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Flashcards in The Sun, Solar System, & Galaxy Deck (11)
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0
Q

As a nebula contracts, what happens to the particles?

A
  1. Particles collide with colossal force

2. Igniting a nuclear reaction and forming a protostar

1
Q

What begins as huge clouds of dust and other particles?

A

Nebulas

2
Q

When a protostar transforms into an adult star, what happens to the star and its fuel?

A

The star converts its fuel into more massive elements and compounds and becomes denser

  • star’s own gravity is pulling in *
  • # star is also pushing out *Balance
3
Q

When the gravity pushing on the star overpowers the outward push of the star what happens? What can it become and why?

A

The star collapses

Based on mass & other factors becomes either:

  1. Brown dwarf - fizzled out
  2. White dwarf
  3. Neutron star
  4. Nova - star exploded all over galaxy
  5. Black hole - pulling light & trapping it
4
Q

What is the solar system made up of?
Due to what?
What are the planets & other objects?

A

Numerous bodies which orbit the sun due to centrifugal force

  1. Mercury
  2. Venus
  3. Earth
  4. Mars
  5. Jupiter
  6. Saturn
  7. Uranus
  8. Neptune

Other objects include:

  1. Asteroids
  2. Comets
  3. Meteors
5
Q

What is centrifugal force?

A

The balance between

inertia- wants to continue in a straight line indefinitely a pull the body away from the sun

&

gravity - wants to pull the star or body towards the sun

6
Q

What do they call Jupiter & Saturn?

What do they have special?

A

Gas super-giants

Many moons

7
Q

What are asteroids, comets, & meteors?

A
  1. Asteroids - chunks of rock orbiting in a belt around the solar system
    * asteroid belt*
  2. Comets - chunks of ice and rock
    Comet tail - ice breaking away
  3. Meteors - chunks of rock that strike a planet
    * * usually meteors burn up in the atmosphere (shooting star)
8
Q

Why does the moon have many more craters than earth?

A

The moon has no atmosphere, so the meteors crash right into it

cannot burn up

9
Q

What is a galaxy?

What is our galaxy and what is its shape?

A
  1. Galaxies are huge clusters of billions of stars

2. The Milky Way galaxy is shaped like a spiral disk with several long arms

10
Q

Where is solar system located ?

A

In one of the arms of the milky way

  • when we look up we see a white strip
  • there are so many stars in that strip you cant make out individual ones