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stupid
stars and stuff
62
Astronomy
Undergraduate 2
05/05/2010

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
How did Ptolemy explain retrograde motion?
Definition
He said that each planet moves around the earth on a small circle that turns upon a large circle.
Term
How did Copernicus explain retrograde motion?
Definition
he explained it with a sun centered model and mathematical details.
Term
Did Galileo's observations help decide the truthfulness of either the Ptolemaic or Copernican models of the universe? Which and how?
Definition
He found truth in Copernicans placement of the sun at the center of the universe. He found this being true by ruling out the main 3 arguments about the sun centered model. 1. he said that birds and other sky objects are apart of the earth which is why they are not left behind. 2. He ruined the idea of heavenly perfection by showing the heavens can change with a telescope 3. He also had strong evidence supporting that stars were further then others had thought, which showed a star parallax.
Term
What are Kepler's three laws of planetary motion? List them in order starting with law number 1.
Definition
Planetary Motion: 1 the orbit of each planet around the sun is an ellipse with the sun at one focus 2 as a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal times. 3 more distant planets orbit the sun at slower average speeds, obeying a precise mathematical relationship
Term
ecliptic
Definition
the apparent path of the sun throughout the year, or the plane of the earth's orbit
Term
vernal equinox
Definition
when the sun is here it is the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere
Term
declination
Definition
the coordinate on the celestial sphere that is equivalent to longitude on earth
Term
How can you distinguish science from pseudoscience?
Definition
pseudoscience is science that doesnt have support and science is that that can be supported by evidence and can be shown by the scientific method.
Term
State each of Newton's three laws of motion
Definition
Law 1:Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. Law 2: The relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F is F = ma. Acceleration and force are vectors (as indicated by their symbols being displayed in slant bold font); in this law the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector. Law 3: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Term
What is the meaning of the formula?
E=mc2
Definition
e = units of energy m = units of mass c^2 = speed of light squared.
Term
What is spacetime and how is it used to explain gravity?
Definition
Spacetime is the inseparable, four dimensional combination of space and time. Matter shapes the fabric of spacetime in a manner analogous to the way heavy weights distort a taut rubber sheet or trampoline.
Term
Briefly describe several observational tests that support general relativity.
Definition
the perihelion precession of Mercury's orbit the deflection of light by the Sun the gravitational redshift of light
Term
the perihelion precession of Mercury's orbit the Briefly describe several observational tests that support general relativity
Definition
the perihelion precession of Mercury's orbit the deflection of light by the Sun the gravitational redshift of light
Term
Order the following regions of the electromagnetic spectrum by wavelength. Let 1=shortest wavelength. visable, x-ray, microwave, low energy radio, infrared, gamma ray, ultra violet
Definition
gamma, xray, ultra violet, visable, infrared, microwave, low energy radio
Term
Order the following regions of the electromagnetic spectrum by frequency. Let 1=lowest frequencywavelength. visable, x-ray, microwave, long waveleangth radio, infrared, gamma ray, ultra violet
Definition
long wavelength radio, microwave, infrared, visable, ultra violet, xray gamma ray
Term
absorb is ____ and emit is ____
Definition
up, down
Term
Newtonian reflecting telescope
Definition
I would draw a telescope with the primary mirror at the end of the telescope a secondary mirror in the middle that cathes the reflection of the first mirror and then points the image towards the focus on the side.
Term
Which of the following could NOT be determined by an observation that uses only spectroscopy?
Definition
the size of a distant galaxy
Term
What is the nebular hypothesis of solar system formation?
Definition
a huge cloud of dust and gas, was pulled together by gravity so that it collapsed into a flat, rotating disk. The disk eventually coalesced into the Sun and planets. The planets were formed by rings of matter split off a rotating nebulae by centrifugal force. After the matter split off, it coalesced into a planet. The process repeated itself, resulting in a planet each time. The matter left over was the Sun.
Term
Briefly describe the overall patterns that you are aware of in the solar system's layout.
Definition
Patterns of motions amoung large bodies , the sun planets adn large moons generally orbit and rotate in a very organized way. There are only two major types of planets, small rockey and gas rich planets Astroids and comets: between and beyond the planets, huge # of asteroids and comets orbit the Sun
Term
Describe the technique of radiometric dating. What is a half-life?
Definition
the process of determining the age of a rock by comparing the present of a radioactive substance to the amount of its decay product. Half life is the time it takes for half of the nuclei in a given quantity of radioactive substance to decay.
