Chapter 6: Space Physics (Pt.1)

Question 1

Why do we have sunrise and sunsets?

Answer 1

The apparent movement of the Sun from rising in the east to setting in the west is caused by the Earth spinning on its axis.

Question 2

How long does it take for the Earth to complete one full rotation?

Answer 2

24 hours.

Question 3

How long is a year?

Answer 3

Just over 365 days (which is when the earth makes one full orbit around the Sun)

Question 4

Why do we have seasons?

Answer 4

The Earth’s axis is slightly tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees.

Because of this tilt, different locations on Earth receive different amounts of sunlight at different times, resulting in the formation of seasons.

Question 4

How long does it take for the Moon to orbit the Earth?

Answer 4

27.5 days.

Question 5

Tell me the different phases of the moon.

Answer 5

Question 6

Tell me the formula for calculating orbital speed.

Answer 6

Question 7

Answer 7

Question 8

Tell me about the Solar System.

Answer 8

1. The Sun is a star at the centre of the Solar System
2. The first four plants, known as terrestrial planets, which are rocky and small are: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
3. The next four plants are gaseous and large and are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

Question 9

Name some smaller Solar System bodies.

Answer 9

Asteroids, Comets and Dwarf Planets

Question 10

What are Asteroids?

Answer 10

Rocky objects, smaller than plants.
Most asteroids are found in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

Question 11

What are Comets?

Answer 11

They are often described as giant snowballs that orbit the Sun in very irregular orbits.

When they are furthest from the Sun, they are frozen balls of gas, rock and dust.

As they get nearer to the Sun, they heat up and leave a trail of dust and gases behind them

Question 12

Give an example of a dwarf planet.

Answer 12

Pluto

Question 13

Where do dwarf planets orbit?

Answer 13

In the asteroid belt or further from the Sun than Neptune

Question 14

What are Moons?

Answer 14

Natural Satellites that orbit around many planets.

Question 15

What type of orbit do objects that orbit the Sun have?

Answer 15

Elliptical Orbits

Question 16

Analyse the following interpretation

Answer 16

This happens because the elliptical orbit grows larger because the distance from the Sun increases

Question 17

Analyse the following interpretation:

Answer 17

As the distance from the Sun increases, the gravitational field decreases, which means that the centripetal force is weaker.

This decreases the orbital speed and increases the orbital duration.

Question 18

Analyse the following interpretation:

Answer 18

The Sun emits infrared radiation; the intensity of this radiation decreases as we go farther from the Sun.

Question 19

What is a light-year?

Answer 19

The distance light travels in one year.

Question 20

Answer 20

Question 21

Where does the force needed to keep the planets orbiting the Sun come from?

Answer 21

gravitational attraction of the Sun

Question 22

What does a planet’s orbital speed depend on?

Answer 22

How far it is from the Sun.
The close the planet is to the Sun, the stronger the Sun’s gravitational pull on it and the faster the planet moves. Vice versa.