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Physics > Solar Sytems And Galaxies > Flashcards

Solar Sytems And Galaxies Flashcards

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1
Q

How long does it take for the Earth to orbit around the Sun?

A

365.25 days

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2
Q

How long does it take for the Moon to orbit around the Earth?

A

27.3 days to complete a revolution, but 29.5 days to change from the present Moon to New Moon

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3
Q

What causes day and night on Earth?

A

The Earth’s rotation on its axis

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4
Q

What gives rise to seasons on Earth?

A

The tilt of the Earth’s axis as it orbits the Sun

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5
Q

How do the Moon’s phases appear to change over time?

A

The Moon’s phases change due to the different parts of it being lit by the Sun as it orbits the Earth

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6
Q

What is the relationship between the Moon and ocean tides?

A

The gravitational pull of the Moon affects the rise and fall of ocean tides

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7
Q

What are the four inner planets of the Solar System?

A

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

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8
Q

What are the four outer planets of the Solar System?

A

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

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9
Q

Why is Earth the only planet that supports life?

A

Earth has the right distance from the Sun, a protective magnetic field, an insulating atmosphere, water, and oxygen

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10
Q

Where is the asteroid belt located?

A

Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

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11
Q

What is the origin of the Universe according to the Big Bang Theory?

A

The Universe was formed from an infinitely dense and hot core of material, followed by an outward expansion of matter and space

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12
Q

What is the primary cause of eclipses?

A

Eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in a straight line, causing shadows to be cast on Earth or the Moon

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13
Q

What is a solar eclipse?

A

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight

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14
Q

What is a lunar eclipse?

A

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth blocks the Sun’s light from reaching the Moon, causing the Moon to appear dark

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15
Q

What are the primary phases of the Moon?

A

New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter

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16
Q

What are the secondary phases of the Moon?

A

Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Crescent, Waning Gibbous

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17
Q

What is the cause of the different lengths of day and night over a year?

A

The Earth’s tilt and orbit around the Sun cause variations in the length of daylight, with longer days in summer and shorter days in winter

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18
Q

What is the Prime Meridian?

A

The imaginary line that divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres, running through Greenwich Royal Observatory in London

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19
Q

What are time zones and how are they related to the Earth’s rotation?

A

Time zones are regions of the Earth that have the same standard time, based on the Earth’s rotation and longitudinal divisions

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20
Q

What is the shape of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun?

A

The Earth’s orbit is elliptical (elongated circle)

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21
Q

What is the composition of the outer planets?

A

The outer planets are made of gas, ice, and rocks

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22
Q

What is the composition of the inner planets?

A

The inner planets are made of iron, nickel, and silicates

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23
Q

How many moons do the inner planets have compared to the outer planets?

A

The inner planets have very few to no moons, while the outer planets have dozens of moons

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24
Q

Why do we have longer days in the summer and shorter days in the winter?

A

The tilt of the Earth’s axis causes different parts of Earth to receive more or less direct sunlight throughout the year

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25
Q

How does the Moon produce ‘moonlight’?

A

The Moon reflects sunlight, it does not produce light itself

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26
Q

What is the approximate time period between one full moon and the next?

A

About 29.5 days

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27
Q

What is the role of gravity in maintaining the orbits of the Earth and the Moon?

A

Gravity attracts and keeps the Earth and Moon in their respective orbits around the Sun and Earth

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28
Q

What are the implications of changing seasons on human activities?

A

Changing seasons affect agricultural activities, human life, and various other activities on Earth

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29
Q

How long has the Universe been expanding according to the Big Bang Theory?

A

The Universe has been expanding for 13.8 billion years

30
Q

What percentage of the Universe’s matter is composed of hydrogen?

A

About 74% of all matter in the Universe is hydrogen

31
Q

What is the connection between Earth’s magnetic field and life on the planet?

A

Earth’s magnetic field protects the planet from harmful solar radiation, making it habitable for life

32
Q

How is the asteroid belt related to planetary formation theories?

A

The asteroid belt is believed to be material that never accreted into a planet, possibly due to Jupiter’s gravitational influence

33
Q

What is the night sky filled with?

A

The night sky is filled with clear views of bright twinkling objects that appear as fixed points of light due to their great distance from Earth.

34
Q

What are stars, and how are they grouped?

A

Stars are large celestial bodies grouped into galaxies, held together by gravity.

35
Q

What is the sun?

A

The sun is a star that produces a huge amount of energy daily.

36
Q

What is a galaxy?

A

A galaxy is a collection of a large number of stars held together by the force of gravity.

37
Q

What is the name of the galaxy that comprises our solar system?

A

The Milky Way Galaxy.

38
Q

What is the nearest galaxy to us?

