Astronomy

Question 1

Define Photosphere

Answer 1

the luminous envelope of a star from which its light and heat radiate

Question 2

Define Convection Zone

Answer 2

A region of turbulent plasma between a star’s core and its visible photosphere at the surface, through which energy is transferred by convection. In the convection zone, hot plasma rises, cools as it nears the surface, and falls to be heated and rise again.

Question 3

Define flare

Answer 3

a brief powerful eruption of particles and intense electromagnetic radiation from the sun’s surface, associated with sunspots and causing disturbances to radio communication on earth

Question 4

Define nuclear fusion

Answer 4

The nuclear PROCESS whereby several small nuclei are combined to make a larger one whose mass is slightly smaller than the sum of the small ones. Nuclear fusion is the reaction that fuels the Sun, where hydrogen nuclei are fused to form helium.

Question 5

Define nuclear fission

Answer 5

a nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits spontaneously or on impact with another particle, with the release of energy.

Question 6

Define geocentric

Answer 6

having or representing the earth as the center, as in former astronomical systems.

Question 7

Define chromosphere

Answer 7

a reddish gaseous layer immediately above the photosphere of the sun or another star. Together with the corona, it constitutes the star’s outer atmosphere.

Question 8

Define sunspot

Answer 8

a spot or patch appearing from time to time on the sun’s surface, appearing dark by contrast with its surroundings.

Question 9

Define granule

Answer 9

a small compact particle of a substance.

Question 10

Define red giant

Answer 10

a very large star of high luminosity and low surface temperature. Red giants are thought to be in a late stage of evolution when no hydrogen remains in the core to fuel nuclear fusion.

Question 11

Define electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 11

the range of wavelengths or frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extends.

Question 12

Define ellipse

Answer 12

An ellipse is defined as the locus of all points such that the sum of the distances from two foci to any point on the ellipse is a constant.

Question 13

Define radius

Answer 13

Solar radius is a unit of distance used to express the size of stars in astronomy equal to the current radius of the Sun

Question 14

Define corona

Answer 14

A corona (Latin, ‘crown’) is an aura of plasma that surrounds the Sun and other celestial bodies. The Sun’s corona extends millions of kilometres into space and is most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but it is also observable with a coronagraph.

Question 15

Define prominence

Answer 15

an eruption of a flamelike tongue of relatively cool, high-density gas from the solar chromosphere into the corona where it can be seen during a solar eclipse or by observing strong spectral lines in its emission spectrum.

Question 16

Define solar wind

Answer 16

the continuous flow of charged particles from the sun that permeates the solar system.

Question 17

Define white dwarf

Answer 17

a small very dense star that is typically the size of a planet.

Question 18

Define coronal mass ejection

Answer 18

A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a massive burst of gas and magnetic field arising from the solarcorona and being released into the solar wind, as observed in a coronagraph.

Question 19

Define radiation

Answer 19

the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles that cause ionization.

Question 20

Define nebula

Answer 20

a cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky either as an indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette against other luminous matter.

Question 21

Define brown dwarf

Answer 21

a celestial object intermediate in size between a giant planet and a small star, believed to emit mainly infrared radiation.

Question 22

Define magnetoshere

Answer 22

the region surrounding the earth or another astronomical body in which its magnetic field is the predominant effective magnetic field.

Question 23

Define heliocentric

Answer 23

measured from or considered in relation to the center of the sun.

Question 24

Define percent error

Answer 24

When you calculate results that are aiming for known values, thepercent error formula is useful tool for determining the precision of your calculations .

Question 25

What was the solar system like at the beginning?

Answer 25

A big bang of meteors crashed together and made planets. Once plaents were created, moons were pulled in by that planets gravitational force.

Question 26

How did the sun form?

Answer 26

As the material drew together, gravity caused it to spin. The spin caused the cloud to flatten into a disk like a pancake. In the center, the material clumped together to form a protostar that would eventually become the sun.

Question 27

How does gravity work?

Answer 27

We know from Isaac Newton and his law of gravitation that any two objects in the Universe exert a force of attraction on each other. This relationship is based on the mass of the two objects and the distance between them

Question 28

How has our understanding of gravity changed over time?

Answer 28

Ever since Sir Isaac Newton came into this world he has shaped our minds to his three gravitational rules.

Question 29

List three differences between the inner and outer planets.

Answer 29

- Inner planets are fairly small and outer planets are huge! - Inner planets have solid surfaces and thin/no atmosphere and outer planets are balls of gas with no surface - Inner planets have a greater amount of density and outer planets have a smaller amount of density

Question 30

Namethe planets in order from nearest to the sun to farthest.

Answer 30

**_SUN_** Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

Question 31

Describe the shape of orbits of most people

Answer 31

Most planets have oval or circular orbit.

Question 32

Identify the layers of the sun

Answer 32

Question 33

How is the energy produced within the sun?

Answer 33

Through most of the Sun's life, energy is produced by nuclear fusion in the core region

Question 34

what elements evolve in the sun?

Answer 34

Chemically, about three quarters of the Sun's mass consists ofhydrogen, whereas the rest is mostly helium, and much smaller quantities of heavier elements, including oxygen, carbon, neon and iron.

Question 35

How does nuclear fusion seem to violate the Law of Conservation of Mass?

Answer 35

According to the law of conservation of mass, during any physical or chemical changes, the total mass of the products is equal to the total mass of the reactants. But in nuclear fusion reaction if considered an example, energy that sun emits in its core is due to collision of hydrogen nuclei and formation of helium nuclei. Here conservation of mass is not obeyed as certain part of mass is converted into energy. So, law of conservation of mass is violated here. Then law of conservation must be redefined as: during any physical or chemical change, the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of reactants provided mass has not undergone conversion into energy.

Question 36

Which layer of the sun is considered the surface?

Answer 36

The Sun's visible surface the photosphere is “only” about 5,800 K (10,000 degrees F).

Question 37

Which two layers are the sun's atmosphere?

Answer 37

Chromosphere and corona

Question 38

What is the sun's hottest layer? What is the coolest?

Answer 38

While the center of the Sun's core can get as hot as 30 million degrees F, its outer layers cool down. The photosphere, which is outside the core, is the coolest layer. This is as expected, because normally heat passes outwardly from hot to cold.

Question 39

Which layer is visible during a total solar eclipse?

Answer 39

During a total solar eclipse some parts of the Sun that we normally can't see become visible,including the corona (the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere).

Question 40

What causes sunspots?

Answer 40

They correspond to concentrations of magnetic field that inhibit convection and result in reduced surface temperature compared to the surrounding photosphere.

Question 41

What effects do solar events have on Earth?

Answer 41

Well, for one, the weather... All weather systems get their energy from the Sun, ultimately. Second, life couldn't exist, as pretty much all plants get their energy from the sun, which in turn goes up the food chain. Third, the sun can interfere with our spaceborne platforms, as the satellites aren't shielded as well as we are here on Earth (thank you Magnetic Field and Atmosphere).