The Solar System

by Seeds, Michael A.

• ISBN13: 9780495110514
• ISBN10: 0495110515
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-03-10
• Publisher: Brooks Cole

Summary

With this newly revised 5th edition of THE SOLAR SYSTEM, Mike Seeds' goal 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 answer 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 the newest developments and latest discoveries in the field, including evidence of a new world beyond Pluto and new evidence of ancient water on Mars. Students are also provided with an online assessment tool, called AceAstronomy?. Designed specifically to help students prepare for tests and exams, AceAstronomy? improves conceptual understanding by providing a personalized learning plan based on a pre-test diagnostic.

Table of Contents

Exploring The Sky

The Scale of the Cosmos

The Sky

The Cycles of the Moon

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Newton, Einstein, and Gravity

Astronomical Tools

The Stars

Atoms and Starlight

The Sun--Our Star

The Solar System

The Origin of the Solar System

Planet Earth

The Moon and Mercury: Airless Worlds

Venus and Mars

Jupiter and Saturn

Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto

Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets

Life

Life on Other Worlds

Afterword

Units and Astronomical Data

Observing the Sky

Glossary

Answers to Even-Numbered Problems

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.