Pressure gradientIn hydrodynamics and hydrostatics, the pressure gradient (typically of air but more generally of any fluid) is a physical quantity that describes in which direction and at what rate the pressure increases the most rapidly around a particular location. The pressure gradient is a dimensional quantity expressed in units of pascals per metre (Pa/m). Mathematically, it is the gradient of pressure as a function of position.
MeteoriteA meteorite is a rock that originated in outer space and has fallen to the surface of a planet or moon. When the original object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate energy. It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star; astronomers call the brightest examples "bolides".
Sir James Hall, 4th BaronetSir James Hall of Dunglass, 4th BaronetFRSFRSE (17 January 1761 – 23 June 1832) was a Scottishgeologist and geophysicist. He was a Member of Parliament for St. Michael's borough (Mitchell, Cornwall) 1807–1812. EducationHall was born at Dunglass Castle, East Lothian, to Magdalena, daughter of , of Tillich, Gloucestershire and Sir John Hall, 3rd Baronet (died 1776). He studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, and the University of Edinburgh.
PlanetA planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is generally required to be in orbit around a star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf, and is not one itself. The Solar System has eight planets by the most restrictive definition of the term: the terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, and the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Protoplanetary diskA protoplanetary disk is a rotating circumstellar disc of dense gas and dust surrounding a young newly formed star, a T Tauri star, or Herbig Ae/Be star. The protoplanetary disk may not be considered an accretion disk; while the two are similar, an accretion disk is hotter and spins much faster, accreting matter onto a central body; it is also found on black holes, not only stars.
Natural satelliteAstronomical body that orbits a planetThe Moon orbiting around Earth (observed by the Deep Space Climate Observatory)A natural satellite is, in the most common usage, an astronomical body that orbits a planet, dwarf planet, or small Solar System body (or sometimes another natural satellite). Natural satellites are colloquially referred to as moons, by analogy with the Moon, Earth's natural satellite.
GeologyGeology is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical bodies, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. The name comes from Ancient Greek γῆ (gê) 'earth' and λoγία (-logía) 'study of, discourse'. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth sciences, including hydrology. It is integrated with Earth system science and planetary science.
Chemical synthesisChemical synthesis (chemical combination) is the artificial execution of chemical reactions to obtain one or more products. This occurs by physical and chemical manipulations, usually involving one or more reactions. In modern laboratory uses, the process is reproducible and reliable. A chemical synthesis involves one or more compounds (known as reagents or reactants) that will experience a transformation under certain conditions.
Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-FondBarthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond (17 May 1741 – 18 July 1819) was a French geologist, volcanologist and traveller.
DiabaseLook up in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Rock (geology)In geology, a rock (also called a stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks form the Earth's outer solid layer, the crust, and most of its interior, except for the liquid outer core and pockets of magma in the asthenosphere.
AstrophysicsAstrophysics is a science that applies the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena including the universe. As one of the founders of the discipline, James Keeler, said, astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the heavenly bodies, rather than their positions or motions in space—what they are, rather than where they are", which is studied in celestial mechanics.
AsteroidAn asteroid is a minor planet—an object larger than a meteoroid (thus 1 meter or larger) that is neither a planet nor an identified comet—that orbits within the inner Solar System or is co-orbital with Jupiter (Trojan asteroids). Asteroids are rocky, metallic, or icy bodies with no atmosphere, and are broadly classified into C-type (carbonaceous), M-type (metallic), or S-type (silicaceous).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.