P1 Flashcards
Our solar system contains asteroids. Name 5 other types of object in the solar system.
Comets, stars, moons, planets, dwarf planets
Put the following planets in the order of increasing mass: Earth, Jupiter, Mercury and Uranus
Mercury, Earth, Uranus, Jupiter
Put the following planets in the order of increasing size of orbit: Earth, Jupiter, Mercury and Uranus
Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Uranus
The Milky Way is a…
Galaxy
How many planets are there in our solar system?
8
What are comets made of?
rock and ice
What is the heaviest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
What planet in our solar system has the largest orbit?
Neptune
What is a light-year?
The distance light travels in a year.
Explain the process of Nuclear Fusion.
The sun’s energy comes from hydrogen. Hydrogen nuclei are jammed together so hard that they combine in pairs to form the element helium. This releases loads of energy.
What is nuclear fusion?
When nuclei are crushed together to form new elements, releasing energy.
What is Nuclear fission?
Nuclear fission breaks up heavy nuclei into lighter ones, releasing energy.
What is redshift?
The increase of wavelength from a galaxy moving away.
Does the amount of redshift increase or decrease as you get further away from Earth?
increases.
How many years ago did the universe start expanding rapidly from a single point?
14,000 million years ago.
When was the sun created?
About 5000 million years ago.
When was the Earth created?
About 4500 million years ago.
What is sedimentation?
The process of when eroded rock fragments are transported by the wind, water, and ice. Broken up further, and deposited on river beds and in the sea.
How are sea levels and sedimentary rocks linked?
The build-up of sedimentary rock layers cause seas to eventually become shallower.
What is the continental drift theory?
Millions of years ago there was a single land mass on Earth. Since then it has split into several continents which have drifted apart.
Who came up with the continental drift theory?
Alfred Wegener
What are two reasons of why we should believe Wegener’s theory?
- The way the continents fit together so well.
- Similar fossils and rocks are found on continents now separated by the oceans.
Why do continents move?
They sit on the mantle, whose rocks move slowly by convection as they carry heat away from the Earth’s hot core.
