solar nebula stuff test Flashcards

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1
Q

The scientist that discovered that the planet’s orbits are elliptical

A

Kepler

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2
Q

The name of the Earth-centered model.

A

Geocentric model

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3
Q

What is the part of our solar system that lies outside the Kuiper Belt?

A

the Oort Cloud

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4
Q

Kepler’s first law of planetary motion states…

A

every planet’s orbit is an ellipse with the Sun at a focus.

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5
Q

The creator of the Heliocentric model

A

Copernicus

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6
Q

What caused the layering of the Earth to occur?

A

The density of the molten material Earth was made of

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7
Q

The creator of the Geocentric model

A

Ptolemy

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8
Q

The name of the Sun-centered model is…

A

the Heliocentric model

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9
Q

Eccentricity is…

A

the measure of how elliptical, or oval, an orbit is.

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10
Q

Kepler’s second law of planetary motion states…

A

a line joining the Sun and a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times

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11
Q

When did the solar system form?

A

4.6 billion years ago

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12
Q

Which of Kepler’s 3 laws help determine the length of years on other planets?

A

The third law

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13
Q

Another name for molecular cloud

A

Nebula

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14
Q

Why do all the planets travel counter clock-wise?

A

That was the direction the nebula was spinning when the solar system formed. (Solar nebula theory)

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15
Q

Why did the idea of an earth-centered solar system last for nearly 2,000 years?

A

Because the Roman Catholic church backed the idea, and there was no Church/State separation

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16
Q

What causes nebula to collapse on itself?

A

Gravity

17
Q

A spinning cloud of dust and debris, where baby stars and planets are formed can be called both…

A

Stellar nurseries, or Nebula. (Plural = Nebulae)

18
Q

What is retrograde motion?

A

When a planet appears to go backwards.

19
Q

Pluto is no longer classified as a planet, what is it called now?

A

a Dwarf Planet, or Kuiper Belt Object (KBO)

20
Q

Why are Pluto and other KBOs not classified as planets?

A

They haven’t cleared their neighborhoods.

21
Q

What happened to Galileo after he supported the Heliocentric model?

A

he was imprisoned.

22
Q

Kepler’s third law of planetary motion states…

A

the square of a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

23
Q

When a planet is at the closest point to the sun on the axis, it is called…

A

the perihelion

24
Q

When a planet is at the farthest point from the sun on the axis, it is called…

A

the aphelion

25
Q

What is one astronomical unit equal to in miles?

A

93 million miles

26
Q

what is one light-year equal to in miles?

A

5.88 trillion miles

27
Q

How many light year(s) away is the nearest quasar?

A

1 billion light years away.

28
Q

How long does it take for light from the Sun to reach our Earth?

A

8 and a half (8.5) minutes.

29
Q

How many light year(s) away is the Oort cloud?

A

1 light year