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Astronomy GCSE (Edexcel) > Ay [T8] - The Earth, Moon, Sun System > Flashcards

Ay [T8] - The Earth, Moon, Sun System Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the umbra?

A

The region of the earth that experiences a total solar eclipse - the complete shadow

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2
Q

What is the penumbra?

A

The region of the earth that experiences a partial solar eclipse - the partial shadow

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3
Q

What are the positions of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a solar eclipse?

A

Link

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4
Q

What do partial, annular and total solar eclipses look like?

A

Link

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5
Q

What are the first contact, second contact, totality, third contact and fourth contact during a total solar eclipse?

A

Link

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6
Q

When is the Corona visible?

A

During totality in a total solar eclipse

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7
Q

What are Bailey’s Beads and when are they visible?

A

Coronal mass ejections, visible during totality in a total solar eclipse

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8
Q

What is the diamond ring effect and when is it visible?

A

A small bit of light visible at second and third contact during a total solar eclipse

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9
Q

What are the positions of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a lunar eclipse?

A

Link

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10
Q

What are the first umbral contact, second umbral contact, third umbral contact and fourth umbral contact during a total solar eclipse, when viewed from earth?

A

Link

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11
Q

What are the first umbral contact, second umbral contact, third umbral contact and fourth umbral contact during a total solar eclipse, when viewed from the sun?

A

Link

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12
Q

What is the first umbral contact?

A

Partial lunar eclipse begins

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13
Q

What is the second umbral contact?

A

Total lunar eclipse begins

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14
Q

What is the third umbral contact?

A

Total lunar eclipse ends

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15
Q

What is the fourth umbral contact?

A

Partial lunar eclipse ends

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16
Q

What did Eratosthenes use to measure the Earth’s circumference?

A

He erected a pole in Alexandria and used a well in Syene. In Syene, on the summer solstice, the sun only illuminated the water, proving that the sun was directly overhead. Whereas in Alexandria, the pole cast a shadow, proving that the sun was not directly overhead.

17
Q

How did Eratosthenes determine the angle of the shadow?

A

By measuring the height of the pole and length of the shadow it cast

18
Q

How did Eratosthenes measure the distance between Alexandria and Syene?

A

He estimated it based on the time it took for walkers to travel between the two cities.

19
Q

How did Eratosthenes use the angle of the shadow to find the Earth’s circumference?

A

He used the proportion:

angle/360° = distance/circumference

where the angle he measured was approximately 7 degrees.

20
Q

How did Aristarchus estimate the distance to the Sun?

A

Aristarchus waited until the Moon was exactly at its first quarter phase and then he measured the angle between the Sun and the Moon

21
Q

What was the significance of the angle measurement in Aristarchus’ method?

A

It allowed him to create a right angled triangle with the Earth, Moon, and Sun to calculate the relative distances.

22
Q

How did Aristarchus estimate the size of the Moon?

A

He observed a lunar eclipse and recorded the time taken for the Moon to travel from U1 to U2 (giving a value of the Moon’s diameter) and the time taken for it to travel through the whole umbra from U2 to U4 (giving a value of the Earth’s diameter).

23
Q

How are tides formed?

A

Tidal forces acting on Earth (due to the interaction of the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun) cause two tidal bulges to form in the oceans on the Earth’s surface. As Earth spins parts of the coast experience twice-daily high and low tides.

24
Q

What are spring tides?

A

Spring tides are tides with the greatest difference between high and low water levels, occurring during full and new moons when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned.

25
Q

What are neap tides?

A

Neap tides are tides with the least difference between high and low water levels, occurring during the first and third quarters of the moon when the Sun and Moon are at right angles relative to the Earth.

26
Q

How did the Greeks discover the distance to the Moon?

A

Measuring the length of his outstretched arm and the width of his thumb to calculate the angular size of his thumb, which was the same as the angular size of the Moon. Using the diameter of the Moon and the angular size of the Moon he calculated the Moon’s actual distance from Earth

27
Q

How did the Greeks discover the diameter of the Sun?

A
28
Q

What is the ratio to calculate -?

A
29
Q

What is the ratio to calculate -?

A
30
Q

What is the ratio to calculate -?

A
31
Q

What is the ratio to calculate -?

A
32
Q

What is the ratio to calculate -?

A

Astronomy GCSE (Edexcel) (9 decks)

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