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GCSE CCEA Physics unit 2 And 3 > Space Physics > Flashcards

Space Physics Flashcards

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1
Q

Define solar system

A

A system of celestial bodies including:

  • a star,
  • planets,
  • other bodies that orbit the star and
  • moons that orbit the planets
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2
Q

What is a celestial body? (2)

A
  • Any naturally occurring object
  • outside of the Earth’s atmosphere
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3
Q

What path does a celestial body follow as it travels around another?

A

Orbit (circular motion)

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4
Q

What is the sun

A

The star at the centre of our solar system that has a
large enough gravitational field to keep:

  • planets,
  • dwarf planets,
  • asteroids and
  • comets
    in orbit around it
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5
Q

What is a gravitational field?

A

The region of space around an object with mass in which another object with mass experiences a non-contact force

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6
Q

What is a planet?

A

A large, spherical body in space that orbits a star

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7
Q

What conditions are required for a planet to form? (2)

A

gravity must be strong enough to:

  • make it spherical
  • Clear its orbital path by putting other objects in its orbit
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8
Q

What planets are in our solar system? (In order from sun)

A
  • mercury
  • venus
  • earth
  • mars
  • Jupiter
  • Saturn
  • Uranus
  • Neptune
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9
Q

What is a dwarf planet? (2)

A
  • A small spherical body that orbits a star
  • but its orbital path is not clear of other objects
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10
Q

What is a satellite?

A

A natural or artificial body that orbits a planet

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11
Q

What is a moon?

A

A natural satellite of a planet

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12
Q

What is an asteroid?

A

A small body of rock orbiting a star

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13
Q

What is the asteroid belt?

A

The region of the solar system between orbits of Mars and Jupiter where many asteroids are found

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14
Q

What is a comet?

A

A small body of ice, rock and dust that follows a highly elliptical orbital path around a star

(orbital path = Oval type shape, close to the sun in parts, far away in others)

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15
Q

What is contained within a comet’s tail?

When is this produced?

A
  • Gas and dust,
  • as it passes close to a star and points away from the star
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16
Q

What is a Lightyear (ly)?

A

The distance light travels in one year

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17
Q

What distance does 1 ly equal?

A

9.46 x 1015 metres

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18
Q

What is a nebula?

A

A large cloud of dust and gas in space

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19
Q

How is a protostar formed?

A

When the core of a nebula collapses under its own gravity

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20
Q

When does nuclear fusion begin in the formation of stars

A

When the core of a protostar becomes hot and dense enough for fusion to start

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21
Q

What is a main sequence star?

A

A star that is in equilibrium and remains in this phase for most of its lifetime

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22
Q

What forces act on a star in equilibrium? (2)

A
  • gravity
  • thermal expansion / radiation pressure
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23
Q

What type of star is the sun

and

at what stage of life is it?

A
  • a relatively small, main sequence star
  • roughly in the middle of its life cycle
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24
Q

When is a red giant formed? (2)

A
  • when a star about the size of the sun runs out of hydrogen
  • so larger nuclei form and the star expands
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25
Q

When is a white dwarf formed? (2)

A
  • When the nuclear reactions in a red giant stop
  • and it starts to contract due to its own gravity
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26
Q

When is a black dwarf formed?

A

When a white dwarf cools until it no longer emits radiation

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27
Q

When is a red super giant formed? (2)

A
  • When a star much larger than the sun runs out of hydrogen
  • so larger nuclei form and the star expands
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28
Q

What is a supernova?

When does a supernova occur?

What happens after a supernova?
(4)

A
  • When a red supergiant expands until it explodes,
  • throwing hot gas into space from their outer layers
  • the star shines for a relatively short time - brightness of 10 bn suns
  • the remaining core may collapse more, some may become neutron stars, larger ones become black holes
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29
Q

What is left after a supernova?

What does this depend on?

A
  • A neutron star or a black hole
  • depending on mass of the star at the start of its life (black hole = higher mass)
30
Q

Where do all naturally occurring elements come from?

A

Fusion reactions in stars

31
Q

Where do lighter elements (up to iron) form?

How?

A
  • main sequence stars
  • when hydrogen runs out, so helium nuclei start to fuse etc.
32
Q

How do heavier elements (heavier than iron) form?

A

When a supernova explodes, throwing the elements into the universe

33
Q

What is a galaxy?

A

a collection of stars (held by
gravitational forces)

34
Q

Which galaxy do we live in?

A

The Milky Way

35
Q

How do astronomers investigate the composition of a planet’s atmosphere?

A

By observing light passing through or from a planets atmosphere - spectra

36
Q

What is red shift?

What is this used as evidence for?

A
  • When light from other galaxies is shifted to the red end of the spectrum
  • This can be explained as the universe expanding - backing up the Big Bang theory
37
Q

What does a red shift tell us?

