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GCSE AQA TRIPLE SCIENCE - Physics > GCSE AQA Physics - Topic 8 - SPACE PHYSICS > Flashcards

GCSE AQA Physics - Topic 8 - SPACE PHYSICS Flashcards

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1
Q

Nucleus

A

The central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.

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2
Q

Main sequence star

A

A star during the main part of its life cycle, where it is using hydrogen as a fuel.

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3
Q

Black hole

A

The core of a red supergiant that has collapsed. These are formed if the remaining core has a mass more than three or four times the mass of the Sun. It is so dense that light can’t escape it.

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4
Q

Protostar

A

The earliset stage in the lifecycle of a star They are formed when the force of gravity causes clouds of dust and gas to spiral together.

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5
Q

Red giant

A

A star that has expanded and cooled, resulting in it becoming red. It has used up all the hydrogen in its core and is now using helium as a fuel.

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6
Q

Fusion reaction

A

When nuclei join together and release energy.

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7
Q

Red supergiant

A

A star that has used up all the hydrogen in its core and has a mass much higher than the Sun.

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8
Q

Supernova

A

An explosion produced when the core of a red supergiant collapses.

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9
Q

White dwarf

A

A star that has collapsed from the red giant stage to become much hotter and denser than it was.

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10
Q

Neutron star

A

The core of a red supergiant that has collapsed but can can be seen.

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11
Q

Stable period

A

Time during which the radiation pressure from fusion reactions is balanced with the gravitational force

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12
Q

Nebula

A

A cloud of dust and gas

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13
Q

Orbit

A

The path on which one object moves around another

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14
Q

Big bang theory

A

The idea that the universe began from a small, very hot and dense region of space, which exploded and has been expanding ever since

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15
Q

Black body

A

An object that absorbs all the electromagnetic radiation that hits it. It is also the best possible emitter of radiation

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16
Q

Dwarf planet

A

A planet-like object in space that orbits a star but doesn’t match all the rules of being a planet

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17
Q

A Moon

A

A natural satellite which orbits a planet

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18
Q

The Moon

A

The Earth’s natural satellite

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19
Q

Planet

A

A natural object in space which orbits a star

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20
Q

Orbit

A

The path on which one object moves around another

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21
Q

Red-shift

A

The shift in observed wavelength of light from a source moving away from a stationary observer. The wavelength is shifted towards the red end of the spectrum

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22
Q

Satellite

A

An object which orbits a second more massive object

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23
Q

Theory

A

A hypothesis which has been accepted by the scientific community because there is good evidence to support it

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24
Q

Orbital speed

A

How quickly an object orbits another object. The smaller the radius, the higher the speed.

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25
Q

Dark matter

A

An unknown substance which holds galaxies together, but does not emit or interact with electromagnetic radiation

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26
Q

Dark energy

A

Thought to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe

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27
Q

Our solar system is a very small part of our galaxy:

A

The Milky Way

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28
Q

The Solar System contains one star:

A

The Sun

29
Q

The eight planets that orbit around the Sun, in order from closest to farthest away, are:

A

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

30
Q

Earth’s Moon, and all moons that orbit other planets are types of Natural…

A

Satellite

31
Q

A cloud of dust and gas is called a…

A

Nebula

32
Q

The Sun was formed from a nebula pulled together by…

A

Gravitational attraction

33
Q

Early in a star’s life-cycle the dust & gas of a nebula, brought together by gravity, takes a roughly spherical shape. We call this a…

A

Protostar

34
Q

Eventually, a protostar will accumulate more mass and experience gravity strong enough to cause…

A

Nuclear Fusion

35
Q

Nuclear Fusion happens when light nuclei fuse to form…

A

Heavier nuclei

36
Q

Protostars are not massive enough to instigate…

A

Nuclear Fusion

37
Q

Nuclear Fusion reactions within the star create an outward…

A

Expansion

38
Q

The mass of a star experiences an inward gravitational…

A

Collapse

39
Q

Throughout much of a star’s lifetime (Main Sequence stage) the gravitational collapse and nuclear fusion expansion are held in…

A

Equilibrium (balance)

40
Q

The life cycle, and ultimate fate of a star, is determined by it’s…

A

Mass

41
Q

Life Cycle of a low mass star begins with a…

A

Main Sequence Star

42
Q

Life Cycle of a low mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a…

A

Red Giant

43
Q

Life Cycle of a low mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Giant, before expelling outer layers to leave behind a…

A

White Dwarf

44
Q

Life Cycle of a low mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Giant, before expelling outer layers to leave behind a White Dwarf, and finally cooling to become a…

A

Black Dwarf

45
Q

Life Cycle of a high mass star begins with a…

A

Main Sequence star

46
Q

Life Cycle of a high mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a…

A

Red Super Giant

47
Q

Life Cycle of a high mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Super Giant, before exploding in an event called a…

A

Supernova

48
Q

Life Cycle of a high mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Super Giant, before exploding in an event called a Supernova, leaving behind either a…

A

Neutron Star (or Black Hole)

49
Q

Life Cycle of a high mass star begins with a Main Sequence star, then expanding to a Red Super Giant, before exploding in an event called a Supernova, leaving behind either a Neutron Star, or a…

A

Black Hole

50
Q

Fusion processes in stars produce all of the naturally occurring…

A

Elements

51
Q

Elements heavier than iron are produced in a…

A

Supernova

52
Q

The explosion of a massive star (supernova) distributes the elements throughout the…

A

Universe

53
Q

What provides the force that allows planets and satellites to maintain their circular orbits?

A

Gravity

54
Q

As velocity is a vector, an object in a stable orbit can change it’s velocity without changing it’s…

A

Speed

55
Q

As velocity is a vector, an object in a circular orbit, at constant speed, will…

A

Accelerate

56
Q

Any object that accelerates must experience a resultant force. For orbiting objects, that force is…

A

Gravity

57
Q

For a stable orbit, the radius must increase if the speed…

A

Decreases

58
Q

For a stable orbit, the radius must decrease if the speed…

A

Increases

59
Q

Red-shift is an observed increase in the __________ of light from most distant galaxies.

A

Wavelength

60
Q

The further away the galaxies, the bigger the observed increase in wavelength (red-shift) and the ______ they move away (recede).

A

Faster

61
Q

The observed red-shift of distant galaxies provides evidence that space itself (the universe) is…

A

Expanding

62
Q

The observed red-shift of distant galaxies supports the…

A

Big Bang theory.

63
Q

The Big Bang theory suggests that the universe began from an extremely…

A

Hot & dense region

64
Q

Since 1998 onwards, observations of supernovae suggest that distant galaxies are…

A

receding ever faster.

65
Q

Red-shift is measured by comparing stellar spectra to…

A

Spectra from earth-based experiments

66
Q

The evidence that a galaxy’s rate of recession is proportional to its distance from Earth proves that the universe is…

A

Expanding

67
Q

Red-shift observations prove an expanding universe. Logically then, in the distant past all galaxies will have been much closer together. Therefore supporting the…

A

Big Bang theory.

68
Q

Much of the universe is still not understood, for instance…

A

Dark Energy & Dark Matter.

GCSE AQA TRIPLE SCIENCE - Physics (10 decks)

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