P16 - Space 2️⃣✅ Flashcards
What is the big bang theory?
The theory that the universe was created in a massive explosion, and that the universe has been expanding ever since
What is a black dwarf?
A star that has faded out and has gone cold
What is a black hole?
An object in space that has so much mass that nothing, not even light, can escape from its gravitational field
What is centrepedal force?
The resultant force towards the centre of a circle acting on an object moving in a circular path; it acts perpendicular to the direction of forward motion
What is a main sequence star?
A star that has reached the stage in its life cycle during which it radiates energy because of the nuclear fusion of hyrogen to heium in its nucleus
What is a neutron star?
The highly compressed core of a massive star that remains after a supernova explosion
What is a protostar?
The concentration of dust clouds and gas in space that forms an early star
What is a red giant?
A star that has expanded and cooled, resulting in it becoming red and much larger and cooler than it was before it expanded
What is a red supergiant?
A star significantly larger than the sun expanding and cooling and becoming what is essentially a red giant, but due to its siginificantly larger size, its known as a red supergiant
What is the Mnemonic for the planets in our solar sytem in order?
My
Very
Easy
Method
Just
Speeds
Up
Naming
(Planets)
What are the planets of a solar system in order?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
(Pluto)
What are planets?
Planets are large rocky objects that orbit around a star (planets in our solar system orbit a star (the sun))
What are exoplanets?
Planets that orbit another star that isnt our sun
What is a comet?
A small cosmic snowball of frozen gasses, rock & dust that orbit the sun in an elliptical orbit (ellipse = squashed circle) - when it comes closer to the sun it heats up and the ice starts to melt (hence shooting stars)
What is an asteriod?
Floating lumps of rock
What is a metiorite?
An asterioid that has entered an atmosphere
What is a geostationary satelite?
A satelite that orbits at the same speed as the earth’s orbit so it will always be at the same place overhead
What is geosynchronous orbit?
When an object in orbit passes over the same spot the same time everyday as the orbit takes roughly 24 hours.
Why do weather satelites have a very low orbit?
So they orbit at quicker speeds
What is low polar orbit?
A ‘vertical’ orbit from the north to the south pole
What is a satelite?
A smaller object orbiting a larger object
What are the two most common types of orbits?
Circular & Elliptical orbits
What is instantanious velocity?
Velocity at one instant in time that is always perpendicular to the direction of force
What is a natural satelite?
A natural satellite is any body in space that orbits around a larger body