Planets, The Solar System and the Galaxy Flashcards
What shape is the Sun, Moon and Earth?
The moon and Earth bulge at the equator whereas the sun is almost perfectly round!
What are the main changes in the seasons?
Time in a day, Heat, Light.
Describe the solar system and the milky way.
The solar system consists of all our local planets and pluto all of which orbit the sun. The milky way is our galaxy which holds millions of other solar systems including ours,
Why do we have different seasons?
We have different seasons depending on wether the hemisphere we are on is tilted towards or away the sun.
What affects strength of gravity?
Distance and mass.
What is the difference between mass and weight?
Weight is the affect of gravity on us and mass is the amount of matter in an object. So mass will stay the same on any planet whereas the weight will change. Mass is measured in kg and weight is measured in Newton’s.
How do we get information on different planets?
We send satellites to take pictures or send ROVERS to explore the planets surface.
Why do we see phases on the moon?
Because we are seeing the area on the moon that the suns light is shining on.
Describe how different factors affect the strength of gravity.
The distance between two objects affects the strength of gravity between them so a rocket orbiting a planet will be less attracted to the planet than something of the same mass on the surface.
What does gravity do on planets?
Gravity pulls the object towards the centre of the planet so in planets with high gravity you would be crushed and on low gravity you can float around.
Why do we still use Kepler’s model of the solar system?
Because it is the most accurate.
Why do some places have a midnight sun?
It is when the suns light covers the whole of the bottom or the top of the earths so wherever it faces it is light.
What do we use for measuring space?
We use light years for measuring distance in space because miles and kilometres are too small.
Why does the sun feel hotter in summer?
because the suns rays are more concentrated.
