The Universe Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the Universe?

A

A large collection of billions of galaxies.
Mostly empty space.

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2
Q

What is a galaxy?

A

A large collection of stars.
They rotate.
Galaxies are often millions of times further apart than the stars are within a galaxy.

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3
Q

Where is the Sun in the Milky Way?

A

It is about half way along one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way.

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4
Q

What is the name of the force which keeps the stars together in the galaxy?

A

Gravity

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5
Q

There are billions of stars (including the Sun) in the….

A

Milky Way Galaxy.

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6
Q

Our solar system is a part of a ….

A

… huge galaxy.
(There are billions of galaxies).

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7
Q

How far apart are neighbouring stars in the galaxy?

A

Often millions of times greater than the distance between planets in our solar system.

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8
Q

What does out solar system orbit?

A

The Sun

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9
Q

What are planets?

A

Large objects that orbit a star.

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10
Q

Name the eight planets in our solar system (in order from the Sun).

A

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune

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11
Q

Name a Dwarf planet.

A

Pluto

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12
Q

What are Dwarf planets?

A

Planet-like objects that aren’t big enough to be planets.

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13
Q

What are moons?

A

A type of natural satellite (not man-made). They orbit planets with almost circular orbits.

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14
Q

What is a satellite?

A

An object that orbits a second, more massive object.

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15
Q

What are artificial satellites?

A

Ones humans have built. They usually orbit the Earth in fairly circular orbits.

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16
Q

What is an asteroid?

A

A lump of rock or metal that orbits the Sun (usually found in the asteroid belt).

17
Q

What are comets?

A

Lumps of ice and dust that orbit the Sun.

18
Q

Describe the orbit of a comet.

A

Usually highly elliptical - some travel from near to the Sun to the outskirts of our solar system.