Space Physics Flashcards
What galaxy is our solar system part of ?
The Milky Way galaxy .
How many planets make up our solar system ?
Eight ( including dwarf planets )
What do planets in our solar system orbit around and what type of body is it ?
The planets orbits around the sun
The sun is a star
What is a galaxy ?
A massive group of stars
Describe how star are formed ?
Stars form clouds of dust and gas ( nebula )
In the first stage , gravity causes the cloud and the gas to collapse
As the dust particles move faster , the temperature rises to millions of degrees Celsius
If the temperature of the protostar gets high enough then hydrogen and nuclei join together to from helium .
Protostar has turned into a star
What factor determines the type of lifestyle a star undergoes?
The size of the star
What do stars of a similar magnitude to the sun become at the end of their life-cycle ?
A black dwarf
What two phases do stars of similar sizes to the sun go through between being a main sequence star and black dwarf .
1.Red giant
2.White dwarf
What two things can stars much bigger than the sun become at the end of their cycle ?
- Neutron star
- Black hole
What two phases do stars greater than the size of the sun go through between being a main sequence star and a neutron star /black hole ?
1.Red super giant
2.Supernova
What condition is required for fusion reactions to occur in a star ?
Very high temperatures
How are elements heavier than iron produced ?
In a supernova
Why type of nucleus fuse together to form heavier elements in a star ?
Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form heavier elements
What type of satellite can a planets moon be described as ?
A natural satélite
Give two examples of artificial satélites ?
- Tv satellites
- Satellites used for satellite imaging
What is red-shift ?
An observed increase in wavelength of light from distant galaxies .
What two things can be said about the motion and wavelength of emitted light from a galaxy, the Futhermore away it is ?
The further away a galaxy is , the faster it is moving .
The further away away a galaxy is , the greater the observed increase in wavelength
What does red-shift provide evidence for ?
Provides evidence that the universe is expanding
Supports the Big band theory
What does the Big Bang theory suggest ?
The entire universe started from a small , hot and dense region in space .
