P1P7 - Astronomy Flashcards

1
Q

What is our solar system made up of?

A

Moon
Sun
Comets + asteroids
Planets + dwarf planets

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2
Q

WHat are the 8 planets in our solar system?

A

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

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3
Q

How was the sun formed?

A

Forces of gravity pulled clouds of dust and gas together. (Nebula)

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4
Q

What keeps the sun hot?

A

Energy released from nuclear fusion

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5
Q

What is the name of our galaxy?

A

Milky way

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6
Q

What is the geocentric model?

A

This model states that the Earth is at the centre of the Solar System
(geo = Earth, centric = centre)

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7
Q

What is the heliocentric model?

A

This model states that the Sun is at the centre of the Solar System
(helio = Sun, centric = centre

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8
Q

How do you work out weight?

A

Weight =
Mass X gravitational field strength

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9
Q

What happens if the speed of the orbit increases?

A

The radius of the orbit decreases.
Viceversa.

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10
Q

What is a main sequence star?

A

Hydrogen nuclei are fused together to form helium.

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11
Q

What is a red giant?

A

Eventually all the hydrogen fuel runs out.
The star then cools and expands, becoming a red giant.
The star then starts to fuse together helium nuclei to release energy.

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12
Q

What is the white dwarf?

A

As the helium fuel runs out, the outward forces reduce in size and the star collapses inwards.
This causes its temperature to increase.
A white dwarf is formed, which is the hot core of the star.

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13
Q

What is the black dwarf

A

When the star completely cools, the star becomes a black dwarf.
A black dwarf doesn’t emit any light or heat.

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14
Q

What is the lifecycle of a small star?

A

Formed by a collapsing nebula,
then becomes a main sequence star,
then a red giant,
then shrinks to a white dwarf,
then forms a black dwarf.

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15
Q

What is a supernova?

A

The largest stars explode in a supernova.

A supernova produces elements heavier than iron and scatters them throughout the universe.

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16
Q

How do blackhole/neutron stars form?

A

The supernova leaves behind either a black hole or a neutron star.

17
Q

What is a red supergiant?

A

Nuclear fusion changes more and more of the star’s mass into energy.
The star expands into a red supergiant.

18
Q

What is the lifecycle of a star much bigger than the sun?

A

Red supergiant to
Supernova to
Blackhole/neutron star

19
Q

What happens if forces due to thermal expansion are larger than gravitational forces?

A

Star expands
Viceversa.

20
Q

WHat keeps the balance of a star?

A

Thermal expansion
Gravitational force/collapse

21
Q

What is the Big bang theory?

A

To begin with all the matter and energy in the Universe was compressed into a single point.

This point suddenly exploded and started to expand.

Just after the Big Bang, the Universe was extremely hot and dense.
The Universe is still expanding to this day.

22
Q

What is Steady State?

A

The Steady State model suggests that the Universe has always existed in the way it is now and always will exist this way.

It says that as the Universe expands, new matter is created so that the density remains the same.

This model implies that the Universe has neither a beginning or an end.
It does not account for the cosmic microwave background (CMB).

23
Q

What is the Doppler effect?

A

The phenomenon of the observed wavelength and frequency of waves changing when the source of the waves is moving with respect to an observer.

24
Q

What is red shift?

A

Light from distant objects in space becomes shifted towards the red end of the spectrum.

25
Q

How does red shift work?

A

As an object moves away, the wavelength of light that it emits gets longer.

The faster the object, the longer its wavelength gets and the redder it appears.

26
Q

How is redshift evidence for our expanding universe?

A

Light from distant galaxies in space is red-shifted.
The further a galaxy is from Earth, the greater the red-shift.

27
Q

Which colour has the longest wavelength?

A

Red

28
Q

What happens when waves approach?

A

Frequency shifts upwards for observers.

29
Q

What happens when waves recede?

A

Frequency shifts downwards for observers.

30
Q

What does CMBR stand for?

A

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

31
Q

What is CMB radiation?

A

Radiation produced by gas at very low temperatures.

32
Q

What are evidences for the big bang theory?

A

Red shift
CMBR

33
Q

Why are there different types of telescopes?

A

Each detect different types of light.

34
Q

What are the problems for telescopes?

A

Atmosphere
Light pollution

35
Q

What are the solutions for the problems of the telescopes?

A
  • Built far away from civilisation e.g mountains
  • Space telescopes