planet Building	p. 422
Planet Earth	p. 432
The Early History of Earth	p. 433
The Solid Earth	p. 435
The Atmosphere	p. 442
The Moon and Mercury: Airless Worlds	p. 448
The Moon	p. 449
Mercury	p. 463
Venus and Mars	p. 471
Venus	p. 472
Mars	p. 484
The Moons of Mars	p. 497
Jupiter and Saturn	p. 502
Jupiter	p. 503
Jupiter's Family of Moons	p. 514
Saturn	p. 521
Saturn's Moons	p. 527
Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto	p. 535
Uranus	p. 536
Neptune	p. 549
Pluto	p. 554
Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets	p. 561
Meteorites	p. 562
Asteroids	p. 570
Comets	p. 577
Impacts on Earth	p. 584
Life
Life on Other Worlds	p. 590
The Nature of Life	p. 591
The Origin of Life	p. 596
Communication with Distant Civilizations	p. 605
Afterword	p. 611
Units and Astronomical Data	p. 613
Observing the Sky	p. 624
Glossary	p. 638
Answers to Even-Numbered Problems	p. 647
Credits	p. 649
Index	p. 651
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