Solar System Flashcards
Solar system
The planets, the sun, and everything that orbits the sun
Geocentric model
The theory that the Earth is the center of the universe
Heliocentric model
The theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Epicycles
The theory that the planets orbit themselves while orbiting the sun/Earth
Elliptical orbit
The idea that orbits are not perfect circles but egg-shaped orbits
Gravity
The attractive force between two objects
Sun
The extremely massive ball of gas known as the star that everything orbits aka the center of the solar system
Planet
Anything that can clear its orbit, be large enough to be rounded by gravity, and orbits the sun
Dwarf planet
A planet-like object that only meets two of the three requirements to be a planet.
Natural Satellite
A thing that orbits another thing that was already in space and humans didn’t send it there
Asteroid
A small object in space like a rock that orbits the sun composed of rock and metal
Comet
A chunk of ice and dust traveling through space consisting of a nucleus, coma, and tail
Meteor
A meteoroid that has entered Earth’s atmosphere known as shooting stars
Revolution
The movement of an object moving around another object equal to 1 year
Rotation
Spinning motion of a planet on its axis equal to 1 day
