DOCSLIB.ORG

Middle School Edition Question Which of the Following Diagrams Shows What Happens During a Solar Eclipse? 1

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Middle School Edition Question Which of the Following Diagrams Shows What Happens During a Solar Eclipse? 1 The Linda Hall Library STEM Quiz Middle School Edition Question Which of the following diagrams shows what happens during a solar eclipse? 1. (Note: These diagrams are not drawn to scale.) Question In 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, meaning there are only 8 planets 2. in our Solar System. Of the planets that remain, which is the smallest? A. Mars B. Venus C. Uranus D. Mercury Question 3. The pituitary gland, thyroid, and pancreas are all part of what bodily system? A. Endocrine system B. Nervous system C. Urinary system D. Reproductive system Question Which of the following is released into the atmosphere 4. as a result of photosynthesis? A. Carbon dioxide B. Water C. Oxygen D. Nitrogen gas Question Which of these laboratory techniques can separate the components 5. of a mixture based on differences in their boiling points? A. Filtration B. Distillation C. Chromatography D. Evaporation Question In the diagram below, which of these phase changes corresponds 6. to the arrow labeled A? A. Melting B. Deposition C. Sublimation D. Condensation Question Obsidian, basalt, and granite are all examples of what type of rock, often 7. associated with volcanic activity? A. Sedimentary B. Igneous C. Metamorphic D. None of the above Question A seismograph is a scientific instrument that would allow scientists 8. to measure the strength of what kind of natural disaster? A. Measuring the strength of volcanic eruptions B. Measuring the strength of earthquakes and explosions C. Measuring the velocity of flood waters D. Measuring the depth of snow during snowstorms Question 9. What is the greenhouse effect? A. The process of artificially growing plants indoors B. The result of an accumulation of water vapor and other gases in the atmosphere C. The cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs D. The destruction of the ozone layer Question A cow grazing in a field often disturbs insects that are hiding in the grass. When 10. the insects hop or fly away from the cow, they become more visible to predators. A cattle egret can catch more insects when it looks for food near the grazing cow than when it is further from the cow. This is an example of what kind of ecological relationship? A. Parasitic B. Mutualistic C. Commensal D. Predatory Question This illustration of a heliocentric (sun-centered) solar system comes 11. from a 1543 book written by which Polish astronomer? A. Nicolaus Copernicus B. Tycho Brahe C. Galileo Galilei D. Isaac Newton Question Which of these scientists discovered two new chemical elements 12. in a single year (1898)? A. Grand Duchess Christina of Lorraine and Ferdinando I de’ Medici B. Irène Joliot-Curie and Frederic Joliot C. Marie and Pierre Curie D. William and Caroline Herschel Question You are given a solid, silver cube with sides that are 2 cm long. Using a laboratory 13. balance, you determine its mass is 21.6 grams. Based on the table below, the cube is likely made of what metal? Metal Density Magnesium 1.7 g/cm3 Aluminum 2.7 g/cm3 Tin 7.3 g/cm3 Nickel 8.9 g/cm3 Silver 10.5 g/cm3 A. Magnesium B. Aluminum C. Tin D. Nickel E. Silver Question 14. How many centimeters are in 5 kilometers? A. 500 cm B. 5,000 cm C. 50,000 cm D. 500,000 cm Question 15. Which of the following sentences describes Isaac Newton's First Law of Motion? A. The force acting on an object is equal to the mass of that object times its acceleration. (F=m*a or F=ma). B. Every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force. C. For every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. D. Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Question Which of the following is not an example of kinetic energy being turned 16. into potential energy? A. Pulling back the string on a bow and arrow. B. Running to the top of a steep hill. C. Winding up a toy robot. D. Hitting the gas pedal in a race car. Question Last year, NASA announced the establishment of the Artemis Program, 17. a government-funded effort to transport astronauts to which of the following locations by 2024? A. Venus B. Europa C. The Moon D. Mars Question Public health officials often describe efforts to "flatten the curve" during discussions 18. of COVID-19. What does it mean to flatten the curve? A. Slow the rate of new coronavirus infections B. Make the virus disappear C. Schedule the reopening of businesses and schools D. Schedule the closing of businesses and schools Question Which of these energy sources is responsible for producing the most electrical 19. power in the United States? A. Coal B. Solar energy C. Natural gas D. Wind Question The Internet connects computers all over the world. What term might you use to 19. describe a network that is limited to computers in one physical location, such as a home, school, or office building? A. Local Area Network B. Cloud computing C. Broadband D. The World Wide Web Answers! 