PHYSICS - Stars and Planets Flashcards

1
Q

Name 8 planets orbiting the sun from closest to furthest

acronym =
may venus enter mars just slightly under nobody?

lol even some of it is in there

A

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

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2
Q

Name 4 “smaller objects” in the solar system

acronym:
darn, must ass come?

yikers D:

A

Dwarf planets, Moons, Asteroids, Comets

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3
Q

What are asteroids and where is it located?

Also why it no form a planet?

A
  • Could be remains of a smashed up planet/moon
  • Between Mars and Jupiter
  • Due to Jupiter’s gravity thought to keep em smeared out
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4
Q

What are comets?
Whats wrong with their orbit?

A
  • “Dirty snowball” contains rock and ice
  • Their orbits are highly elliptical, probably why their orbits are sometimes longer than Pluto’s
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5
Q

Name the 8 planets from smallest to largest

(ig sun is included)

acronym:

mister mayor, view earth nicely under some justifying sizes

A

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

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6
Q

Desc. of a galaxy

A

A collection of billions of stars

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7
Q

Desc. of earth

A

Planet, object which orbits a star

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8
Q

Desc. of the sun

A
  • Burning ball of gas
  • Fuses hydrogen into helium
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9
Q

Desc. of the universe

A

A collection of billions of galaxies

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10
Q

Desc. of solar system

A

A group of planets and its stars

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11
Q

What is a light year?

A

The distance travelled by a light wave in one year

(1 ly = 9.5x10^15 metres)

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12
Q

When should km be used in terms of space measurements?

A

Diameters of planets

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13
Q

When should AU (Astronomical Unit) be used and what does it give us a good comparison with?

A

In the solar system, good comparison with earth

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14
Q

When should light year be used?

A

Distance between stars and galaxies

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15
Q

What is a parsec?

A

Sorry bro, look at pg. 12

bruh it says:

parsec = 3.3 light years

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16
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. Nebula - what happens here
A
  • Dust and gas (hydrogen & helium) in space collect to form a gas cloud called nebula
  • Gravity causes them to attract each other
  • Gravitation energy of the particles converts to kinetic energy
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17
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. Protostar - what happens here
A
  • As hydrogen and helium collapse in on each other, they start to collide
  • During collisions, kinetic energy of particles converts to heat energy
  • Centre of nebula heats up and becomes protostar
18
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. Main sequence stars - what happens here
A
  • After centre of protostar reaches 15 mil degrees, hydrogen fuses to produce helium
  • Once that starts, star produces its own energy, so it’s in its main sequence
  • During this, inward force of gravity is balanced by outward forces of gas pressure + electromagnetic radiation

(fun fact - our sun is half way through this stage)
WOW I’M SO INFORMED

19
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. SMALL MASS STAR
    a) Red Giant - what happens here
A
  • Stars only enter this stage when hydrogen runs out
  • Star starts shrinking
  • Centre heats up, causes heavier elements to fuse
  • Star then increases in size forming a red giant
  • Happens cuz outwards radiation and gas pressure greater than inwards gravitational pull
  • Small stars would produce elements up to carbon and oxygen

If this happens to our sun, it’ll consume inner planets like our earth
(OMG NOOOO)

20
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. SMALL MASS STAR
    b) White Dwarf - what happens here
A
  • Nuclear fusion stops
  • Due to temperatures not high enough to fuse heavier elements
  • Outer layers of red dwarf ejected as a planetary nebula, leaving core of star
  • Star will still emit light due to thermal energy still being given off
  • Thermal energy eventually stop = white dwarf –> black dwarf
21
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. SMALL MASS STAR
    c) Black Dwarf - what happens here
A
  • Unfortunately, it has finally ran out of fuel
  • Cools into a black dwarf which doesn’t radiate energy
  • Sad star death :(
22
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. LARGE MASS STAR
    a) Red Super Giant - what happens here
A
  • Quite similar with Red Giant however
  • This one produces more energy as it uses its fuel up at a greater rate
  • And also elements up to Iron (most stable element) can be produced
23
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. LARGE MASS STAR
    b) Supernova - what happens here
A
  • Due to fast fuel consumption
  • And also technically when it produces iron
  • Core contracts centre
  • Heats soo much that
  • Explodes, flinging rest of star into space

(Elements up to Uranium (heaviest naturally occurring elements) formed in this phase

24
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. LARGE MASS STAR
    c) Neutron Star - what happens here
A
  • Explosion causes core to be compressed
  • A very small object called a ‘Neutron Star’
  • Spins and gives off EM radiation of the form of pulsars
25
Q

The life cycle of a star (omg so yummy we love this)

  1. LARGE MASS STAR
    d) Black Hole - what happens here
A
  • Due to some massive stars causing large super novas
  • May allow core to shrink even further to create a ‘black hole’
  • Gravity very strong = no light can escape from that hole in space
26
Q

How does a star obtain energy?

A

Nuclear fusion

  • Fusing light nuclei (isotopes of hydrogen), into heavier nuclei (helium)
27
Q

What causes star to begin nuclear fusion?

A
  • Large mass of star creates extremely large gravitational force
  • ^^^ seeks to squeeze star into smaller volumes
  • Force resisted by gas particles colliding, pushing outwards
  • ^^^ creates an outward gas pressure
  • Squeeze effect creates heat, right conditions for nuclear fusion :0000
28
Q

What are the conditions for fusion?

A

High pressure
* Very high density, little room for space, higher chance of collisions
(Density of gas gotta be greater than the metal lead)

High temperatures
* High speed allowing positive hydrogen nuclei to overcome repulsion force to fuse
* ( Approx 10 million degrees needed in star)

29
Q

How is a star considered stable?

A

When internal forces are in equilibrium

Outward EM Radiation Pressure + Outward Gas Pressure = Inwards Pull of Gravity

30
Q

Explain stable phase of star

A
  • Remains in this for billions of years
  • As supply of fuel runs out, rate of fusion decreases
31
Q

Explain shrinking phase of star

A
  • If rate of fusion falls
  • Outwards pressure drops
  • Star shrinks under the larger gravitational force
32
Q

Explain expansion phase of star

A
  • If rate of fusion increases
  • Outwards radiation pressure increases
  • Star expands
33
Q

What are the name of the 3 forces acting on a star?

A

Gravity & pressure & EM radiation

34
Q

Explain in terms of forces what happens when a star becomes a red giant?

A

Gas pressure + Em radiation > gravity

35
Q

What are the “3” elements present before the birth of anything larger in the Universe?

A

1) Hydrogen (approx 75%)
2) Helium (approx 25%)
3) Light nuclei such as Lithium (Less than 1%)

36
Q

Whats the heaviest element that can be produced from a small star like the Sun?

A

Carbon & Oxygen

37
Q

Up to what element can be made inside a red supergiant?

A

Iron

38
Q

If Uranium is found in Earth, what does this suggest bout’ our solar system?

A

Issss created from a supernova

39
Q

Our solar system classed as a 2nd gen, what this mean?

A

1 star died creating our solar system

40
Q

Idk but if u want, look at pg 23

A

I mean, really is your choice

41
Q

Now this is important, look at page 27.

A

This is what happens when you don’t fucking got access to images on brainscape