Planetary geology

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/planetary-geology

1. What is the discipline category?
2. What is planetary geology and why do scientists call it "rock detectives in space"?
3. How do scientists learn about the age of a planet’s surface?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the discipline category?Planetary Science
2. What is planetary geology and why do scientists call it "rock detectives in space"?Planetary geology, also called astrogeology or exogeology, is the study of rocks, mountains, and surfaces on planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Scientists use it to learn how these worlds were formed and how they change over time.
3. How do scientists learn about the age of a planet’s surface?They look at impact craters, which are bumps made when smaller rocks hit a planet. The number and size of craters help scientists estimate how old the surface is.

Comparative Planetology: Studying planets in relation to each other to understand universal geological principles.
Endogenic Processes: Geological forces originating from within a planet, such as volcanism and tectonics.
Exogeology: An alternative term for planetary geology, emphasizing the study of extraterrestrial geology.