1. ANSWER: B An eclipse occurs when the shadow of a planet or moon falls upon a second body. Eclipses take place when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are perfectly aligned. Since the moon’s orbit is slightly tilted compared to Earth’s orbit around the sun, they are relatively rare astronomical events. Solar eclipses happen when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow that temporarily blocks out the Sun. In addition, because the Moon’s shadow is much smaller than the Earth, total solar eclipses are only visible within a narrow range on the planet’s surface. Lunar eclipses occur when Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, as shown in Diagram A. In that case, the Earth casts a shadow across the lunar surface. Unlike solar eclipses, which can only be viewed within a small geographic area, lunar eclipses are visible anywhere on the Earth’s surface where it is nighttime. [KC/6-8.ESS1.A.1] 2. ANSWER: D Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, with a diameter (4,879 km), approximately 38% that of Earth. It is smaller than several natural satellites, including Ganymede and Titan, although it is still larger than Pluto, whose diameter is only 2,302 km. Mercury is also the innermost planet in the solar system. A fun mnemonic to remember the order of the planets, moving outwards from the sun: My - Mercury Very - Venus Excited - Earth Mother - Mars Just - Jupiter Served - Saturn Us - Uranus Nachos - Neptune (Before Pluto’s demotion, Mother used to serve us nine pizzas, but now that Pluto has been demoted, we will just have to settle for nachos…) [KC/6-8.ESS1.B.1] 3. ANSWER: A The organs listed above are part of the endocrine system, which is responsible for synthesizing chemicals called hormones that regulate other bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, and reproduction. The endocrine system consists of 8 major glands: • The pituitary is considered the “master gland,” which controls many of the other glands’ functions. • The thyroid controls the rate at which cells burn fuels from food to make energy. • The parathyroids control blood calcium levels. • The adrenals control salt and water balance in the body. • The pineal gland produces melatonin, which regulates sleep. • The reproductive glands, ovaries and testes, secrete female and male sex hormones. • The pancreas makes two hormones that control blood sugar levels. [KC/6-8.LS1.A.3] 4. ANSWER: C Photosynthesis is the process that allows plants, as well as certain algae and bacteria, to synthesize their own food. The overall reaction can be written out as follows: 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + sunlight C6H12O6 + 6O2 During photosynthesis, plants use energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, which can be converted into other energy-storing molecules such as sucrose or starch. Oxygen is released as a byproduct of this process. Indeed, most of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere was produced through photosynthesis. [BG/6-8.LS1.C.1] 5. ANSWER: B There are variety of ways to separate the components of a mixture. Filtration relies on a barrier that is permeable to liquids but blocks the passage of insoluble solids like dirt or sand. For mixtures like salt water, where a solid is dissolved in a liquid, it is often easier to rely on evaporation to remove the solvent and leave the solute behind. Chromatography separates mixtures based on the speed at which each of their components moves through another medium, such as paper or silica gel. Distillation is a useful technique for separating a mixture of multiple liquids that possess distinct boiling points. The mixture is slowly heated until it reaches the boiling point of one of its components. That substance turns into a vapor, which is then allowed to cool and condense in a separate vessel. By repeating this process as the vessel continues heating, it is possible to isolate each of the mixture’s components. Distillation is one of the oldest known laboratory techniques, and it has a wide range of industrial applications. [BG/6-8.PS1.A.4] 6. ANSWER: C Arrow A shows solid ice changing directly into water vapor without becoming a liquid. The process of a solid turning into a gas is known as sublimation and explains why ice cubes that have been left in a freezer for a long time begin to shrink inside the tray.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere
    Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere A Constellation of Rare Books from the History of Science Collection The exhibition was made possible by generous support from Mr. & Mrs. James B. Hebenstreit and Mrs. Lathrop M. Gates. CATALOG OF THE EXHIBITION Linda Hall Library Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology Cynthia J. Rogers, Curator 5109 Cherry Street Kansas City MO 64110 1 Thinking Outside the Sphere is held in copyright by the Linda Hall Library, 2010, and any reproduction of text or images requires permission. The Linda Hall Library is an independently funded library devoted to science, engineering and technology which is used extensively by The exhibition opened at the Linda Hall Library April 22 and closed companies, academic institutions and individuals throughout the world. September 18, 2010. The Library was established by the wills of Herbert and Linda Hall and opened in 1946. It is located on a 14 acre arboretum in Kansas City, Missouri, the site of the former home of Herbert and Linda Hall. Sources of images on preliminary pages: Page 1, cover left: Peter Apian. Cosmographia, 1550. We invite you to visit the Library or our website at www.lindahlll.org. Page 1, right: Camille Flammarion. L'atmosphère météorologie populaire, 1888. Page 3, Table of contents: Leonhard Euler. Theoria motuum planetarum et cometarum, 1744. 2 Table of Contents Introduction Section1 The Ancient Universe Section2 The Enduring Earth-Centered System Section3 The Sun Takes
    [Show full text]
  • TABLE of CONTENTS LINDA HALL LIBRARY
    TABLE of CONTENTS Front Cover .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................. 2 Leadership Marilyn B. Hebenstreit ................................................................................................................................. 3 Lisa Browar ................................................................................................................................................. 4 LINDA HALL LIBRARY Programs: Exhibitions and Events Annual Report 2008 Lectures & Other Events ............................................................................................................................... 5 ICE: A Victorian Romance ............................................................................................................................ 7 Locomotion: Railroads in the Early Age of Steam ............................................................................................. 9 ASM Materials Camp ..................................................................................................................................... 11 2008 Events: Complete Listing ..................................................................................................................... 13 The Collections Recent Acquisitions ....................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Vanishing Ice: Art As a Tool for Documenting Climate Change
    Recommended for grades 4-6 Vanishing Ice: Art as a Tool for Documenting Climate Change ELSA LENZ KOTHE, MARY JO MAUTE, and CHRIS BREWER Artist-Naturalists in Interdisciplinary Exploration The work of artists as naturalists, scientists, documentarians, and explorers has long been part of an interdisciplinary approach to scientific studies. As museum educators, we have gained inspiration from the exhibition Vanishing Ice: Alpine and Polar Landscapes in Art, 1775-2012 (Matilsky, 2013) and discovered how historical and contemporary artists document and communicate the stunning landscapes of alpine and polar regions, portraying dramatic alterations resulting from climate change. Here we present projects to introduce upper elementary students to the important role that artist-naturalists play in science, while exploring three themes: relationships of people to the land, art as a pedagogical tool in exploratory and scientific expeditions, and art as activism. 48 ART EDUCATION n March 2015 Instructional Resources Figure 1 (far left). Samuel Nussbaumer, Vue prise de la voûte Figure 2 (above). Jean-Antoine Linck, Vue prise de la voûte nommé nommée le Chapeau du glacier des Bois et des Aiguilles du le Chapeau, du glacier des Bois et des Aiguilles du Charmoz Charmoz (View of the Glacier des Bois and the Needles of (View of the Glacier des Bois and the Needles of Charmoz from Charmoz), 2005, color photograph. the arch, called the Cap), 1799, colored etching, (Bibliothèque de Genève; [email protected]) photograph by H. J. Zumühl. Throughout time, artists have extensively documented the (p. 112). For instance, photographer Carleton Watkins and painter evolving cultural, economic, spiritual, and artistic connections Albert Bierstadt were essential members of United States Geological between humans and ice-clad lands.
