Biology- Planet Earth And Beyond

Question 1

Which is bigger , a galaxy or a solar system?

Answer 1

Galaxy - there can be many solar systems in a galaxy.

Question 2

The name of our galaxy?

Answer 2

Milky Way galaxy

Question 3

What is the closest star to earth?

Answer 3

The sun

Question 4

The nearest visible star to the sun?

Answer 4

Alpha Centauri

Question 5

How many planets orbit the sun?

Answer 5

8

Question 6

What are some other things that are part of our solar system besides the planets and the sun

Answer 6

Meteors, asteroids, comets, the moon, balls of gas and rock

- most found in Kuiper belt and neptunes orbit

Question 7

What is dark matter?

Answer 7

Does not produce light but know it is there because of the strong gravitational pull. 90% of milky way is dark matter

Question 8

3 different shapes of galaxies

Answer 8

Spiral- Milky Way
Spherical
Irregular

Question 9

Where is our solar system in the milky Way?

Answer 9

One of the spiral arms towards edge of milky way

Question 10

Why is the milky way called the milky way?

Answer 10

The Greeks said it looked like spilled milk

Question 11

2 types of telescopes that have helped in understand our galaxy
Why are they more effective than optical telescopes?

Answer 11

Infrared
Radio
Longer wavelengths that go through dust and debris,

Question 12

Everything in the galaxy orbit around…?

Answer 12

The centre of the galaxy- like an invisible disc of dark matter

Question 13

True or false…our sun is at the centre of the milky way galaxy?

Answer 13

False

In one of the spiral arms

Question 14

Sunspots

Answer 14

Formed from magnetic storms on surface of sun

Question 15

Explosions on surface of sun called?

Answer 15

Sun flares

Question 16

Explain how the sun can be harmful as well as useful?

Answer 16

The strong rays of the sun are harmful , but the earths atmosphere filters them through the ozone layer. Humans are destroying the ozone layer through carbon dioxide gases

Question 17

Know the mindmap diagram ‘sun is our main source of energy’

Answer 17

1. We use energy from sun for cooking and heating
2. Wind is caused by the sun hearing the earth , hot air rises, cools
3. Wind causes waves
4. Sun keeps water cycle moving …evaporation, precipitation, condensation
5. Plants use sun energy to make food - photosynthesis
6. We use this energy when we make fire( from potential energy in wood)
7. Coal, gas, oil - fossil fuels come from plant material
8. Humans and animals get energy from eating the plants

Question 18

Closest neighbouring star system

Answer 18

Alpha centauri made up of three stars
Centauri A
Centauri B
Proxima

Question 19

From where on earth can alpha centauri be seen? What constellation is it a part of?

Answer 19

Southern Hemisphere

Southern cross

Question 20

How fast does light travel?

Answer 20

300,000km per second

Question 21

Distances between galaxies are measured in

Answer 21

Light years

Question 22

Our solar system is measured in

Answer 22

Light hours

Question 23

The distances between planets or between planets and the sun is measured in

Answer 23

Light minutes

Question 24

Name of a different galaxy close to the Milky Way ?

Answer 24

City of stars

Question 25

The group of galaxies that the Milky Way and city of stars are part of is called

Answer 25

The local group

Question 26

What is a merger?

Answer 26

When galaxies start coming together - change from spiral to a bigger spherical larger galaxy combined

Question 27

Some facts about our universe that we have learned through radio and infrared telescope

Answer 27

The universe is expanding It was hot when created and is cooling as it ages Huge part of universe is made up of things we cannot see The universe does not have a centre, galaxies a moving away from each other

Question 28

Elliptically

Answer 28

Curved course of an object around the sun

Question 29

Nearest star to earth

Answer 29

Proxima

Question 30

Study of the stars

Answer 30

Astronomy

Question 31

2 people who contributed to the study of stars

Answer 31

Ptolemy | Aristotle

Question 32

Civilisations that studied the stars

Answer 32

Egyptians Babylonians Greek Romans

Question 33

EarlyAstronomers arranged stars into

Answer 33

Consolations

Question 34

Name some other constellations

Answer 34

Orion Scorpious Taurus

Question 35

Names of the constellations were linked to stories, name a story

Answer 35

Khoisan people have a story about a girl child who had such strong powers that when she looked at a group of lions they were turned into stars ( the three stars on onions belt)

Question 36

Why were the skies , sun , moon , stars important to ancient civilisations

Answer 36

They realised that the sun was a source of life and many had a sun god . They believed that what happened in the heavens was linked to what was going on on earth, that is why many priests were also astrologers

Question 37

In San legend what is the moon?

Answer 37

A man angered by the sun who cuts off a piece of the moon until there is only a tiny piece left, then it grow agAin.

Question 38

Constellations seen in the SouthernHemisphere in the winter

Answer 38

Hercules Sagittarius Cygnus

Question 39

Constellations seen in the SouthernHemisphere in the spring

Answer 39

Aquarius | Capricorn

Question 40

Constellations seen in the SouthernHemisphere in the autumn

Answer 40

Cancer | Crater

Question 41

Constellations seen in the SouthernHemisphere in the summer

Answer 41

Orion | Taurus

Question 42

Constellations seen in the SouthernHemisphere all year round

Answer 42

Southern cross | Centaurus

Question 43

Ancient civilisations named constellations after ...(3)

Answer 43

Gods Mythical heroes Animals

Question 44

Which part of the Southern cross points south?

Answer 44

The bottom part of the kite

Question 45

Who made the first telescope?

Answer 45

Galileo

Question 46

When Galileo looked at the milky way what did he see?

Answer 46

He didn't see the stars any bigger, but he did see more stars than he was able to see with only his eyes He could see craters on the moon He could see moons around Jupiter

Question 47

How does a telescope work?

Answer 47

Like our eyes....collects light , | Focus on the object giving off the lights so as to see it better

Question 48

Parts of a refractive telescope

Answer 48

Objective lens - at the end of the telescope - takes in the lights and refracts it to focus on one spot Eye piece lens- nearest your eye- magnifies so that you can see image bigger

Question 49

Reflection telescope how does it work?

Answer 49

Instead of refracting ( bending) light, mirrors are used to reflect the light

Question 50

Which is better, refractive or reflective?

Answer 50

Reflective

Question 51

Calculate magnification of a telescope

Answer 51

Magnification= Focal length of telescope / focal length of lens

Question 52

What is South Africa's largest optical telescope called ?

Answer 52

SALT | Southern Africa large telescope- it is a reflecting telescope

Question 53

Why do people send telescopes into space?

Answer 53

Atmosphere doesn't obstruct view, clearer

Question 54

Famous space telescope

Answer 54

Hubble

Question 55

How do radio telescopes work?

Answer 55

Large metal dishes , gather information - radio waves that objects in space send out . Lots of radio telescopes put together called an array can collect more info

Question 56

South African radio telescopes

Answer 56

KAT7 part of the Meerkat array being built | SKA square km array being built in Karoo

Question 57

Best conditions for optical telescopes

Answer 57

Clear weather - no clouds Air above telescope should be still - no wind Air above telescope should be dry - no rain or humidity Sky must be dark, no light polution Altitude- higher the better

Question 58

Galaxies

Answer 58

Dense collection of Stars grouped together by string gravitational forces