ASTRONOMY Flashcards
ASTRONOMY
STUDY OF SPACE, CELESTIAL BODIES, AND BEHAVIOR OF THE UNIVERSE
RELATIVE DATING
ARRANGES GEOLOGICAL EVENTS AND THE ROCKS THEY LEAVE BEHIND IN A SEQUENCE
STRATIGRAPHY
METHOD OF READING THE SEQUENCE OF ROCKS LEFT BEHIND
CROSS-CUTTING RELATIONSHIPS
FAULTS ARE YOUNGER THAN THE ROCKS THEY CUT; A FAULT IS YOUNGER THAN THE ROCKS THEY CUT BUT OLDER THAN THE ROCKS THEY DON’T CUT
ORIGINAL HORIZONTALLY
THE DEPOSITION OF SEDIMENTS OCCURS AS ESSENTIALLY HORIZONTAL BEDS
SUPERPOSITION
ROCK LAYERS AT THE BOTTOM ARE OLDER WHILE THOSE ON TOP ARE YOUNGER
LATERAL CONTINUITY
LAYERS OF SEDIMENT EXTEND LATERALLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS
INTRUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
THE IGNEOUS INTRUSION IS YOUNGER THAN THE SEDIMENTARY ROCK IT CUT
INCLUSIONS
OLDER THAN THE FORMATION THAT CONTAINS THEM
APHELION
THE EARTH EXPERIENCES COLDER TEMPERATURES
PERIHELION
THE EARTH EXPERIENCES HOTTER TEMPERATURES
SUMMER SOLSTICE
HAS THE LONGEST DAYS
WINTER SOLSTICE
HAS THE SHORTEST DAYS
EQUINOX
EQUAL LENGTHS OF DAY AND NIGHT
APOGEE
FARTHEST POINT OF THE MOON FROM THE EARTH; RESULTS IN LOWER TIDES
PERIGEE
CLOSEST POINT OF THE MOON FROM THE EARTH; RESULTS IN HIGH TIDES
SPRING TIDE
HIGH TIDES ARE HIGHER AND LOW TIDES ARE LOWER THAN USUAL
NEAP TIDE
HIGH TIDES ARE LOWER AND LOW TIDES ARE HIGHER THAN USUAL
SOLAR ECLIPSE
SUN - MOON - EARTH
LUNAR ECLIPSE
SUN - EARTH - MOON
MOONS
SMALLER BODIES ORBITING AROUND A PLANET
ASTEROIDS
ASTRONOMICAL BODIES REVOLVE AROUND A STAR BUT DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MASS TO BECOME SPHERICAL
COMETS
CHUNKS OF ICE REVOLVING AROUND A STAR
GALAXY
LARGE COLLECTION OF SMALLER ASTRONOMICAL BODIES REVOLVING AROUND A CENTER
MILKY WAY
CONTAINS OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
STARS
MASSIVE BODY OF GAS THAT CAN PRODUCE ENERGY THROUGH A NUCLEAR FUSION
LIFE CYCLE OF STARS
NEBULA -> MAIN SEQUENCE -> RED GIANT -> WHITE DWARF -> SUPERNOVA -> BLACK HOLE
GIANT STARS
STAGE WHEN MAIN SEQUENCE STARS REACH THEIR MAXIMUM SIZE AND START TO LOSE ENERGY
SUPER GIANT STARS
A STAR IS BORN TOO MASSIVE TO BE A MAIN SEQUENCE STAR
WHITE DWARF
A DYING STAR
NEBULA
IMMENSE GAS CLOUD WHERE STARS ARE BORN
MAIN SEQUENCE
STAGE OF RAPID GROWTH IN SIZE, BRIGHTNESS, AND TEMPERATURE; MOST STARS BELONG IN THIS CATEGORY
BLACK HOLE
END RESULT OF A SUPERNOVA IS WHEN ALL THE MATERIALS OF THE EXPLODED STAR COMPRESS DUE TO GRAVITY; STRONG GRAVITATIONAL FORCE EXISTS WITHIN THE SPACE PREVIOUSLY OCCUPIED BY THE ORIGINAL SUPERGIANT
QUASARS
MOST ENERGETIC AND DISTANT GALACTIC NUCLEI; VERY LUMINOUS AND TRANSMIT RADIO WAVES AS RED-SHIFT WAVES
PULSARS
NEUTRON STARS WITH HIGH MAGNETIC FIELD THAT ITS ELECTROMAGNETIC EMISSIONS ARE CONCENTRATED AT THE MAGNETIC POLES
THE BIG BANG THEORY
A HUGE EXPLOSION OCCURRED FROM A SINGULARITY AND THE IMMENSE ENERGY CREATED MATTER THAT IS CONTINUALLY SPREADING OUTWARD
THE BIG CRUNCH
WITH THE COMBINED GRAVITATION OF ALL MASSES IN THE UNIVERSE, EXPANSION WILL EVENTUALLY STOP AND BEGIN TO COMPRESS BACK INTO A SINGULARITY
DIVINE CREATION
RELIGIOUS BELIEF WHICH STATES THE UNIVERSE WAS CREATED BY A GOD
LIGHT-YEAR
DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY LIGHT IN 1 YEAR; ASTRONOMICAL MEASURE OF LENGTH
