Solar system Flashcards
Which galaxy is our solar system part of?
The milky way galaxy.
How many planets make up our solar system?
Eight (plus the dwarf planets).
What do the planets in our solar system orbit and what type of body is it?
- The planets orbit around the sun.
- The sun is a star.
What type of force pulled together the cloud of dust and gas to form the sun?
Gravitational force of attraction.
What word is used to describe a cloud of dust and gas?
A nebula.
What types of reactions take place at the star’s life cycle as dust and gas is drawn together?
Fusion reactions.
What factor determines the type of lifecycle a star undergoes?
The size of the star.
Which 2 phases do all stars of the same or greater size than the sun undergo?
- Protostar phase.
- Main sequence phase.
What do stars of a similar magnitude to the sun become at end of their life-cycle?
A black dwarf.
What 2 things can stars much bigger than the sun become at the end of their lifecycle?
- Neutron star.
- Black hole.
What 2 phases do stars of similar go through between being a main sequence star and a black dwarf?
1) Red giant.
2) White dwarf.
What 2 phases do stars of greater size than the sun go through between being a main sequence star and a neutron star/black hole?
1) Red supergiant.
2) Supernova.
What are produced during the fusion processes in a star?
All of the naturally occurring elements.
What condition is required for fusion reactions to occur in a star?
Very high temperatures.
How are elements heavier than iron produced?
In a supernova.
What type of nuclei fuse together to form heavier elements in a star?
Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form heavier elements.
How are elements distributes through out the universe?
Through the explosion of a massive star (supernova).
What allows planets and satellites to maintain circular orbits?
- Gravity provides the gravitational force that acts as the object’s centripetal force.
- The presence of a centripetal force allows for the object to maintain its circular orbit.
What type of satellite can a planet’s moon be described as?
A natural satellite.
Give 2 examples of artificial satellites
- TV satellites.
- Satellites used for satellite imaging.
Explain why for a stable orbit, the radius of orbit must change if the speed changes
- At higher speeds, the object require a greater centripetal force.
- For a greater centripetal force, the gravitational force must increase.
- This is achieved by the radius of the orbit being reduced.
Explain how the force of gravity acting on a satellite affect its speed and velocity
- The force can alter its velocity since the direction is continually changing.
- It can’t cause a change of speed since their is no force component in the direction of motion.
