Unit 1 Flashcards
Scale of the Universe
Distance from Earth to Sun (miles)
93,000,000
Distance from Earth to Sun (km)
150,000,000
The distance from Earth to Sun is called
Astronomical Unit (AU)
The Milky Way has over 100 ________ stars
Billion
Our closest neighbor galaxy is
Andromeda
Supercluster
A gravitationally bound collection of many galaxy groups
Our supercluster is called
Laniakea
Astronomy
The branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole
Cosmology
The branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe
Light Year
The distance that light travels in a vacuum in 1 year
Astronomical Unit
A unit of length used for distances within the solar system; average distance between Earth and Sun
Parsec
A unit used in astronomy to describe large distances (1=3.26 light years)
Galaxy
A collection of star systems
Local Group
A group of about 30 galaxies that includes the Milky Way
Milky Way Galaxy
The name of our galaxy, a spiral galaxy that contains about 400 billion stars
Spiral Arm
Lanes of interstellar gas, dust, and young stars that wind outward in a plane from the central regions of some galaxies
Scale
Degrees of magnification, or perspective, used to measure time, space, and size
Universe
The vast expanse of space which contains all of the known matter and energy in existence
Solar System
A star and all the material that orbits it, including its planets and moons
Galaxy Group
Group of galaxies made up less than 50 or so members and bound by gravity
Parallax
Slight shifting in the apparent position of a nearby star due to the orbital motion of the Earth
Complexity: _______ Ingredients + Precise _______________ = ____________Properties
Diverse
Arrangement
Emergent
Are complex or simple things more fragile?
Complex
Creating _________ things is more difficult than creating ________ things.
Complex, simple
Goldilocks Conditions
“Just the right” ingredients, environments, and energy flows
Diverse Ingredients
Highly varied bits and pieces that make up complex things
Precise Arrangement
High levels of specific organization needed to create complex things
Emergent Properties
A new function or quality that emerges as a result of precisely arranged diverse ingredients
