U1 Astronomy Study Guide Flashcards
What is the 1st step in the formation of the solar system?
Formation of a Nebula
What is the 2nd step in the formation of the solar system?
The nebula collapses under it’s own gravity
What is a Nebula?
A large cloud of gas and dust
What is the 3rd step in the formation of the solar system
The center of the nebula heats up and increases in pressure, forming a protostar
What is the 4th step in the formation of the solar system
A disk of gas and dust forms around the protostar
True or False - the solar system is a heliocentric model
true
true or false - the solar system is a geocentric model
false
true or false - terrestrial planets are the outer planets
false
true or false - jovian planets are more dense
false
true or false - jovian planets are composed of ice, gas, and metal
true
true or false - jovian planets can have rings
true
true or false - terrestrial planets have less moons
true
what is an astronomical unit?
the average distance between the sun and the earth
what is an ellipse?
the shape that planets create as they revolve around the sun
how many foci are on an ellipse?
2
what would happen to an ellipse if the foci moved further away from each other?
the ellipse would become longer and skinnier
what does it mean if an orbit has a high eccentricity?
it has a high elliptical orbit
how would a high eccentricity affect solar radiation?
it would cause significant variation in the amount of solar radiation it receives throughout the year
what is a barycenter
a point around which objects orbit
what is the barycenter in our solar system?
the sun
what is the barycenter of the earth and moon
the earth
kepler’s first law
describes the ellipse of planetary orbits around a central star
kepler’s 2nd law
describes the relationship between area, time, and the speed of a planet as it orbits the sun
kepler’s 3rd law
describes the relationship between the size of a planet’s orbit and how long it takes to go around the sun
what does the solar nebular theory state
our solar system was formed from a nebula
how many tides are there per day
2 high, 2 low
what has a gravitational pull on tides?
the sun and moon
how to calculate tidal range
MLT-MHT
describe a spring tide
occurs when the sun, moon, and earth align during a new or full moon
describe a neap tide
occurs when the sun and moon are right angles to each other during 1st and 3rd quarters
describe the relationship between wavelength of light and energy
the longer the wavelength, the less the energy
what is nuclear fusion
when 2 or more nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus
where does nuclear fusion occur
in the sun and other stars
what is the sun loosing in the process of nuclear fusion
mass
how does energy travel through the core
radiation and convection
how does energy travel through the radiative zone
electromagnetic radiation or photons
how does energy travel through the convection zone
convection
how does energy travel through the photosphere
convection currents
how does energy travel through the chromosphere
radiation and convection
how does energy travel through the corona
unsure
what is the core
deepest layer of the sun
what is the radiative zone
2nd deepest layer of the sun
what is the convection zone
outermost layer of the sun’s interior
what is the photosphere
surface of the sun
what is the chromosphere
thin layer of plasma on the sun’s surface
corona
outermost layer of the sun
what types of radiation are emitted by the sun
visible light, ultraviolet, infared
how is the electromagnetic spectrum organized
divided into separate bands with different names for the electromagnetic waves in each band
how does solar radiation interact with the biosphere
it affects plants through photosynthesis
how does solar radiation interact with the lithosphere
it is affected through convection currents
how does solar radiation interact with the atmosphere
aerosol particles in the atmosphere absorb radiation, causing the atmosphere to warm
how does solar radiation interact with the hydrosphere
surface waters evaporate into the atmosphere, condense, and fall back down as precipitation, shaping continents and creating rivers and lakes
increased solar radiation means __ rainfall
more
what is the greenhouse effect
a natural process that warms the earths surface and atmosphere by trapping heat from the sun
