My Notes for Unit 2 Flashcards
What are exoplanets?
Planets around other stars
How many exoplanets have been discovered? How many probably exoplanets are there?
1) 1000
2) 2000
What are the 2 dominant forces in our universe?
1) gravity (attractive force–accretion)
2) Thermo-nuclear energy(repulsive force–explosion) –> fission or fusion
What is the composition of the universe?
The universe as a whole is mostly Hydrogen
H=75%
He=23%
Li=2%
Most stars are mostly composed of__and__
H and He
What are the two major elements of which the Earth is made?
Iron and oxygen
The Earth: Fe= O= Si= Mg=
Fe=35%
O=30%
Si=15%
Mg=13%
Why doesn’t Earth have all H and He like stars?
Because of gravity. Atoms are always in motion
What is the largest star?
Canis Majoris
What are the four forces that control the universe?
1) Gravity
2) Electromagnetism
3) Strong nuclear force
4) Weak nuclear force
What are the smallest particles that exist within our universe?
quarks (they make up the protons and neutrons) There are three types of quarks and protons contain 2 of the 3 kinds and neutrons contain 2 of the 3 kinds.
What does electromagnetism involve?
electrons and their behaviour (electrons, protons at the scale of)
What is the strong nuclear force?
In nuclei of atom and holds quarks together
What is the weak nuclear force?
Holds protons and neutrons together
- formation fo atoms
- radioactive decay
What is the repulsive force of the resulting energy explosion with stars controlled by?
gravity
What are the oldest stars composed of? The youngest stars?
Oldest: H, He, Li
Youngest: have all 92 naturally occurring elements
___takes place with stars to create new elements.
Fusion
At what point does an average or small star stop producing elements?
At Carbon
When will will large stars stop producing elements?
At Iron
What happens when large stars start to produce iron?
-If it reaches the iron stage it becomes a supernova.
Large stars become:…?
- neutron star
- black hole
- dead star
What is a black hold?
Any light produced can’t escape because gravitational force is too strong.
What is a single particle of light called?
a photon
At what point are the rest of the heavy elements created?
supernova
Stars are___factories.
elements
What is stardust?
the stuff in a supernova
What happens at the end of a small star’s life?
once they have been producing C for awhile they inflate because of carbon production of elements because they produce more energy that He does from H. Gravitational energy can’t hold on and outer protons of stars take off. He and He may blow away leaving carbon core (diamond star) –> dead star aka a White Dwarf.
What is an active star?
Nuclear fusion takes place and energy is created.
Nuclear fusion + gravity =
star
What is a dead star?
What happens when stars die
Nova =
small star
Supernova=
large star
What are new stars created from
It is from the exploded gas and dust of a supernova
Our universe and our galaxy contains___stars, ___stars, and ___stars along with___.
- old
- new
- dead
- stardust
What does the birth of stars go back to?
The Big Bang
What is the Nebular hypothesis?
Every bit of matter melts and cools. Many things become solid particles. Form of vapour (H and He) (condensation). Supernova dust mingles. When two dust particles come together 9electromagnetic energy) they cling together. Gravity adds more and more dust (accretion)
When did condensation begin for our universe?
8 Ga
When did accretion begin for our universe?
4.7 Ga
When did accretion end for our universe?
4.55 Ga
What happened to most of the accreting dust?
It sunk to the central part (the sun) because of gravity.