    [Show full text]
  • Midwest Art History Society Conference, April 2, 3, 4, 2009
    Number 35 Fall 2008 NE W SLETTER Midwest Art History Society Conference, April 2, 3, 4, 2009 - Kansas City, Missouri The Midwest Art History Society’s 36th annual meeting will venues, a short distance away, are the Liberty Memorial (a fabulous convene April 2, 3, 4, 2009, in Kansas City, Missouri. The confer- Art Deco structure and the only WWI memorial and museum in ence is co-hosted by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the the country), the Negro Leagues Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Jazz University of Missouri, Kansas City. Conference sessions and Hall of Fame. activities will take place at The Nelson-Atkins Museum. The conference hotel is the Raphael Hotel—a charming, historic, Participating partners in the MAHS conference are the H & R European-style hotel on the Country Club Plaza, located just a Block Artspace, the Spencer Museum in Lawrence, Kansas, and the 15-minute walk from The Nelson-Atkins Museum. One of Kansas Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. City’s most popular destinations, the Plaza offers a wide selection of restaurants and shopping, as well as sev- At The Nelson-Atkins Museum, the eral venues featuring Kansas City jazz. conference will take place both in the original 1933 William Rockhill The conference overlaps with First Nelson Building and the new, award- Fridays, a festive evening on the first winning Bloch Building designed Friday of each month when the galleries by Steven Holl. This will be a great in the Cross Roads art district open their opportunity to see the Museum’s doors and the streets fill with crowds of encyclopedic, world-class collections art enthusiasts.
    [Show full text]
  • International Student Orientation Manual
    INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION MANUAL Page 1 Table of Contents OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS .....................................................................................................3 SERVICES PROVIDED TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ............................................................................4 MAINTAINING F-1 STATUS ..................................................................................................................................4 DIVERSITY AND CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION ............................................................................6 CAMPUS COMMUNICATION ...............................................................................................................................7 STUDENT SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................8 OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR .............................................................................................................................8 STUDENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING ...............................................................................................................8 OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE .................................................................................................................................9 COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES .........................................................................9 STUDENT HEALTH ................................................................................................................................................9
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring the History of Engineering at the Linda Hall Library
    Exploring the History of Engineering at the Linda Hall Library Benjamin Gross, Ph.D. VP for Research & Scholarship Linda Hall Library September 18, 2018 City of Fountains,Engineers, HeartHeart ofof thethe NationNation https://www.kauffman.org/ https://http://commons.wikimedia.orgeclubofkc.org/ / City of Engineers, Heart of the Nation https://www.kctechcouncil.com/ Engineering Triumphs Kansas City Bridge (1869) Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (2011) LHL https://www.azahner.com/ …and Tragedies Kemper Arena (1979) Hyatt Regency Hotel (1981) http://www.kcur.org/ https://www.kansascity.com/ Recent Achievements Google Fiber (2012) KC Streetcar (2016) https://www.nytimes.com/ https://www.nytimes.com/ Linda Hall Library A Plenary in Three Parts 1) The Roots of American Engineering 2) A Remarkable Gift 3) New Frontiers in the History of Engineering LHL I. The Roots of American Engineering Images from The Panorama of Professions and Trades (Edward Hazen, 1836) The Middlesex Canal • 1793: Formation of Middlesex Canal Company • Goal: Linking Charles and Merrimack Rivers (27 miles) • Loammi Baldwin (1744-1807) • Cabinetmaker and Revolutionary War veteran • No experience building canals • Reliance on foreign expertise (William Weston) ”The greatest work of the kind which has been completed in the United States.” –Albert Gallatin http://www.middlesexcanal.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/ European Engineering Traditions British civil engineers French military engineers LHL LHL British Civil Engineers • Characteristics • Open to all social classes
    [Show full text]
  • Assistant Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts the Posi on Repor Ng
    Posi�on Announcement: Assistant Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts The Posi�on Repor�ng to the Vice President for Special Collec�ons and a member of the collec�ons team, the Assistant Curator plays an integral role in describing, managing, and promo�ng one of the world’s most important science focused rare book collec�ons. The incumbent will work to inspire broad and crea�ve use of the Library’s unparalleled rare book and manuscript collec�ons and will perform a range of ac�vi�es in collabora�on with colleagues. The Library strongly encourages applica�ons from early career professionals for this posi�on. The Library Linda Hall Library is the largest privately funded research library devoted to science, engineering, and technology. A member of the Independent Research Libraries Associa�on, the Library’s collec�ons as a whole include over half a million monograph volumes, more than 48,000 journal �tles, conference proceedings, reference works, government publica�ons, and technical reports, as well as 200,000 industrial standards and conference papers. The core of the Library’s holdings come from a series of major acquisi�ons, star�ng with the purchase of the 62,358-item collec�on of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1946. A second significant acquisi�on occurred in 1985 when the Franklin Ins�tute of Philadelphia transferred nearly six hundred serial �tles to the Linda Hall Library, increasing or comple�ng runs of serials �tles, and adding new �tles. In 1995, the United Engineering Founda�on, the successor organiza�on to the United Engineering Society founded in 1904 with the generous support of Andrew Carnegie, similarly transferred the Engineering Socie�es Library (ESL).
