Space Science Flashcards
What is the most widely accepted theory about
the origin of the universe?
a) Steady State Theory
b) Big Bang Theory
c) Oscillating Universe Theory
d) Multiverse Theory
b) Big Bang Theory
What does the term “inflation” refer to in
cosmology?
a) The formation of stars
b) The rapid expansion of the universe after the Big
Bang
c) The increase in temperature of the universe
d) The creation of galaxies
b) The rapid expansion of the universe after the Big
Bang
cosmological model that proposes the universe
undergoes a perpetual cycle of expansion and contraction (Big Crunch).
Oscillating Universe Theory
This hypothesis suggests that our universe is just one of
many universes that exist. These parallel universes could have different
physical laws and constants.
Multiverse theory
Approximately how many years ago did the Big
Bang occur?
a) 4.5 billion years
b) 13.8 billion years
c) 10.5 billion years
d) 7.2 billion years
b) 13.8 billion years
Approximately how many years ago did the Milky Way occur?
13.6 billion years
Approximately how many years ago did the Solar System and our Sun occur?
4.6 billion years
What is the observable universe?
a) The part of the universe we can see with
telescopes
b) The entire universe
c) The part of the universe within our galaxy
d) The universe’s black holes
a) The part of the universe we can see with
telescopes
afterglow of the
Big Bang, providing a snapshot of the universe when it was just 380,000 years
old
Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Radiation
What is in the center of the our galaxy (Milky Way
Galaxy)?
a) sun
b) blackhole
c) wormhole
d) white hole
b) blackhole
The name of that blackhole is…
a) Sagittarius A (Sgr A)
b) Gemini A (Ge A)
c) Capricorn A (Cp A)
d) Aquarius B (Aq B)
a) Sagittarius A (Sgr A)
region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that
nothing, not even light, can escape from it
black hole
- formed from the remnants of a massive star that has
ended its life cycle through a supernova explosion. - The core collapses under
gravity, forming a black holes
Stellar black hole
found at the centers of most galaxies, including
the Milky Way.
Their formation mechanisms are still not completely
understood, but they may form from the merging of smaller black holes or
from large amounts of gas collapsing directly into a black hole
Supermassive Black Holes
theoretical region in space-time which is the
opposite of a black hole.
It is a solution to the equations of
general relativity that theoretically expels matter and light,
unlike a black hole which absorbs them.
White hole
also known as an Einstein-Rosen bridge, is a
theoretical passage through spacetime that could create
shortcuts for long journeys across the universe.
Wormhole
Who proposed the theory of general relativity,
which is crucial for understanding the universe’s
origin?
a) Isaac Newton
b) Galileo Galilei
c) Albert Einstein
d) Niels Bohr
c) Albert Einstein
describes the gravitational force as a curvature of
spacetime caused by mass and energy
Theory of General Relativity
According to physics, time is
____
a) static/contant
b) flows in one direction/one way
c) dynamic/can be manipulated
d) not enough evidence to prove any of the answers
c) dynamic/can be manipulated
The following properties can alter the time,
which of the following does not?
a) sound
b) speed
c) gravity
d) relative motion
a) sound
due to differences in gravitational
fields
Gravitational Time Dilation
Moving clocks tick slower relative
to stationary clocks. This effect becomes significant as objects approach the
speed of light (299,792,458 meters per second).
Velocity Time Dilation (Special Relativity)
Time can appear to pass differently for observers in relative
motion. This is a consequence of the principle of relativity, which states that
the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion.
Relative Motion
earliest period of time in the history of the universe,
lasting from time zero to approximately 10^−43 seconds after the Big Bang
Planck epoch
founder of quantum
theory
Max Planck
10^-43 to 10^-36 seconds after the Big Bang.
During this
era, the fundamental forces of nature—gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong
and weak nuclear forces—were unified into a single force.
Grand Unification Era
10^-36 to 10^-12 seconds after the Big Bang, separation of
distinct forces
Electroweak Era
10^-12 seconds to 1 second after the Big Bang.
The
universe cooled sufficiently for quarks to bind together to form protons and
neutrons.
Elementary particles such as electrons, neutrinos, and photons were
abundant.
This era marked the formation of the first atomic nuclei (Big Bang
Nucleosynthesis).
Particle Era (Quark Era)
1 second to 380,000 years after the Big Bang.
Photons dominated the universe, and matter was ionized.
The universe was
opaque to light due to scattering by free electrons.
This era ended with
recombination, where electrons combined with nuclei to form neutral atoms,
allowing light to travel freely (cosmic microwave background radiation).
Radiation Era (Photon Era)
380,000 years to 150 million years after the Big Bang.
During this period, the universe was dark as no stars or galaxies had yet formed.
It was dominated by hydrogen and helium gas, with fluctuations in density
eventually leading to the formation of the first stars and galaxies.
