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GCSE Edexcel Separate Physics > SP7 Astronomy > Flashcards

SP7 Astronomy Flashcards

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1
Q

Define weight

A

The force acting on an object due to gravitational attraction

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2
Q

What is the equation used to calculate weight?

A

weight = mass x gravitational field strength

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3
Q

How does the mass of a planet affect the weight of something on said planet?

A

The greater the mass of a planet = the greater its gravitational strength

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4
Q

The greater the mass of a planet = the greater its gravitational strength
Why is this true?

A

The more mass a planet has = a greater gravitational pull = higher the value of gravitational acceleration = greater value of g

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5
Q

What does the solar system consist of?

A
  • the sun
  • eight planets
  • dwarf planets
  • natural and artificial satellites
  • asteroids and comets
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6
Q

What are the four gas giants?

A

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus , Neptune

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6
Q

What are the four rocky planets?

A

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

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7
Q

Why do larger planets have rings?

A

Their gravitational pull is so strong that it attracts debris

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8
Q

How long does light from the sun need to reach us here on Earth?

A

8 minutes

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9
Q

What was the geocentric model?

A
  • model that put earth in the centre
  • and the other planets + sun orbited earth
  • everything orbited in perfect circles
  • with a fixed background of stars
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10
Q

What is the heliocentric model?

A

Sun was at the centre of planets’ orbit, instead of the Earth

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11
Q

What was the evidence for the heliocentric model?

A
  • mars being in retrograde
  • Galileo observing Jupiters’s moons orbiting it
  • Kepler showed that planets orbited in elipses instead of perfect circles
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12
Q

When a planet is orbiting the sun, its velocity is always changing. How is this possible?

A
  • gravitational force causes planet to change direction constantly
  • but speed of planet is constant
  • velocity is always changing = accelerating without increasing its speed
  • same goes for satellites around a planet
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13
Q

Why is it that closer planets have a faster orbital speed than gas giants?

A
  • closer the planet = stronger the sun’s gravitational strength
  • force increases
  • therefore acceleration increases
  • causing an increase in velocity
  • therefore orbital speed is faster
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14
Q

Describe the orbits of all planets around the sun

A
  • slightly elliptical
  • orbit in the same plane
  • travel the same direction around the sun
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15
Q

Describe the orbit of comets

A
  • highly elliptical
  • causes speed of comet to change
  • not all comets orbit in the same field as planets + may not even be in the same direction
16
Q

What are the two forces that stars are held together by?

A

Gravitational pressure and pressure caused by thermal expansion

17
Q

What happens when the temperature of a star increases?

A

The star begins to expand because outward pressure will increase

18
Q

What happens when the temperature of a star decreases?

A

Outward pressure decreases, star begins to shrink

19
Q

Name the life cycle of solar mass stars

A
  1. nebulae
  2. protostar
  3. main sequence star
  4. red giant
  5. white dwarf
20
Q

What is a nebula?

A

All stars form in giant clouds of hydrogen gas and dust called a nebula

21
Q

Define protostar

A
  • The force of gravity within a nebula pulls the particles closer together until it forms a hot ball of gas
  • As the particles are pulled closer together the density of the protostar will increase
  • This will result in more frequent collisions between the particles which causes the temperature to increase
22
Q

Define main sequence star

A
  • temperature and pressure of protostar increases as particles get pushed so close
  • eventually, temperature and pressure gets so great that particles are able to fuse together
  • fusion releases a large amount of energy that opposes the collapsing of the cloud due to gravity
  • forming an equillibrium
23
Q

Define red giant

A
  • eventually, star runs out of gas to fuse, causing it to collapse
  • collapse increases the pressure and temperature of the core allowing heavier elements to fuse
  • as core shrinks, outer layer of star will expand and start to cool
24
Q

Define white dwarf

A
  • star will eventually become unstable + eject outer layer as a planetary nebulae
  • core that remains will collapse entirely and begin cooling as a white dwarf
25
Q

Describe the life cycle of stars with a mass higher than the solar mass

A
  1. nebulae
  2. protostar
  3. main sequence
  4. red supergiant
  5. supernova
  6. neutron star or black hole
26
Q

Define red supergiant

A

Larger version of a red giant

27
Q

Define supernova

A
  • once reactions in the red supergiant finish completely, core will collapse suddenly
  • causing a huge explosion
  • outer remanents of star ejected into space
28
Q

Define neutron star

A
  • star made up entirely of neutrons
  • spins rapidly
29
Q

Define black hole

A

Point in space from which even light cannot escape

30
Q

Describe the big bang theory

A
  • universe began from a small region that was incredibly hot and dense
  • there was a giant explosion (called big bang)
  • caused universe to expand from a single point and continue to expand till today
31
Q

Describe the steady state theory

A
  • universe always existed
  • as universe expands, matter is constantly being made so there is a constant density of matter in the universe
32
Q

What is cosmic microwave backrgound radiation?

A

Thought to be the remains of the thermal radiation from the original big bang

33
Q

What is red shift?

A

The increase in wavelength due to the distance between the observer and the celestial body increasing

34
Q

What is the evidence for the big bang theory?

A
  • red shift
  • cmbr
35
Q

Telescopes for what part of the EM spectrum need to be located outside the atmosphere?

A

X rays, gamma rays, UV rays

36
Q

Why do some telescopes need to be located outside the atmosphere?

A

Atmosphere blocks these wavelengths out majorly

GCSE Edexcel Separate Physics (18 decks)

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