A

The space between the Earth and distant galaxies is expanding

38
Q

What is the relationship between amount of red shift and speed of galaxies? (2)

A
  • The more the light from a distant galaxy is red-shifted,
  • the faster the galaxy is moving away from earth
39
Q

How did red shift lead to the development of the Big Bang Theory?

A
  • the further away a galaxy is, the more its light is red-shifted
  • which suggests the Universe is and has been expanding since creation
40
Q

What is the Big Bang Theory used to describe?

A

The early stages of the Universe

41
Q

When did the Big Bang occur?

A

14 billion years ago

42
Q

What is CMBR (Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation)?

A

The remains of the heat energy released from the Big Bang which is now spread thinly across the whole Universe

43
Q

How does CMBR provide evidence for the Big Bang theory?

A

Microwave radiation has been found from all directions in space

44
Q

What is gravity needed for?

A

To maintain a stable orbit of planets around a star and satellites around a planet

45
Q

What is an artificial satellite?

A

A man-made object that orbits a planet e.g. telecom satellites

46
Q

What is meant by the stable orbit of a satellite? (2)

A
  • When the speed of a satellite is slow enough to stop it flying into space
  • but fast enough to stop it falling towards the planet
47
Q

What is the problem when a satellite is traveling too quickly? (2)

A
  • Gravitational attraction between planet and satellite too weak
  • satellite flies into space
48
Q

What is the problem when a satellite is traveling too slowly? (2)

A
  • Gravitational attraction between planet and satellite too strong
  • satellite falls toward planet
49
Q

What is a geostationary satellite?

How long does it take to orbit the Earth?

A
  • A satellite that orbits the Earth at the same rate as the Earth rotates
  • 24 hours
50
Q

What is the position of a geostationary satellite relative to the Earth’s surface?

A

It remains above the same place on the Earth’s surface

51
Q

What is circular motion?

A

When an object follows a circular path, usually at a constant speed

52
Q

What happens to velocity in circular motion?

A

It is changing, even if the speed is constant due to direction changes

53
Q

What happens to acceleration in circular motion?

A

Is is accelerating because it’s direction (and velocity) is changing

54
Q

What is a centripetal force?

In what direction does it act?

A
  • The resultant force that causes the acceleration of an object traveling in a circle
  • towards the centre of a circle
55
Q

What does gravitational attraction provide for solar systems?

A

A centripetal force which keeps satellites in orbit around planets and planets in orbit around stars

56
Q

How does the force of gravity between two objects vary with distance?

A

The closer the objects are, the stronger the force of gravity between them

(or vice-versa)

57
Q

What is the effect of the magnitude of gravitational force on velocity? (3)

A
  • Greater force of gravity
  • greater acceleration
  • therefore greater velocity
58
Q

What is the effect of orbit size on the speed of a satellite?

A

Objects in small orbits travel faster than objects in large orbits

59
Q

What is polar orbit?

A

Orbit over a planet’s poles

60
Q

How long does a satellite in geostationary orbit take to complete one orbit?

A

24 hours

61
Q

At which height above the Earth does a satellite need to be at for geostationary orbit?

A

Around 36 000 km above sea level

62
Q

What is the relationship between orbital speed of a satellite and its height above a planet?

A
  • further from planet’s surface
  • slower it travels
63
Q

What is the relationship between orbital speed of a planet and its distance from the sun?

A
  • further from the sun
  • slower it travels
64
Q

Outline the stages in the life cycle of a small star - in order (6)

A
  • nebula
  • protostar
  • main sequence star
  • red giant
  • white dwarf
  • black dwarf
65
Q

What observation allows astronomers to state that space is expanding?

A

Red shift

66
Q

Outline the Big Bang Theory - in order (4)

A
  • expansion & cooling of the universe
  • neutrons & protons form
  • further expansion and cooling allowed nuclei to form
  • temperature drops & hydrogen atoms form from neutrons and protons combining
67
Q

Why is travel to exoplanets not possible using modern technology

A

The journey is too slow - longer than a human life

68
Q

What are exoplanets

A

Planets outside of our solar system

69
Q

Why do black holes appear to absorb light? (2)

A
  • there is a strong gravitational field in a black hole that nothing can escape from ,
  • including electromagnetic radiation such as light
70
Q

Outline the stages in the life cycle of a large star - in order (6)

A
  • nebula
  • protostar
  • main sequence star
  • red supergiant
  • supernova
  • neutron star / black hole
71
Q

In what type of orbit are:

  • telecom satellites
  • weather satellites
  • earth observation satellites
A
  • geostationary
  • polar
  • polar
72
Q

What temp is CMBR?

A

~ -270ºC

GCSE CCEA Physics unit 2 And 3 (8 decks)

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