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ASTRONOMY CHAPTER 5
From book and outline paper
46
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
03/05/2009

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Term
What is the modern term for the steady increase in the velocity of a falling body by 9.8m/s?
Definition
Acceleration of gravity
Term
Galileo discovered that acceleration of a falling object doesn't depend on what?
Definition
weight
Term
What is Newton's first law of motion?
Definition
A body continues at rest in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by some force
Term
what is Newton's second law of motion?
Definition
The acceleration of a body is inversely proportional to mass, directly proportional to force, and in same direction as the force
Term
What is Newton's third law of motion?
Definition
To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
Term
What is momentum?
Definition
the tendancy of a moving body to keep moving; rate of motion
Term
And object's momentum is equal to velocity times what?
Definition
mass
Term
AN EXAMPLE OF MOMENTUM IS...
Definition
to toss a paper clip, it has low velocity and little momentum. A speeding bullet has high velocity and high momentum.
Term
Momentum depends on velocity and what?
Definition
mass
Term
What is velocity?
Definition
a directed speed
Term
What is acceleration?
Definition
change in velocity
Term
What does the equivalence principle state?
Definition
says that there is no observation you can make inside a closed spaceship to distinguish uniform acceleration and gravitation
Term
What do physcists refer to gravity as?
Definition
curvature
Term
What is the difference between Natural Motion and violent motion?
Definition
Natural Motion: a displaced object returns to it's natural place and motion

Violent Motion: a motion sustained by force
Term
What the steady rate for acceleration of gravity?
Definition
9.8m/s^2 (32m/s^2)
Term
Galileo stated the Law of Inertia, which is what?
Definition
in the absence of friction, a moving body on a horizontal plane will continue moving forever
Term
What was Newton's first law of gravity based on?
Definition
Galileo's law of Inertia
Term
What is mass?
Definition
amount of matter in a body
Term
what is the difference between a hypothesis and theory?
Definition
hypothesis: a single statement subject to testing

theory: an elaborate system of rules and principles that have been tested and applied
Term
What is a natural law?
Definition
A theory that has been so thoroughly tested that scientists have great confidence in it
Term
Newton discovered that the curved path of the moon meant what? What did it require?
Definition
It meant that it was being accelerated away from a single-path line and it required the prescense of force-gravity
Term
What was Newton able to demonstrate about the force of gravity?
Definition
the force of gravity between two objects is proportional to the product of their masses and obeys the inverse square law
Term
what is the inverse square law?
Definition
the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the the distance between the two objects
Term
what term do scientists use to describe how gravity can act at a distance?
Definition
Field
Term
How does gravity explain orbital motion?
Definition
Objects around earth are falling (being accelerated) toward Earth's center through gravity, and therefore, orbit the earth instead of follow a straight line
Term
If there is no friction, what would happen?
Definition
the object will fall around it's orbit forever
Term
If an object is in a closed orbit, what kind of path is it following?
Definition
elliptical path
Term
To follow a circular orbit, an object must orbit with what?
Definition
circular velocity
Term
what is the term for orbits that never return to their starting points?
Definition
open orbits
Term
Two objects in orbit around each other actually orbit around what?
Definition
their common center of mass
Term
What do Newton's laws explain?
Definition
Kepler's three laws of planetary motion
Term
the planets move faster when closer to the sun and slower when farther away for what reason?
Definition
they conserve angular momentum
Term
what is the difference between energy, kinetic energy, and potential energy?
Definition
energy: ability to produce a change

Kinetic Energy: an objects energy of motion

Potential Energy: the energy an object has because of its position in a gravitational field
Term
what is the unit of energy?
Definition
Joule
Term
What causes tides?
Definition
caused by differences in the force of gravity acting on different parts of a body
Term
how does the moon's gravity affect tides?
Definition
moon's gravity pulls more strongly on the near side of Earth than on the center of Earth.
Term
what are spring tides?
Definition
tides produced by the moon combined with tides produced from the sun at New and Full Moons.
Term
What are Neap Tides?
Definition
when the sun and moon work against each other to produce less extreme tides at quarter moons
Term
How did Einstein describe motion and gravity?
Definition
his special theory of relativity and general theory of relativity
Term
What does special relativity say?
Definition
says that uniform motion is relative (observers cant detect their uniform motion through space except by outside objects). This is known as the first known postulate
Term
what is the second postulate (after special relativity)?
Definition
the speed of light is constant
Term
in special relativity, what two things are related?
Definition
mass and energy
Term
what is the general theory of relativity?
Definition
says a gravitational field is a curvature of space-time caused by presence of a mass.
Term
if u drop a feather and a steel hammer on the moon, they should hit at the same moment. Why doesnt this happen on Earth?
Definition
air resistance slows down objects
Term
What is the differnce between mass and weight?
Definition
mass is matter in an object

weight is the force of gravity
Term
an object when in an elliptical orbit, when farthest from earth, has a higher or lower velocity?
Definition
lower.
(its velocity is higher when its closer)
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