Chapter 6 Flashcards
Space Physics
Big Bang Theory
Violent explosion of the Universe from a single point at the beginning of time
Comets
Small objects that orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits
Dwarf planets
Smaller objects and asteroids which orbit the Sun, e.g. Pluto
Earth
Our planet, orbits round the Sun approximately every 365 days
Galaxy
A group of billions of stars
Light-year
Distance travelled in space by light in one year
Milky Way
Our galaxy containing the Solar System
Moon
Natural satellite orbiting the Earth in approximately 1 month
Natural satellites
Moons which orbit planets
Orbital period
Time for an object in space to complete one orbit
Phases of the Moon
Changes in appearance of the Moon as it orbits the Earth
Planets
Eight large objects, which orbit the Sun
Redshift
Increase of wavelength of light from a receding star or galaxy
Solar System
The Sun, the eight major planets, minor planets, asteroids and other bodies
Stars
Consist mainly of hydrogen and helium, release energy from nuclear fusion reactions
Sun
Our star at the centre of the Solar System
Universe
Hundreds of billions of galaxies that make up all the matter that exists
CMBR
Cosmic microwave background radiation
Hubble constant (Hâ‚€)
Symbol Hâ‚€, ratio of the speed at which a galaxy is moving away from the Earth to its distance from the Earth
Red giant
State of most stars near the end of their life
Red supergiant
State of largest stars near the end of their life before they explode as supernovas