    [Show full text]
  • A Library of First Resort for Science , Engineering, and Technology: The
    Purdue University Purdue e-Pubs Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences 1995 IATUL Proceedings Jun 5th, 12:00 AM A library of first esorr t for science , engineering, and technology: The Linda Hall Library Bruce Bradley Linda Hall Library Bruce Bradley, "A library of first esorr t for science , engineering, and technology: The Linda Hall Library." Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences. Paper 13. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/iatul/1995/papers/13 This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact [email protected] for additional information. A LIBRARY OF FIRST RESORT FOR SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY: THE LINDA HALL LffiRARY Bradley, Bruce Linda Hall Library, United States of Arnerica In January 1995, an event of major significanee for users of scientific and engineering information occurred in New York City at the Beekrnan Towers Hotel, near the United Nations buildings and, more significantly, across the street from the United Engineering Trustees (UET) building . The event was a ceremony to transfer the entire collection of the Engineering Societies Library (ESL), located on five floors within the UET building , to the Linda Hall Library of Kansas City, Missouri. Several libraries were interested in the Engineering Societies Library. The United Engineering Trustees chose the Linda Hall Library in part because of its commitrnent to catalog the collection online and to make it internationally accessible through a state-of-the-art electronic system. The Linda Hall Library also provides a fast and efficient document delivery service, maintains and preserves the integrity of the collection, and ensures safe keeping of the ESL materials.
    [Show full text]
  • KCAA 2008 Fall Symposium Go Online with Your Digital Collections
    KCAA 2008 Fall Symposium Go Online with your Digital Collections Friday, September 26, 2008, 1PM-5PM, followed by a tour of the Linda Hall Library digitization lab Auditorium, Linda Hall Library, 5109 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO 64110-2498 Program Our program will present speakers from four institutions which have digitized portions of their research collections and put them online. They’ll describe how and why they chose a particular web presentation option (e.g., ContentDM or ARCHON or custom-designed HTML, etc.), and discuss what benefits and problems were encountered during implementation. Each speaker will show us their digital collection web site/pages and describe what selection criteria were used to decide upon its presentation. What purpose does it satisfy? Why this choice instead of another? What benefits and problems did their selection present? What are its costs? How do they handle image and content copyright and fair use of their web site? What about security? Are they satisfied with the choices they made? What do they recommend for archives, museums, and libraries who’d like to put their research collections online too? • Free to KCAA members. $5.00 to non-members (to be paid at door on 9/26 or by mailing your check to KCAA Treasurer: Maggi Mueller c/o St. Paul School of Theology, 5123 E. Truman Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64127 before the event). • Refreshments provided. • Everyone is welcome to attend. Although reservations are requested (to help us provide name tags and to estimate food and drink requirements), they are not required. • Reservations may be made by contacting Kate Rogge at [email protected] or 785.393.2971.
