Space Physics Flashcards
What are planets?
Spherical objects that orbit the sun in a circular orbit in the same plane.
How does red shift provide evidence for the Big Bang model?
- The more distant a galaxy is, the more red shifted its light is. → This shows all the galaxies are moving away from each other.
- This implies the Universe began with a single point which has been expanding ever since.
How was our sun formed?
Dust and gas were drawn together by gravity, eventually reaching sufficient pressure + temperature for nuclear fusion to start
What causes red shift?
A light source moving away causes the waves to be stretched out to a longer wavelength.
Why is our sun in equilibrium?
The outward force from the radiation is balanced by the inward force from gravity.
What is the composition of the solar system? (3)
The Sun (a star) is orbited by the 8 planets. Some of the planets are orbited by moons.
Comets (frozen rocks) orbit the Sun in very elliptical orbits.
Dwarf planets and asteroids also orbit the Sun, mainly in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
What is red shift?
The spectrum of light from stars and galaxies is shifted to longer wavelengths.
