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GCSE AQA TRIPLE SCIENCE - Physics > GCSE AQA Physics - Topic 8 - SPACE PHYSICS > Flashcards

GCSE AQA Physics - Topic 8 - SPACE PHYSICS Flashcards

1
Q

Nucleus

A

The central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.

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2
Q

Main sequence star

A

A star during the main part of its life cycle, where it is using hydrogen as a fuel.

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3
Q

Black hole

A

The core of a red supergiant that has collapsed. These are formed if the remaining core has a mass more than three or four times the mass of the Sun. It is so dense that light can’t escape it.

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4
Q

Protostar

A

The earliset stage in the lifecycle of a star They are formed when the force of gravity causes clouds of dust and gas to spiral together.

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5
Q

Red giant

A

A star that has expanded and cooled, resulting in it becoming red. It has used up all the hydrogen in its core and is now using helium as a fuel.

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6
Q

Fusion reaction

A

When nuclei join together and release energy.

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7
Q

Red supergiant

A

A star that has used up all the hydrogen in its core and has a mass much higher than the Sun.

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8
Q

Supernova

A

An explosion produced when the core of a red supergiant collapses.

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9
Q

White dwarf

A

A star that has collapsed from the red giant stage to become much hotter and denser than it was.

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10
Q

Neutron star

A

The core of a red supergiant that has collapsed but can can be seen.

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11
Q

Stable period

A

Time during which the radiation pressure from fusion reactions is balanced with the gravitational force

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12
Q

Nebula

A

A cloud of dust and gas

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13
Q

Orbit

A

The path on which one object moves around another

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14
Q

Big bang theory

A

The idea that the universe began from a small, very hot and dense region of space, which exploded and has been expanding ever since

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15
Q

Black body

A

An object that absorbs all the electromagnetic radiation that hits it. It is also the best possible emitter of radiation

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16
Q

Dwarf planet

A

A planet-like object in space that orbits a star but doesn’t match all the rules of being a planet

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17
Q

A Moon

A

A natural satellite which orbits a planet

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18
Q

The Moon

A

The Earth’s natural satellite

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19
Q

Planet

A

A natural object in space which orbits a star

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20
Q

Orbit

A

The path on which one object moves around another

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21
Q

Red-shift

A

The shift in observed wavelength of light from a source moving away from a stationary observer. The wavelength is shifted towards the red end of the spectrum

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22
Q

Satellite

A

An object which orbits a second more massive object

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23
Q

Theory

A

A hypothesis which has been accepted by the scientific community because there is good evidence to support it

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24
Q

Orbital speed

A

How quickly an object orbits another object. The smaller the radius, the higher the speed.

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25
Dark matter
An unknown substance which holds galaxies together, but does not emit or interact with electromagnetic radiation
26
Dark energy
Thought to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe
27
Our solar system is a very small part of our galaxy:
The Milky Way
28
The Solar System contains one star:
The Sun
29
The eight planets that orbit around the Sun, in order from closest to farthest away, are:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
30
Earth's Moon, and all moons that orbit other planets are types of Natural...
Satellite
31
A cloud of dust and gas is called a...
Nebula
32
The Sun was formed from a nebula pulled together by...
Gravitational attraction
33
Early in a star's life-cycle the dust & gas of a nebula, brought together by gravity, takes a roughly spherical shape. We call this a...
Protostar
34
Eventually, a protostar will accumulate more mass and experience gravity strong enough to cause...
Nuclear Fusion
35
Nuclear Fusion happens when light nuclei fuse to form...
Heavier nuclei
36
Protostars are not massive enough to instigate...
Nuclear Fusion
37
Nuclear Fusion reactions within the star create an *outward*...
Expansion
38
The mass of a star experiences an *inward* gravitational...
Collapse
39
Throughout much of a star's lifetime (Main Sequence stage) the gravitational collapse and nuclear fusion expansion are held in...
Equilibrium (balance)
40
The life cycle, and ultimate fate of a star, is determined by it's...
Mass
41
Life Cycle of a *low* mass star begins with a...
Main Sequence Star
42
Life Cycle of a *low* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a...
Red Giant
43
Life Cycle of a *low* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Giant, before expelling outer layers to leave behind a...
White Dwarf
44
Life Cycle of a *low* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Giant, before expelling outer layers to leave behind a White Dwarf, and finally cooling to become a...
Black Dwarf
45
Life Cycle of a *high* mass star begins with a...
Main Sequence star
46
Life Cycle of a *high* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a...
Red Super Giant
47
Life Cycle of a *high* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Super Giant, before exploding in an event called a...
Supernova
48
Life Cycle of a *high* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Super Giant, before exploding in an event called a Supernova, leaving behind either a...
Neutron Star (or Black Hole)
49
Life Cycle of a *high* mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Super Giant, before exploding in an event called a Supernova, leaving behind either a Neutron Star, or a...
Black Hole
50
Fusion processes in stars produce all of the naturally occurring...
Elements
51
Elements heavier than iron are produced in a...
Supernova
52
The explosion of a massive star (supernova) distributes the elements throughout the...
Universe
53
What provides the force that allows planets and satellites to maintain their circular orbits?
Gravity
54
As velocity is a vector, an object in a stable orbit can change it's velocity without changing it's...
Speed
55
As velocity is a vector, an object in a circular orbit, at constant speed, will...
Accelerate
56
Any object that accelerates must experience a resultant force. For orbiting objects, that force is...
Gravity
57
For a stable orbit, the radius must increase if the speed...
Decreases
58
For a stable orbit, the radius must decrease if the speed...
Increases
59
Red-shift is an observed increase in the __________ of light from most distant galaxies.
Wavelength
60
The further away the galaxies, the bigger the observed increase in wavelength (red-shift) and the ______ they move away (recede).
Faster
61
The observed red-shift of distant galaxies provides evidence that space itself (the universe) is...
Expanding
62
The observed red-shift of distant galaxies supports the...
Big Bang theory.
63
The Big Bang theory suggests that the universe began from an extremely...
Hot & dense region
64
Since 1998 onwards, observations of supernovae suggest that distant galaxies are...
receding ever faster.
65
Red-shift is measured by comparing stellar spectra to...
Spectra from earth-based experiments
66
The evidence that a galaxy's rate of recession is proportional to its distance from Earth proves that the universe is...
Expanding
67
Red-shift observations prove an expanding universe. Logically then, in the distant past all galaxies will have been much closer together. Therefore supporting the...
Big Bang theory.
68
Much of the universe is still not understood, for instance...
Dark Energy & Dark Matter.

GCSE AQA TRIPLE SCIENCE - Physics (10 decks)

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