Dark Ages
Era from the formation of the first stars (around 150 million years after
the Big Bang) to the present
Stellar Era
This era marks the period when the universe’s expansion began
accelerating due to dark energy.
It includes the discovery of
cosmic acceleration and ongoing research into the nature of
dark energy and the fate of the universe
Cosmic Era (Accelerated Expansion)
What is nucleosynthesis?
a) The creation of elements
b) The formation of galaxies
c) The process of star formation
d) The creation of planets
a) The creation of elements
Which element was formed first after the Big
Bang?
a) Hydrogen
b) Helium
c) Oxygen
d) Carbon
a) Hydrogen
What is redshift in cosmology?
a) A shift in the color of stars
b) An increase in wavelength of light from distant
galaxies
c) A decrease in the brightness of stars
d) A change in the speed of light
b) An increase in wavelength of light from distant
galaxies
Who is credited with the discovery of the
expanding universe?
a) Albert Einstein
b) Edwin Hubble
c) Carl Sagan
d) Stephen Hawking
b) Edwin Hubble
What is dark matter?
a) A type of black hole
b) Matter that emits light
c) Unseen matter that does not emit or absorb light
d) Antimatter
c) Unseen matter that does not emit or absorb light
What is dark energy?
a) Energy from black holes
b) The force causing the acceleration of the universe’s expansion
c) Energy emitted by stars
d) Electromagnetic radiation
b) The force causing the acceleration of the universe’s expansion
What did the discovery of cosmic microwave
background radiation confirm?
a) The existence of black holes
b) The Big Bang theory
c) The steady state theory
d) The oscillating universe theory
b) The Big Bang theory
What is the fate of the universe according to the
Big Crunch theory?
a) The universe will expand forever
b) The universe will collapse back into a singularity
c) The universe will remain static
d) The universe will turn into a black hole
b) The universe will collapse back into a singularity
What is the primary difference between
terrestrial planets and gas giants?
a) Terrestrial planets are smaller and rockier, gas
giants are larger and gaseous
b) Terrestrial planets have rings, gas giants do not
c) Terrestrial planets have more moons, gas giants
have fewer
d) Terrestrial planets are further from the Sun, gas
giants are closer
a) Terrestrial planets are smaller and rockier, gas
giants are larger and gaseous
Which planet is known as the “Evening Star/Morning Star/Earth’s Twin”?
a) Mars
b) Venus
c) Jupiter
d) Saturn
b) Venus
The Swift Planet / The Messenger
Mercury
The Swift Planet / The Messenger
Mercury
The Blue Planet
Earth
The Red Planet / The War Planet
Mars
The Gas Giant/The King of Planets
Jupiter
The Ringed Planet / The Jewel of the Solar System
Saturn
The Ice Giant
Uranus
The Windy Planet
Neptune
What is the name of the fifth planet from the
Sun?
a) Mars
b) Jupiter
c) Saturn
d) Uranus
b) Jupiter
What is the primary component of the
atmospheres of Venus and Mars?
a) Oxygen
b) Hydrogen
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Nitrogen
c) Carbon dioxide
Which dwarf planet is located in the asteroid
belt?
a) Pluto
b) Haumea
c) Ceres
d) Eris
c) Ceres
Found beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt
Haumea
Located in the Kuiper Belt beyond Pluto
Makemake
region of the solar system beyond the orbit of
Neptune
Kuiper Belt
Which planet has a surface temperature hot
enough to melt lead?
a) Mercury
b) Venus
c) Mars
d) Jupiter.
b) Venus
What are the rings of Saturn primarily composed
of?
a) Dust
b) Rock
c) Ice
d) Gas
c) Ice
What is the main cause of the differences in day
lengths on various planets?
a) The planet’s distance from the Sun
b) The planet’s atmospheric composition
c) The planet’s rotational speed
d) The planet’s size
c) The planet’s rotational speed
refers to the orbital motion of a planet around the Sun
Revolution (Year)
Effect of Revolution
It defines the length of a year (the time it takes for a planet to complete
one orbit around the Sun).
refers to the spinning motion of a planet around its axis
Rotation (Day)
Effect of Rotation
It
determines the length of a day (the time it takes for a planet to complete one full
rotation)
refers to the angle between a planet’s rotational axis and its
orbital plane around the Sun
Axis Tilt (Seasons)
Which planet has the most moons?
a) Earth
b) Jupiter
c) Saturn
d) Uranus
c) Saturn
What is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter?
a) A massive mountain
b) A giant storm
c) A large crater
d) A volcano
b) A giant storm
What is the term for the path an object takes as it
moves around the Sun?
a) Axis
b) Orbit
c) Revolution
d) Rotation
b) Orbit
largest volcano in the solar system and is located on Mars
Olympus Mons
How many planets in our Solar System are classified as gas giants?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
c) 4
What are the small rocky bodies that primarily
orbit between Mars and Jupiter?
a) Comets
b) Meteoroids
c) Asteroids
d) Dwarf planets
c) Asteroids
Smaller rocky or metallic bodies traveling through
space.
