Astronomy

Question 1

what are the three types of satellites?

Answer 1

• low earth orbit satellites
• medium earth orbit satellites
• geostationary orbit satellites

Question 2

what are low earth orbit satellites used for?

Answer 2

• monitor icebergs
• monitor agriculture
• monitor the impact of natural disasters

Question 3

what are medium earth orbit satellites used for?

Answer 3

• GPS

Question 4

what are geostationary orbit satellites used for?

Answer 4

• communication

- weather

Question 5

what’s the life cycle of a low-mass star?

Answer 5

at the end of their lives, the outer atmosphere is blown away. They then become white dwarves, which eventually cool to non-luminous bodies

Question 6

what’s the life cycle of a high-mass star?

Answer 6

at the end of their lives, these stars explode (supernova). These stars collapse into a dense core, capable of sucking light towards it. These dense cores are called black holes

Question 7

what is the order of planets closest to farthest from the sun?

Answer 7

mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune

Question 8

what planet has the smallest diameter?

Answer 8

mercury

Question 9

what planet has the largest diameter?

Answer 9

jupiter

Question 10

what planet has the least gravity?

Answer 10

mercury

Question 11

what planet has the most gravity?

Answer 11

jupiter

Question 12

what planets have no moons?

Answer 12

mercury, venus

Question 13

what plants have no atmosphere?

Answer 13

mercury

Question 14

what planet has the hottest temperature?

Answer 14

venus

Question 15

what planet has the biggest temperature range?

Answer 15

mercury

Question 16

what are the layers of the sun?

Answer 16

core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, chromospheres, corona

Question 17

what is the core of the sun?

Answer 17

centre of the sun where nuclear fusion occurs. The core averages a temperature of 15 million degrees celsius

Question 18

what is the radiative zone of the sun?

Answer 18

section of the sun that surrounds the core

Question 19

what is the convective zone?

Answer 19

section of the sun where hotter substances rise from the radiative zone and where cooler substances descend towards the radiative zone

Question 20

what is the photosphere?

Answer 20

section of the sun where light and other forms of radiation escape the sun. this section of the sun averages 5500 degrees celsius

Question 21

what is the chromosphere?

Answer 21

the inner atmosphere of the sun. it is 60,000 degrees celsius

Question 22

what is the corona?

Answer 22

the thin layer of the atmosphere. looks white and halo-like. extend millions of kilometres out into space

Question 23

what are the pros of travelling to mars?

Answer 23

• research purposes
• future home
• curiosity (is there life on mars?)

Question 24

what are the cons of travelling to mars?

Answer 24

• expensive
• long time away from family
• radiation exposure
• hard on the body

Question 25

what is the definition of a planet?

Answer 25

a celestial body that is round in shape, dominates its orbit and orbits a star

Question 26

what is the definition of a dwarf planet?

Answer 26

a celestial body that meets most of the criteria of a planet: however it doesn't dominate its orbit

Question 27

what is the definition of an asteroid?

Answer 27

a small celestial body made of rock and metal which orbits the sun

Question 28

what is the definition of an asteroid belt?

Answer 28

a collection of asteroids that orbit between mars and jupiter

Question 29

what is the definition of a meteoroid?

Answer 29

a small piece of rock or metal that is travelling through space

Question 30

what is the definition of a meteor?

Answer 30

a meteoroid as it enters our atmosphere

Question 31

what is the definition of a meteorite?

Answer 31

the remains of a meteor once it hits the surface of the earth

Question 32

what is the definition of a terrestrial planet?

Answer 32

a planet closer towards the sun, which is small and primarily made of rocky elements

Question 33

what is the definition of a gas giant?

Answer 33

a planet farther from the sun which is large and primarily made of gases (ex. hydrogen and helium)

Question 34

what is the definition of a solar eclipse?

Answer 34

when the moon blocks the suns light from reaching a certain part of earth

Question 35

what is the definition of a lunar eclipse?

Answer 35

when the earth blocks the suns light from reaching the moon

Question 36

what are the four effects that a microgravity environment can have on the human body?

Answer 36

- can cause dizziness, disorientation and nausea - can cause blood to pool up in the upper body (puffy face look) which can lead to loss of water regulation and eventually dehydration - can cause blood cells to change shape which in turn affects their function - causes muscles and bones to weaken, causes the spinal column to expand by about 2-4 cm