Astrophysics (Seneca) Flashcards
Our solar system is a small part of the ————- Galaxy
Milky Way
Our solar system is a small part of the Milky Way Galaxy. It is made up of:
- The Sun
- Planets and dwarf planets
- Moons
- Comets and asteroids
The —— is the only star in our solar system.
Sun
————— orbit around the Sun.
Planets and dwarf planets
There are ——- planets in our solar system (Pluto is a dwarf planet).
eight
Moons are in orbit around many of…
the planets.
Moons are called …
natural satellites.
Comets and asteroids also orbit around …
the Sun.
The Sun was formed from a …
cloud of dust and gas (called a nebula).
The Sun was formed from a cloud of dust and gas (called a nebula). The forces of ——— pulled the dust and gas together.
gravity
The Sun was formed from a cloud of dust and gas (called a ———-).
nebula
When the gas and dust collapses two things happen:
- The cloud suddenly decreased in volume as the pressure in the cloud increased.
- This formed a protostar.
Materials continued to collide (come together) until the …
temperature and pressure were high enough for hydrogen nuclei to start fusing and form helium (in nuclear fusion).
Materials continued to collide (come together) until the temperature and pressure were high enough for hydrogen nuclei to start fusing and form helium (in nuclear fusion).
The star then went into a stable period, called a ‘——————-’.
main star sequence
Materials continued to collide (come together) until the temperature and pressure were high enough for hydrogen nuclei to start fusing and form helium (in nuclear fusion).
The star then went into a ————, called a ‘main star sequence’.
stable period
The energy released from the nuclear fusion in the Sun keeps the …
Sun’s core hot.
The energy released from the ———— in the Sun keeps the Sun’s core hot.
nuclear fusion
Planets, moons (1. satellites) and man-made satellites (2. satellites) are all in orbit.
- natural
- artificial
The Sun is still in its stable main sequence phase.
In this phase, the outward force of the energy released by …
nuclear fusion is balanced by the force of gravity pulling the Sun inwards.
In the Sun, what process creates a force outwards, balancing the inward force of gravity?
Nuclear fusion
Weight (N) =
Mass (kg) x gravitational field strength (N/kg)
Objects in the Solar System travel in stable orbits. There is a relationship between their …
speed and radius.
If the speed of the object in orbit ———- , the radius of the orbit also changes.
changes
If the speed of the object in orbit changes, the radius of the orbit …
also changes.
If the radius of the orbit decreases, the speed increases as the gravitational attraction is …
greater
If the radius of the orbit ————, the speed increases as the gravitational attraction is greater.
decreases
If the radius of the orbit ————, the speed decreases as the gravitational attraction is smaller.
increases
If the radius of the orbit increases, the speed decreases as the gravitational attraction is …
smaller
If the speed of the object in orbit changes, the radius of the orbit also changes. This explains why …
planets closer to the sun travel at a faster speed.
Planets closer to the sun travel at a … speed.
faster
Which force holds a man-made satellite in orbit?
Gravity