Topic 7 Astronomy Flashcards
1 What is the nearest star to the Earth?
the Sun
2 Name two types of body found in the Solar System.
two of: the Sun/star, planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, moons/satellites
3 What is the name for the path that a planet follows around the Sun?
orbit
4 How many planets are there in the Solar System?
eight
5 Apart from Earth, name two other planets in the Solar System.
any from Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
6 What is a moon?
a natural body that orbits a planet
7 Name one type of body, other than a planet, that orbits the Sun.
comet, asteroid or dwarf planet
8 Why can we see planets in the night sky?
They reflect light from the Sun.
9 What shape is the orbit of a planet around the Sun?
elliptical, but almost circular
10 Name an instrument that can be used to study the stars and planets from the Earth.
telescope
11 What is the geocentric model of the Solar System?
the idea that the Sun and all the planets are moving around the Earth
12 Who suggested the geocentric model?
Ptolemy
13 What is the heliocentric model?
the idea that everything in the Solar System orbits the Sun
14 Who is best known for suggesting the heliocentric model?
Copernicus
15 Name the planets in order, starting with the one nearest the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
16 Put these in order of size, starting with the smallest: dwarf planet, planet, asteroid
asteroid, dwarf planet, planet
17 Why are some telescopes put onto satellites?
because the Earth’s atmosphere absorbs some wavelengths of EM radiation / to put them above the clouds or dust in atmosphere
18 Name one factor that the weight of an object depends on.
mass or gravitational field strength
19 What is an artificial satellite?
something made by humans in orbit around a planet or moon
20 What shape is the orbit of a comet?
highly elliptical