Meteoroids
Small rocky bodies orbiting the Sun, primarily found in the
asteroid belt
Asteroids
Meteoroids that enter Earth’s atmosphere and produce a
streak of light (shooting star).
Meteors
Remnants of meteoroids that survive atmospheric entry
and land on Earth’s surface.
Meteorites
What was the main objective of the Apollo 11
mission?
a) Orbit the Earth
b) Land on the Moon and return safely
c) Send a rover to Mars
d) Explore the outer planets
b) Land on the Moon and return safely
Who was the first person to walk on the Moon?
a) Yuri Gagarin
b) Neil Armstrong
c) Buzz Aldrin
d) John Glenn
b) Neil Armstrong
What is the name of the spacecraft that has
traveled the furthest from Earth?
a) Voyager 1
b) Voyager 2
c) Pioneer 10
d) New Horizons
a) Voyager 1
Which space mission discovered the first
exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star?
a) Kepler
b) Hubble
c) Voyager 1
d) Galileo
a) Kepler
What was the name of the first artificial satellite
to orbit Earth?
a) Apollo 11
b) Voyager 1
c) Sputnik 1
d) Hubble
c) Sputnik 1
Which space telescope has provided some of the
most detailed images of distant galaxies?
a) Kepler
b) Chandra
c) Hubble
d) James Webb
c) Hubble
first manned mission to land on the Moon
Apollo 11
space probe that has become the farthest human-made object from Earth
and is now in interstellar space, making it the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space.
Voyager 1
first artificial satellite to orbit Earth launched by the Soviet Union on
October 4, 1957
Sputnik 1
discovered thousands of exoplanets, including many Earth-sized
planets in or near the habitable zone of their stars.
Kepler Space Telescope
named after astronomer Edwin Hubble, is a space telescope
launched by NASA in 1990. It orbits Earth and has provided breathtaking images and
invaluable scientific data about the universe, helping scientists study distant galaxies,
stars, and planets.
Hubble Space Telescope
Which space mission was the first to successfully
land a rover on Mars?
a) Viking 1
b) Mars Pathfinder
c) Curiosity
d) Opportunity
a) Viking 1
What was the primary goal of the Mars Exploration Rover mission?
a) To search for water on Mars
b) To study the atmosphere of Mars
c) To find signs of life on Mars
d) To map the surface of Mars
a) To search for water on Mars
to study the Martian surface and geology,
searching for evidence of past water activity on Mars
Mars Rover Exploration
successfully orbited Mars and then landed on the planet’s
surface on July 20, 1976, becoming the first spacecraft to operate
successfully on the Martian surface
Viking 1
successfully landed on Mars on July 4, 1997, deploying
the first Martian rover, Sojourner, which conducted experiments and
analyzed rocks and soil on the surface.
Mars Pathfinder
landed on mars (early 2000s) to conduct
extensive studies of Martian soil, atmosphere, and surface features.
Curiosity and Opportunity
became the first American woman in space when she flew aboard
the Space Shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, as part of the STS-7 mission
Sally Ride
became the first woman to fly in space when she orbited
Earth aboard Vostok 6 on June
Valentina Tereshkova
She became the first African-American woman to travel in space
when she flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992, as
part of the STS-47 mission
Mae Jemison
holds the record for the most cumulative time spent in space
by an American astronaut, with a total of 665 days in space over three missions
(Expedition 5, Expedition 16/17, and Expedition 50/51/52)
Peggy Whitson
made the first flyby of Jupiter in December 1973, providing close-up
images and scientific data of the planet and its moons.
It is also was the first
spacecraft to achieve escape velocity from the Solar System.
Pioneer 10
made historic flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, sending
back unprecedented images and data of these planets and their moons.
It’s the only
spacecraft to have visited all four outer planets
Voyager 2
made numerous discoveries during its mission, including observing Saturn’s
rings and atmosphere, studying Titan’s methane lakes and organic chemistry
Cassini
successfully conducted a flyby of Pluto on July 14, 2015, capturing
detailed images and data of Pluto and its moons.
It has since continued its journey
into the Kuiper Belt, studying other celestial bodies
New Horizons
became the first American to travel into space on May 5, 1961,
aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft during the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission.
Alan Shepard
became the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962,
aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.
John Glenn
He piloted the Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft on July 21, 1961,
becoming the second American in space during the suborbital MercuryRedstone 4 mission.
Later he flew on the Gemini 3 mission in 1965, and became
the first person to fly in space twice
Gus Grissom
He became the first human to travel into space and orbit the Earth
on April 12, 1961, aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft
Yuri Gagarin
He became the first human to travel into space and orbit the Earth
on April 12, 1961, aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft
Yuri Gagarin
