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Earth and Space Scienece > Chapter 28: The Sun-Earth-Moon System > Flashcards

Chapter 28: The Sun-Earth-Moon System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the electromagnetic spectrum? How is it classified?

A

The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from Radio waves to Gamma rays, It is classified by its wavelengths

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2
Q

What to telescopes do?

A

telescopes are devices used by astronomers to see things at different wavelengths or distances that the human eye cannot

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3
Q

refracting telescopes

A

Bring light to a focus using lenses

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4
Q

reflecting telescopes

A

bring light to a focus using mirrors (majority)

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5
Q

Advantages of telescopes

A
  • detect things at different wavelengths
  • collects electromagnetic radiation from a distant object and focuses it at a point where the image of the object can be studied or recorded
  • allow astronomers to use specialized equipment
  • can be used to make time exposures x
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6
Q

Interferometry

A

The process of linking separate telescopes together so they act as one telescope

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7
Q

Hubble Telescope-WWWWH

A

Launched in 1990, designed to obtain sharp visible-light images without atmospheric interference, also to make observations in infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths, ######

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8
Q

What are Space probes

A

space-based exploration can be achieved by sending spacecrafts directly to the bodies being observed. Robotic probes make close-up observations and sometimes land to collect information directly. Probes are practical only for objects in our solar system. Pathfinder probe explored mars for almost 3 months in 1997

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9
Q

What is a spinoff

A

NASA technologies that have been passed on to commercial industries for common use.

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10
Q

How are space stations beneficial

A

It provides an environment for scientists to study the effects to weightlessness on humans, plants, the growth of crystals, and other phenomena, ideal environment to study the long-term effects of space

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11
Q

When and why did we go to the Moon

A

July 20 1969 The USA landed on the Moon with Apollo 11. To learn about the surface and the inner workings of the moon, collect samples etc.

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12
Q

Characteristics of the Moon (mass, atmosphere, composition, size, temperature)

A 
Mass- 7.349 x 10^22 kg
composition- Made of mostly silicates, similar to that of Earth 
temperature- -183 to 106 degrees C 
atmosphere- sodium and potassium gasses 
Size- 27 percent of Earth's radius
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13
Q

Highlands

A

light in colour, mountainous, heavily covered with craters

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14
Q

maria

A

dark, smooth plains that are on average 3km lower in elevation that the highlands

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15
Q

impact craters

A

all of the craters on the moon; formed when objects from space crash on the lunar surface

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16
Q

ejecta

A

The material that is blasted out during impacts and falls back to the surface

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17
Q

rays

A

long trails of ejecta that radiate outwards and are visible as light coloured streaks

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18
Q

rilles

A

meandering, valleylike, structures around some of the mountain ranges and maria

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19
Q

History of the moon

A
  • the lunar surface is between 3.8 to 4.6 billion years old
  • the moon was heavily bombarded during its first 800 million years as shown by the impact craters
  • The bombardment resulted in the heating and breaking of rocks on the surface of the moon
  • 3.1 to 3.8 billion years ago the maraia were formed after the heavy bombardment as the lava welled in the large impact basins
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20
Q

regolith

A

loose, ground-up layer of rock on the surface of the moon

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21
Q

Where is the Moons crust thickest

A

The moons crust is twice as thick on the far side

22
Q

Internal structure of the Moon

A

layered structure like Earth, crust upper and lower mantle and the core. varying thickness in the crust, solid upper mantle, lower mantle partially molten, core made of solid iron.

23
Q

Formation theories

A

-CAPTURE THEORY: when solar system was forming a large object came to close to Earth and it got stuck in Earth’s gravitational pull
problem- similar composition, slowed down to be stopped
-SIMULTANEOUS THEORY: Moon and Earth were formed at the same time in the same general area.
problem- different amounts of iron
-IMPACT THEORY – MOST ACCEPTED: Earth and a Mars sized body had a collision about 4.5 billion years ago, materials of Earth’s were ejected into space where they merged to form moon

24
Q

Why is there no believed tectonic activity on the Moon

A
  • no active volcanoes
  • no significant magnetic field
  • mountain ranges were not formed through tectonics
25
Q

Earth’s Moon in comparison to others

A
  • The orbit of the moon is farther form Earth than most moons from their planets
  • Earth’s moon is solid and rocky, not icy
  • only large moon among the inner planets
26
Q

albedo

A

the amount of sunlight a surface reflects

27
Q

Why does Earth not have the same craters as the Moon

A

Earth and the Moon were bombarded the same, but on Earth erosion has worn away all but the youngest craters. The moon has no erosion

28
Q

How do we know the Earth is rotating

A

flowing air and water are diverted from a North-South direction to a East-West direction

29
Q

What is a solar day

A

the time period from one sunrise or sunset to the next

30
Q

ecliptic

A

the plane in which Earth orbits about the sun

31
Q

What is a solstice

A

when the sun is at its maximum or minimum altitude in the sky
Summer solstice: max. altitude, the sun is directly overheard at the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees N lat. daylight hours in N hemisphere are at max. June 21
Winter solstice: Min. altitude, the sun is directly overhead the tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 S lat. daylight hours in the N Hemisphere are at min. December 21

32
Q

What is an equinox

A

When Earth is not tilted to the lengths of day and night hours are equal in both hemispheres. At the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn the sun is 23.5 degrees from the point directly overhead

33
Q

What is Earth’s tilt

A

tilted retaliative to the ecliptic at approximately 23.5 degrees

34
Q

Effects of Earth’s tilt

35
Q

March 21

A

vernal equinox

36
Q

September 21

A

Autumnal equinox

37
Q

June 21

A

Summer Solstice

38
Q

December 21

A

Winter Solstice

39
Q

66.5 degrees N and S

A

The arctic circle is approximately at this latitude. On the day of the corresponding solstice an observer in the arctic circle will see the sun above the horizon for a full 24 hours

40
Q

Phases of the Moon in order

A
  • New Moon
  • Waxing crescent
  • first quarter
  • waxing gibbous
  • full moon
  • waning gibbous
  • third quarter
  • waning crescent
41
Q

Synchronous Rotation

A

the state where orbital and rotational periods are equal

42
Q

How are tides created on Earth-what types exist

A

The moons gravity pulls the water on Earth up along imaginary lines creating bulges. As the Earth rotates the bulges align with Earth so that every 12 hours the water will seem to rise and fall

43
Q

spring tides

A

when the gravitation effects of the sun and Moon combine to create extra high tides

44
Q

Neap tides

A

When the Moon is at a right angle in the Sun-Earth line

45
Q

Solar Eclipse

A

When passes directly between the Sun and the Earth and blocks our view of the Sun

46
Q

lunar eclipse

A

When the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow

47
Q

perigee

A

The closest point in the Moons’ orbit to Earth

48
Q

apogee

A

The farthest point in the Moon’s orbit to Earth

49
Q

If Earth had no inclinational tilt

A

no seasons

50
Q

aphelion

A

the farthest point in Earth’s orbit around the sun

51
Q

perihelion

A

the closest point in Earth’s orbit around the sun

Earth and Space Scienece (15 decks)

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