End Of Year Exam- Year 9

Question 1

Define the term solar system

Answer 1

The collection of eight planets and their moons in orbit around the sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of asteroids, meteoroids and comets

Question 2

List the order of planets in our solar system

Answer 2

Mercury, Venus, earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Question 3

What two planets is there and asteroid belt between?

Answer 3

Mars and Jupiter

Question 4

Describe a terrestrial planet

Answer 4

Terrestrial planets are in the inner planets of the solar system
They are small in size, made primarily of rock and metal, have a solid surface layer, few or no rings and are close to the sun

Question 5

Examples of terrestrial planets

Answer 5

• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars

Question 6

Describe Jovian planets

Answer 6

Jovian planets are the outer planets of the solar system.
They are also known as the ‘gas giants’ because they are primarily made of hydrogen and helium.
They have no solid surface and many moons

Question 7

Examples of Jovian planets

Answer 7

• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune

Question 8

What is the formula for density?

Answer 8

Density = mass
———
Volume

Question 9

Define the term galaxy

Answer 9

A system of millions or billions of stars, together with gas and dust, held together by gravitational attraction

Question 10

List examples of galaxies

Answer 10

Andromeda galaxy
Black eye galaxy
Bodes galaxy
Canis Major Dwarf galaxy
Cygnus A
Milky Way galaxy
Virgo A
Magellanic Clouds
Maffei 1 and 2

Question 11

Describe elliptical galaxies

Answer 11

Vary from nearly circular to elongated
Possess comparatively little gas and dust
Contain older stars
Not actively forming stars anymore

Question 12

Describe spiral galaxies

Answer 12

Appear as flat, blue - white disks of stars, gad and dust with yellowish bludges in their centres
Divided into two groups: normal spirals and barred spirals
Actively forming stars and compromise a large fraction of all the galaxies in the local universe

Question 13

Describe barred spiral galaxies

Answer 13

The bar of stars runs through the central bulge

Arms generally start at the end of the bar instead of from the bulge.

Question 14

Describe irregular galaxies

Answer 14

Have very little dust
Are neither disk like not elliptical
Abundant in the early universe, before the other types of galaxies developed

Question 15

Main types of galaxies

Answer 15

Elliptical, spiral and irregular

Question 16

Define the term nebula and give examples

Answer 16

A cloud of gas and dust in outer space

Question 17

Examples of nebula

Answer 17

Orion
Witch
Rosetta
Cone
Wreath
Swan
Eagle

Question 18

Define the term star

Answer 18

A gaseous object in space that gives off energy and is mainly composed of hydrogen and helium

Question 19

Describe the lifecycle of a black dwarf

Answer 19

Nebula—> protostar—> main sequence star—> red giant—> white dwarf—> black dwarf

Question 20

Describe the lifecycle of a neutron star or black hole

Answer 20

Nebula—> protostar—>main sequence star—> red supergiant—> supernova—> neutron star or black hole

Question 21

State the relationship between star size and lifecycle

Answer 21

The larger a stars mass, the shorter it’s lifecycle. This is because larger stars burn up their fuel supply quicker

Question 22

History of the telescope

Answer 22

Galileo Galilei first developed the optical telescope in 1609
He used his telescope to view Earths moon, moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn

The Hubble telescope was launched in 1990.
Due to its distance from the surface of the Earth, it provides images that are further away these what we could see with terrestrial telescopes

Question 23

How have satellites impacted our understanding of the universe?

Answer 23

They allow us to communicate with space probes
By mapping/tracking receivers on the ground, they give us a better understanding of our earth
They increase the ease of communication between countries

Question 24

Define the term force

Answer 24

strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.

Question 25

Define the term gravity

Answer 25

the force that attracts a body towards the centre of the earth, or towards any other physical body having mass.

Question 26

Define the term mass

Answer 26

A measure of how much matter is in an object

Question 27

Define the term weight

Answer 27

The force acting on an object due to gravity

Question 28

Astronomical distance measuring systems

Answer 28

Parsecs
Stellar parallax
Cepheids
Redshift and Hubbles law
Supernovae

Question 29

How to calculate a bodies weight on other planets

Answer 29

Multiply mass by the gravity on the surface of the planet

Question 30

Describe the Big Bang theory

Answer 30

The Big Bang is how astronomers explain the way that the universe began. It is the idea that the universe began as just a single point, then expanded and stretched to grow as other as it is right now

Question 31

Discuss evidence to support the Big Bang theory

Answer 31

Two major scientific discoveries provide strong support for the Big Bang theory:
Hubble’s discovery in the 1920’s between a galaxy’s distance from Earth and it’s speed
The discovery in the 1960’s of cosmic microwave background radiation

Question 32

Discuss the methods for the development of theories in science

Answer 32

Scientific theories are created through the process of the scientific method. Observation and research lead to a hypothesis, which is then tested. If the hypothesis is not disproven, it will be reviewed and tested over and over again

Question 33

Discuss difficulties in proving theories about the universe

Answer 33

It is impossible to collect first hand data
It occurred a very long time ago
There is limited evidence
Lots of speculation

Question 34

Outline other theories on the origin of the universe

Answer 34

Creationist theory
Quantum theory
String theory
Parallel universe
Copenhagen theory
Hologram theory