chapter 4&5 Flashcards
(38 cards)
The Sun is a main sequence star T/F?
true
What is the structure of the Sun? (name the layers)
Made up of gas that becomes increasingly dense as you go towards core
-Photosphere is visible outer layer of star
- chromosphere is layer of gases that surround the photosphere
- From the centre it goes: core, radiation zone, convection zone, photosphere,
chromosphere, corona
What is the most common element in the Sun?
hydrogen
What is the purpose of NASA’s Genesis mission and how was this accomplished?
- Purpose was to collect particles from the solar wind to be studied
- Was accomplished by a robotic spacecraft that had panels made of foils such as
gold, sapphire, and diamond - These panels collected the particles and then retracted into a carrier capsule to
return to Earth
What was surprising about the results of the Genesis mission?
isotopic compositions of oxygen and nitrogen implanted in the wafers are significantly different to those in most of the Solar System objects for which we have measurements
What is a Sunspot? Why are they black?
A sunspot is a region of the Sun’s photosphere marked by lower than average
temperature, thus appearing black
Does the Sun have a magnetic field?
Yes, due to interaction of unique properties of matter within layers of sun although unsure of precise ‘generator’
How often does the Sun’s magnetic field usually flip or how long does a solar cycle last?
Magnetic field flips every 11 years or so (solar cycle is approx. 22 years)
What is a solar cycle?
The time it takes for the magnetic field to flip and then flip back to where it started
Does the solar wind reach the Earth?
Yes, the particles react with earth’s magnetic field
What are two effects of magnetic storms on Earth that are caused by solar flares?
- First is interference to complete breakdown of power grids and systems carrying telemetric signals
- Second is the northern or southern lights
What is the solar wind?
- An outflow of charged particles (mostly electrons) at a high velocity
- A solar flare or eruption increases flow
How does the aurora borealis form?
Particles from the solar wind enter the earth’s atmosphere at the poles and the collisions with particles in the atmosphere is what produces energy in the form of
light
What are the stages of the Sun from birth to death?
In chronological order: birth, a long growth period, expansion into red giant, white dwarf, black dwarf
What is the difference between a refractor versus a reflector telescope?
Refractor collect light by means of a glass lens (or combination of lenses)
Reflector collect light with a curved mirror
Define orbital velocity, escape velocity and geostationary
Orbital velocity: just enough velocity to place a satellite in position to orbit the Earth
Escape velocity: minimum velocity for an object to escape Earth’s gravitational pull
Geostationary: a satellite that stays over the same spot all the time
Name the planets in order of their distance to the Sun
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
Which planets are the gas giants
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Which planets are the terrestrial planets?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
What are the characteristics of a terrestrial (or gas) planet?
Terrestrial: dense, made mostly of rock and metal, fairly small, only 2 have satellites
Gas: huge, low density, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, surrounded by rings, may satellites
What is the asteroid belt?
Between the terrestrial and gas planets is a band of asteroids
What is the largest object in the asteroid belt?
Largest object in belt is called Ceres
What reasons led to Pluto being declassified as a planet in 2006?
It was too small, too dense, had an irregular orbit
Where is the Kuiper Belt and what does it contain?
- It is located past Pluto
- It contains icy bodies of all shapes and sizes
