P2 exploring our solar system Flashcards
Practise keywords found in physics section about the solar system and the universe
How many planets are in the solar system and can you name them in order?
8 (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). Pluto is no longer classified as a planet as it is too small.
What is the name of the force that holds the Earth in orbit around the sun
Gravity (this provides the centripetal force)
What evidence do we have of asteroid impacts? (Can you think of 3 pieces of evidence)
Crators and layers of unusual elements like iridium. Also sudden changes in the number of fossils found in adjacent rock layers.
Between which 2 planets do we find the asteroid belt
Mars and Jupiter
Why didn’t a planet form out of the asteroids in the asteroid belt?
The gravitational field of Jupiter disrupts this happening because the pull of gravity from Jupiter pulls the rocks apart
What are some possible consequences of an asteroid collision?
Crators, widespread fires, climate change, extinction of species caused by the blocking out of the sun by all the dust from the impact.
What is a NEO?
A near earth object e.g. A comet or asteroid on a collision course with Earth.
What is meant by the trajectory of a NEO?
It is the probable path of a near earth object
How do we monitor near earth objects
With telescopes
A theory about how the Moon was formed is that it is the remains of a planet that collided with Earth billions of years ago. What evidence do we have for this theory?
The iron cores of each planet merge to form the core of the Earth and the less dense material becomes the moon which orbits the Earth
How do unmanned space craft send back information about the planet to Earth?
They use radio waves
What kind of information do unmanned spacecraft send back to Earth
Information about temperature, gravity, atmosphere, landscape, radiation levels and magnetic field strength.
What is a light year
The distance that light travels in one year ( a long way)
Describe some difficulties of manned space travel
The planets a very far away so it can take months to get there, fuel required takes up most of the spacecraft, need a stable atmosphere on spaceship and food, water , low gravity affects health of astronauts, humans need shielding from cosmic rays
Describe some disadvantages of unmanned space travel
No one to fix breakdowns, instruments must require zero maintenance
