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Physics paper 2 > Space Physics > Flashcards

Space Physics Flashcards

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1
Q

What galaxy is out solar system part of?

A

The milky way galaxy

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2
Q

How many plants make up our solar system?

A

Eight

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3
Q

What do the planets in our solar system orbit around and what type of body is it?

A

-Planets orbit around the sun
-The sun is a star

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4
Q

What type of force pulled together the cloud of dust and gas to form the sun?

A

Gravitational force of attraction

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5
Q

What word is used to describe a cloud of dust and gas?

A

A nebula

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6
Q

What factor determines the type of lifecycle a star undergoes

A

The size of the star

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7
Q

What happens when protostars increase?

A
  • More and more particles join
  • Increases in size
  • Force in gravity gets stronger
  • So more dust and gas is pulled in
  • Increases density, so particles collide more often
  • Raising temp of protostar
  • Nuclear fusion
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8
Q

Life cycle of smaller stars

A

Nebula - Protostar - Main sequence star - Red giant - White dwarf- Black dwarf

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9
Q

Why do main sequence stars have a long stable period

A
  • Outwards pressure caused by nuclear fusion is equal to the inward pressure of gravity
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10
Q

How are elements other than hydrogen created by main sequence stars

A
  • Eventually it begins to runs out of hydrogen
  • Less nuclear fusion
  • Inwards pressure is greater so it compresses the star
  • Which increases the density so nuclear fusion occurs again
  • It expands again and forms heavier elements (up to iron)
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11
Q

Life cycle of larger stars

A

Nebula - protostar - main sequence star - red super giant - Supernova -

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12
Q

How is a white dwarf formed

A
  • Red giant becomes unstable to expels its outer layers
  • Leaving a hot, dense, solid core where no nuclear fusion occurs
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13
Q

How is a black dwarf formed

A
  • When a white dwarf emits all of its energy
  • No longer has enough energy to emit light
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14
Q

How are elements heavier than iron produced

A
  • Red super giants go through lots of nuclear fusion
  • Eventually explode in a supernova
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15
Q

What type of nuclei fuse together to form heavier elements in a star?

A

Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form heavier elements

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16
Q

What allows planets and satellites to maintain circular orbits

A
  • 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
17
Q

Explain why for a stable orbit, the radius f orbit must change if the speed changes

A
  • At higher speeds, the object requires 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
18
Q

Explain how the force of gravity acting on a satellite affects its speed and velocity

A
  • The force can alter its velocity since the direction is continually changing
  • it cant cause a change of speed since there is no force component in the direction of motion
19
Q

What is red-shift

A

An observed increase in the wavelength of light from distant galaxies

20
Q

what two things can be said about the motion and wavelength of emitted light from a galaxy, the further away it is

A
  • The further away a galaxy is, the faster its moving
  • The further away a galaxy is, the greater the observed increase in wavelength
21
Q

what does red shift provide evidence for

A
  • Evidence that the universe is expanding
  • Supports the big bang theory
22
Q

What does the big bang theory suggest

A

The entire universe started from a singular very small, hot and dense region

23
Q

Compare the observed red-shift of two galaxies, one further away than the other

A
  • The one further away is travelling faster
  • The red shift is greater the further away it is
24
Q

What did scientists observe to provide evidence that the universe is expanding at an ever faster rate

A

They observed supernovae, which suggested that galaxies are moving away at an ever faster rate

25
Q

Prior to observations of supernovae, what was believed about the rate of expansion of the universe and why?

A
  • The rate of expansion was expected to happen at a slower rate
  • It was thought that gravitational forces would cause this slowing down
26
Q

What two ideas could explain the universe’s ever increasing rate of expansion?

A
  • The existence of energy and mass that we cant detect, known as dark energy and dark matter
  • These ideas are still being developed by scientists and are not yet fully understood

Physics paper 2 (4 decks)

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