Solar System Flashcards
Freefall
When a body falls subject only to the earth’s gravitational field
Mass is a property of body and does not change (is constant) wherever the body is, but weight depends on mass and on the local strength of gravity so it is not constant
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What is responsible for the movement of satellites (natural and artificial)
Gravity
What is the difference between polar and geostationary satellites?
The difference is their positions in respect to the earth and time of one orbit/rotation
Polar satellites
Polar satellites go over the poles -as the world turns, they travel over different locations.
Uses of polar satellites
They are mainly used for earth mapping and spy satellites
Geostationary satellites
Are equatorial. It has the same orbiting speed as the earth and moves with the same axis, so that it seems to be standing fixed in one place.
Use of geostationary satellites
They are mainly used for communications
If the earth didn’t have a tilted axis
Then we would not have seasons.
Solstices
Longest/shortest day. The days are shorter in the winter because the sun is lower in the sky
Equinoxes
Equal days and nights
The planets
My very easy method just speeds up naming (planets) Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune (Pluto)
Dwarf planets
Planets too small to count as a proper planet e.g Pluto
Asteroids
Debris stuck in orbit
Meteors
Debris fallen out of orbit