    [Show full text]
  • Membership Directory and Resource Guide 2012 HCA Midwest Physicians 2012 Business Community Profi Le
    Membership Directory and Resource Guide 2012 Membership Directory Membership Directory and Resource Guide 2012 www.kcchamber.com Business Community Profi le An inside look at the Big 5 Involvement Guide Opportunities to be better connected for maximum exposure through your Chamber membership Buyer’s Guide All the products and services you may need provided by Chamber members HCA Midwest Physicians 2012 Business Community Profi le www.kcchamber.com The World’s Symposium on Animal Health The Making of America’s Most Entrepreneurial City The KC Regional Translational Research Initiative The New UMKC Downtown Conservatory The Urban Core Neighborhood Initiative Citi Cards Kansas City Missouri School District THE GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2012 BUSINESS COMMUNITY PROFILE • 3 From the President From the and CEO Chairman Thank you for your membership with the Greater Kansas Now is the perfect time to be a member of the Greater City Chamber of Commerce. Thank you, too, for your Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. This will be an exciting talent, time, and commitment to the vitality and economic year for us all. Google and its ultra-high speed network growth of “Big KC.” promises new opportunities; Major League Baseball’s 2012 In 2012, The Chamber is celebrating our 125th anni- All-Star Game will be held at Kauffman Stadium; and we’ll versary. Founded in 1887, we are the oldest – and only make sure The Chamber’s Big 5 initiatives continue toward truly regional – chamber of commerce. In this publica- our goals of taking this community to the next level and – tion, you’ll find a timeline of our history, groundbreaking very important – creating jobs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Geology of Smythii and Marginis
    Lunar and Planetary Science XXVIII 1293.PDF THE GEOLOGY OF SMYTHII AND MARIGINIS BASINS USING INTEGRATED REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES: A Look At What’s Around The Corner. Jeffrey J. Gillis1, Paul D. Spudis2 and D. Ben J. Bussey2, 1. Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, 6100 South Main Street, MS-126, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 77005. Gil- [email protected] 2. Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, Texas, 77058. As part of our ongoing study of volcanism on the far side highlands material while craters greater than 350 meters deep of the Moon, we are studying the geologically diverse eastern (e.g. unnamed crater 3.5 km in diameter located at 0.6o N, limb of the Moon. Crustal thickness in this area, 60 - 75 km, 86o E) have excavated highlands material from beneath the [1, 2] approximates more closely the average crustal thick- mare. Thus, we estimate that the basalt is approximately 325 ness of the far side of the Moon (100 km) than the crustal meters thick at most. thickness beneath the near side, Apollo sites (40-60 km). Moreover, the eastern limb region has been documented by a A unit with intermediate albedo and iron values (10 - 12 wt. variety of remote sensing techniques: Lunar Orbiter and % FeO) occupies the southwestern central area of the Apollo images, Apollo X-ray and gamma-ray data, and Smythii basin. Topographically higher, this unit forms an Clementine gravity, topography and multispectral images. elongate arch that stretches from northwest to southeast and divides the main basalt deposit to the northeast from two A comprehensive study of the geology of the eastern limb of isolated basalt patches to the south and southwest.
    [Show full text]
  • The Primordial Nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko B
    A&A 592, A63 (2016) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526968 & c ESO 2016 Astrophysics The primordial nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko B. J. R. Davidsson1; 2, H. Sierks3, C. Güttler3, F. Marzari4, M. Pajola5, H. Rickman1; 6, M. F. A’Hearn7; 8, A.-T. Auger9, M. R. El-Maarry10, S. Fornasier11, P. J. Gutiérrez12, H. U. Keller13, M. Massironi5; 14, C. Snodgrass15, J.-B. Vincent3, C. Barbieri16, P. L. Lamy17, R. Rodrigo18; 19, D. Koschny20, M. A. Barucci11, J.-L. Bertaux21, I. Bertini5, G. Cremonese22, V. Da Deppo23, S. Debei24, M. De Cecco25, C. Feller11; 26, M. Fulle27, O. Groussin9, S. F. Hviid28, S. Höfner3, W.-H. Ip29, L. Jorda17, J. Knollenberg28, G. Kovacs3, J.-R. Kramm3, E. Kührt28, M. Küppers30, F. La Forgia16, L. M. Lara12, M. Lazzarin16, J. J. Lopez Moreno12, R. Moissl-Fraund30, S. Mottola28, G. Naletto31, N. Oklay3, N. Thomas10, and C. Tubiana3 (Affiliations can be found after the references) Received 15 July 2015 / Accepted 15 March 2016 ABSTRACT Context. We investigate the formation and evolution of comet nuclei and other trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) in the solar nebula and primordial disk prior to the giant planet orbit instability foreseen by the Nice model. Aims. Our goal is to determine whether most observed comet nuclei are primordial rubble-pile survivors that formed in the solar nebula and young primordial disk or collisional rubble piles formed later in the aftermath of catastrophic disruptions of larger parent bodies. We also propose a concurrent comet and TNO formation scenario that is consistent with observations. Methods. We used observations of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by the ESA Rosetta spacecraft, particularly by the OSIRIS camera system, combined with data from the NASA Stardust sample-return mission to comet 81P/Wild 2 and from meteoritics; we also used existing observations from ground or from spacecraft of irregular satellites of the giant planets, Centaurs, and TNOs.
    [Show full text]