A

The Andromeda galaxy.

39
Q

Name some other galaxies besides the Milky Way.

A

Cigar Galaxy, Pinwheel Galaxy, Sombrero Galaxy, and others.

40
Q

When can the Milky Way Galaxy be seen with the naked eye?

A

It can be seen on a clear night with no strong lights or moonlight, during certain times of the year.

41
Q

Why can’t conventional S.I. units be used to measure stars and galaxies?

A

Physical quantities such as mass and distance in stars and galaxies are too large for conventional S.I. units.

42
Q

What is a light year (ly)?

A

A light year is the distance light travels in one year, approximately 9.5x10¹⁵ meters.

43
Q

What is an astronomical unit (AU)?

A

An astronomical unit is roughly the distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 150 million kilometers.

44
Q

How is the mass of a star measured?

A

The mass of a star is measured in terms of the solar mass, which is equal to the mass of the Sun.

45
Q

How is the radius of stars measured?

A

The radius of stars is measured in solar radii, equal to the radius of the Sun.

46
Q

How does the Sun produce energy?

A

Solar energy is created by nuclear fusion in the Sun, where hydrogen atoms fuse to create helium atoms.

47
Q

Why is energy from the Sun important for life on Earth?

A

Solar energy drives photosynthesis, provides vision, and is responsible for weather and other natural processes.

48
Q

What would happen to the Earth without energy from the Sun?

A

Without energy from the Sun, Earth would freeze, and there would be no winds, ocean currents, or clouds.

49
Q

Why does the sky appear blue during the day?

A

The sky appears blue because shorter wavelength blue and violet light are scattered by molecules in the atmosphere.

50
Q

Why do sunsets appear yellow, orange, or red?

A

Sunsets appear these colors because the sun is low on the horizon, and blue and violet light are scattered out of sight, leaving other colors.

51
Q

What is the surface temperature of the Sun?

A

The Sun’s surface temperature is about 6000 K.

52
Q

What is the solar constant?

A

The solar constant is the amount of solar energy received on Earth per unit area, about 1338 watts per square meter.

53
Q

What is solar wind?

A

The solar wind is a low-density stream of charged particles (mostly electrons and protons) emitted by the Sun.

54
Q

What is the life cycle of a star?

A

The life cycle of a star is the sequence of events from its formation to its death, depending on its mass.

55
Q

How is a star formed?

A

A star is formed from a nebula, a cloud of interstellar dust and gas, mostly hydrogen.

56
Q

What is a protostar?

A

A protostar is an infant star formed when dust and gas particles in the nebula cluster due to gravity and accretion.

57
Q

What happens in the main sequence stage of a star’s life cycle?

A

In the main sequence stage, nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium occurs, releasing energy and maintaining the star’s core temperature.

58
Q

What happens when a star’s hydrogen runs out?

A

The star expands, cools, and becomes a red giant. Massive stars become red supergiants.

59
Q

What is a supernova?

A

A supernova is a violent explosion that occurs when a massive star collapses at the end of its life cycle.

60
Q

What are neutron stars and black holes?

A

Neutron stars are formed from collapsing massive stars with a strong magnetic field, while black holes are areas of immense gravity where nothing, not even light, can escape.

61
Q

What is a satellite?

A

A satellite is a body that moves around a larger body in a curved path called an orbit.

62
Q

What is the difference between a planet and a moon?

A

A satellite that revolves around a star is called a planet, while one that revolves around a planet is called a moon.

63
Q

What are artificial satellites?

A

Artificial satellites are machines launched into space to orbit a body in space for a specific purpose.

64
Q

Name four types of artificial satellites.

A

Communication satellites, weather satellites, navigation satellites, and scientific satellites.

65
Q

What is a geostationary orbit?

A

A geostationary orbit is a circular geosynchronous orbit 35,786 km above Earth’s equator, where a satellite appears motionless to ground observers.

66
Q

What is the purpose of communication satellites?

A

Communication satellites relay and amplify radio telecommunication signals for television, radio, internet, and military applications.

67
Q

What is the Global Positioning System (GPS)?

A

GPS is a network of satellites and receivers used to determine location and time on Earth.

68
Q

What is the Hubble Space Telescope?

A

The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope in low Earth orbit that captures high-resolution images of space, leading to breakthroughs in astrophysics.

69
Q

What is the International Space Station (ISS)?

A

The ISS is a large structure in low Earth orbit used for microgravity and space environment experiments, maintained by a collaboration of multiple space agencies.

70
Q

Why is space exploration important?

A

Space exploration helps scientists search for life on other planets and study exoplanets in habitable zones, revealing new possibilities in the universe.

Physics (7 decks)

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