Chapter 22 - Origin of Space, Solar System & Earth

Question 1

Cosmology

Answer 1

The study of the origin, evolution, and fate of the universe

Question 2

C.M.B.

Answer 2

Cosmic Microwave Background - the universe’s baby photo

Question 3

Afterglow Light

Answer 3

When light is so packed together they can’t move far without touching each other - this creates a glowing fog, the CMB (cosmic microwave background)

Question 4

Nebula Theory

Answer 4

The sun and planets formed from a great cloud of dust and gas (nebula) - 80% H, 15% He.

Question 5

Big Bang Theory

Answer 5

The theory that life and the universe was created from a sudden explosion/expansion of matter, energy, and space from a single point about 13.7 bya.

Question 6

Nuclear Fusion

Answer 6

Takes place within a Nebula. When more and more mass accumulates in the center of a nebula it increases gravitational energy which creates hotter temperatures (15 mil°C) which creates stars.

Question 7

Accretion

Answer 7

The act of smaller things getting larger via collisions

Question 8

Dwarf planets

Answer 8

A planet that orbits its host star, is mostly round, and is big enough that its gravity clears away smaller objects in/near its orbit.

Question 9

Doppler Effect

Answer 9

An increase or decrease in frequency of waves as the source and observer move toward or away from each other.

Question 10

Red Shift

Answer 10

Relating to the Doppler Effect: when we see red spectrum wavelengths, we know the source is moving away from us.

Question 11

Name the Gas Giants

Answer 11

Jupiter: the “red spot” planet
Saturn: has many rings

Question 12

Name the Ice Giants

Answer 12

Neptune: has the “great dark spot”
Uranus: is blue due to Methane

Question 13

Name the planets in order starting from the sun

Answer 13

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

Question 14

Asteroid

Answer 14

Chunks of rocky/metallic debris

Question 15

What is the Kuiper Belt and where is it?

Answer 15

Consists of millions of “frozen ice” asteroids, such as methane, ammonia, and water.

Starts at Neptunes orbit and extends past Eris (50 AU from the sun)

Question 16

Carbonaceous Chondrite

Answer 16

Meteorites that have been unchanged from the time of formation; composed of organic materials needed for life

Question 17

What is the celestial body that shares part of an orbit with Earth, and is considered a potentially hazardous object?

Answer 17

Ryugu

Question 18

Trojan

Answer 18

A Small celestial body (usually asteroids) that share an orbit with a larger body (planets)

Question 19

Comet

Answer 19

A lump of frozen gases (ice from water, methane, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide) and rocky meteoric debris

Question 20

What is the difference between meteoroids, meteors and meteorites?

Answer 20

Meteoroids are travelling in space
Meteors are meteoroids that pass through Earth’s atmosphere
Meteorites are the remains of a meteor that hit Earth’s Surface

Question 21

Stellar Parallax

Answer 21

A method of measuring the distance to stars by measuring the apparent motion of a closer object with respect to a more distant background as the location of the observer changes

Question 22

Standard Candles

Answer 22

A class of astrophysical objects such as supernovae or variable stars, which have a known luminosity due to some characteristic quality possessed (cepheid variables and type 1A supernova)

Question 23

Light years

Answer 23

The distance light travels in a year (which is 6 trillion miles)

Question 24

Event Horizon

Answer 24

The point where escape velocity equals the speed of light - all matter disappears.

Question 25

Main sequence stars

Answer 25

Any star that is fusing hydrogen in its core and has a stable balance of outward pressure from core nuclear fusion and gravitational forces pushing inward.

Question 26

Medium mass stars

Answer 26

Have higher temperatures in their cores. The higher temp. allows fusion reactions creating Oxygen, Neon, Sodium and Magnesium. Medium mass stars end up as White Dwarfs composed of the higher mass elements.

Question 27

Most massive stars

Answer 27

Has enough mass to generate the high temperatures needed to fuse elements up to Iron (Fe). This takes more energy than the star is capable of fusing and upon collapse produces a supernova.

Question 28

White Dwarf

Answer 28

The remains of low to medium mass stars.

Question 29

Neutron Star

Answer 29

Smaller yet more massive than white dwarfs. Forms when electrons are forced to combine with protons.

Question 30

Black Hole

Answer 30

A region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape. A product of a star that formed a supernova which then ran out of energy and “died.”