Earth and Science Flashcards
study
Layers of the Sun
Corona
chromosphere
photosphere
core
radiation zone
convection zone
site of nuclear fusion
core
what we see of the sun
photosphere
stream of high energy particles sent into space; causes the light displays
solar wind
light display from the northern hemisphere
aurora borealis
light display from the southern hemisphere
aurora australis
storms that look like huge arches; may last several days
prominences
more intense than prominences; lasts only about 15 minutes
solar flares
cool black storm areas
sunspots
more than 100x; average size and temperature; energy comes from nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium
sun
2/5x
rocky
mercury
- slightly shorter than mars
- rocky
- hottest
- “morning star”, brightest before sunrise and after sunset
- rotates from EAST to WEST
venus
1x
rocky
slightly bigger than venus
earth
1/4x
same period of rotation as a revolution
causes tides
moon
1/2x
rocky
“red planet”
mars
minor planets
asteroids
11x, gaseous
jupiter
9 1/2x; gaseous
saturn
3 1/2x; icy
neptune
4x
icy
rotates counter-clockwise
uranus
1/5x
coldest
tilted and elongated orbit
no longer classified as planet
pluto
“dirty snowballs”; heads of ice and rock, tails of dust and gases forced from the head by solar radiation; tail always points away from the sun
comets
chunk of rock smaller than asteroid
meteoroid
a meteoroid as it burns up in the atmosphere; “shooting star”
meteor
a meteoroid that does not completely burn up
meteorite
strongest tides; when the sun, earth, and moon are in a straight line: the sun’s and the moon’s gravities add up: highest and lowest tide
spring tides
weakest tides; when the sun, earth, and moon form a right angle; the sun’s and moon’s gravities cancel out one another: moderate tides
neap tides
brightest star in the night sky; “Dog Star”
Sirius
North Star; tip of Little Dipper’s handle
Polaris
big bear; contains the big dipper
ursa major
big dog
canis major
little bear; contains the big dipper
ursa minor