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chapter @ gravitation and motion of the planets
Chapter #2
43
Astronomy
12th Grade
11/26/2013

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Term
Acceleration
Definition
the rate of change of velocity of a moving object
Term
angular motion
Definition
the product of a rotationg objects moment of inertia and the angular speed about the same axis.
Term
aphelion
Definition
the point in the  orbit of a planet or a comet at which it is farthest from the sum.
Term
astronomical unit
Definition
a unit of length, equal to the mean distance of the earth from the sun. (AU)
Term
configuration
Definition

1. the relative position or aspect of heavenly bodies.

 

2. a group of stars

Term
conjuction
Definition
the state of being conjoined; union; association.
Term
conservation of angular momentum
Definition
the principle that the total angular momentum of a system has constant magnitude and direction if the system is subjected to no external force.
Term
cosmology
Definition
the theory of the overall structure and evolution of the universe.
Term
direct motion
Definition
the movement of a celestial body (as seen from the earth) from east to west across the sky.
Term
elongation
Definition
the difference between the celestial longitude of the sun and that of a planet or the moon.
Term
ellipse
Definition
a flattented circle or oval. that the orbits of the planets are ellipses, not circle. essentially a circle that has been strectched out of shape.
Term

focus ( of an ellipse)

 

Definition
two fixed points on the interior of an ellipse used in the formal definition of a curve.
Term
galilean moons ( satellites)
Definition
any celestial body orbiting around a planet or star.
Term
gravity
Definition
natural force of attraction exerted by a celestial body, upon objects at or near its surface, tending to draw them toward the center of the body.
Term
heliocentric cosmology
Definition
schools of models in which the sun was portrayed as standing at the center of the universe.
Term
hyperbola
Definition
a symmetrical open curve formed by the intersection of a circular cone with a plane at a smaller angle with its axis that the side of the cone.
Term
inferior conjunction
Definition
a conjunction of mercury or venus with the sun, in which the planet and the earth are on the same side of the sun.
Term
kepler's laws
Definition
three scientific laws describing orbital motion, originally formulated to describe the motion of planets around the sun.
Term
kinetic energy
Definition
energy that a body posessesses by virtue of being in motion.
Term
law of equal areas
Definition

(kepler's 2nd law)

concerning the speed at which the planet travels; a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times.

Term
newtons laws of motion
Definition

newtons laws of motion .

They describe the relationship between a body and the forces acting upon it, and its motion in response to the forces.

Term
law of universal gravitation
Definition
every point mass in the universe attracts every other point mass with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses.
Term
light-year
Definition
a unit of astronomical distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in one year.
Term
mass
Definition
 typically large body of matter with no definite shape.
Term
model
Definition
a three-dimensional representation of a person or thing or of a proposed structure, typically on a smaller scale than the original.

 
 
Term
momentum
Definition

a vector quantity defined  as the product of an objects mass and velocity.

 

Term
occams razor
Definition
It states that among competing hypotheses, the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions should be selected.
Term
Definition
 [image]
Term
parallax
Definition
the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions.
Term
parsec
Definition

a unit of distance used in astronomy

One parsec corresponds to the distance at which the mean radius of the earth's orbit subtends an angle of one second of arc.

Term

parehelion

 

Definition
the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is closest to the sun.
Term
physics
Definition
the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics, distinguished from that of chemistry and biology, includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms.
Term
potential energy
Definition
the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors.
Term
retrograde motion
Definition
Retrograde motion is motion in the direction opposite to the movement of something else and the contrary of direct or prograde motion.
Term
scientific method
Definition

a method of procedure

consisting in systematic observation,measurement, and experiment,

and the formulation, testing, and

modification of hypotheses.

Term
semimajor axis ( of an ellipse)
Definition
either of the halves of the major axis of an ellipse.
Term
sidereal period
Definition
the period of revolution of one body around another with respect to the distant stars.
Term
universal constant of gravitation
Definition
the universal constant relating force to mass and distance in Newton's law of gravitation.
Term
velocity
Definition
the speed of something in a given direction.
Term
weight
Definition
a body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing.
Term
law of inertia
Definition

1. the resistance of any physical object to any change in its motion (including a change in direction).

2. the tendency of objects to keep moving in a straight line at constant linear velocity.

Term
opposition
Definition
they are on opposite sides of the sky, viewed from a given place (usually the Earth).
Term
scientific theory
Definition
set of concepts, explanations, and predictions of a particular aspect of reality, which can be tested and supported through repeated observations and experiments. used to explain and predict aspects of the physical universe or specific areas of inquiry.
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