Term
Briefly describe the process by which terrestrial planets are thought to have formed.
Definition
The solid seeds of metal and rock gradually grew into the terrestrial planets. Then Accretion Process happened. There were many relatively large planetesimals on crisscrossing orbits, time passed, a few planetesimals grow larger by accreting smaller ones, while others shatter in collisions . Ultimately, only the largest planetesimals avoid shattering and grow full fledged planets.
Term
List the four categories of materials in the solar nebula by their condensation properties and abundance. Which ingredients are present in terrestrial planets? In Jovian planets? In comets and asteroids? Explain why.
Definition
Hydrogen and Helium gas, hydrogen compounds, rock, metal. Terrestrial planets are made from Rocks and Metals. Jovian planets are made from H, He, hydrogen compounds comets and asteriods -Ice and Rock
Term
In the context of planet formation, what are asteroids and comets? Briefly explain why we find asteroids in the asteroid belt and comets in the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud.
Definition
Astriods are rocky leftover planetesimals of the inner solar system. Comets are the ice rich leftover planetesimals of the outer solar system
Term
What is differentiation in planetary geology?
Definition
the process by which gravity separates materials according to density
Term
Under what circumstances can differentiation occur in a planet?
Definition
The planet must have a molten interior.
Term
The core, mantle, and crust of a planet are defined by differences in their
Definition
composition & density.
Term
The lithosphere of a planet is the layer that consists of
Definition
the rigid rocky material of the crust and uppermost portion of the mantle.
Term
The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because
Definition
metals sank to the center during a time when the interiors were molten throughout
Term
Which internal energy source is the most important in continuing to heat the terrestrial planets today?
Definition
radioactivity
Term
Which of the following best describes convection?
Definition
It is the process in which warm material expands and rises while cool material contracts and falls.
Term
The three principal sources of the internal heat of terrestrial planets are
Definition
accretion, differentiation, and radioactivity.
Term
Which of the terrestrial worlds has the strongest magnetic field?
Definition
earth
Term
Which of the following most likely explains why Venus does not have a strong magnetic field?
Definition
its rotatoin is too slow.
Term
What are the conditions necessary for a terrestrial planet to have a strong magnetic field?
Definition
both a molten metallic core and reasonably fast rotation
Term
The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria
Definition
were formed by impacts that occurred after those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands.
Term
When we see a region of a planet that is not as heavily cratered as other regions, we conclude that
Definition
he surface in the region is younger than the surface in more heavily cratered regions.
Term
The geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone National Park result from
Definition
plumes of hot mantle rising in a hot spot within a plate.
Term
Ridges in the middle of the ocean are places where
Definition
hot mantle material rises upward and spreads sideways, pushing the plates apart.
Term
Deep trenches in the ocean mark places where
Definition
one plate slides under another, returning older crust to the mantle.
Term
The polar caps on Mars are composed of
Definition
mostly solid carbon dioxide and some water ice.
Term
Valles Marineris is a(n)
Definition
large canyon on Mars.
Term
How did the lunar maria form?
Definition
Large impacts fractured the Moon's lithosphere, allowing lava to fill the impact basins.
Term
Which two properties are most important in determining the surface temperature of a planet?
Definition
distance from the Sun and atmosphere
Term
If the earth were to warm up a bit, what would happen?
Definition
Carbonate materials would form in the oceans more rapidly, the atmospheric carbon dioxide content would decrease, and the greenhouse effect would weaken.
Term
The atmosphere on Mercury is due to
Definition
bombardment
Term
Of the four gases CO2, H2O, N2, and O2, which are greenhouse gases?
Definition
carbon dioxide and water
Term
Why does Mercury have such a great change in temperature between its day and night?
Definition
slow rotation
Term
Earth's stratosphere is heated primarily by which process?
Definition
Ozone is broken apart by ultraviolet radiation.
Term
Suppose the earth's atmosphere had no greenhouse gases. Then the earth's average surface temperature would be
Definition
250 k, well below freezing!
Term
Which of the following gases absorbs ultraviolet light best?
Definition
ozone
Term
How does the greenhouse effect work?
Definition
Greenhouse gases transmit visible light, allowing it to heat the surface, but then absorb infrared light from the earth, trapping the heat near the surface. 100%
Term
How is the atmosphere of a planet affected by the rotation rate?
Definition
faster rotation produces stronger winds. bitches
Term
Which of the following factors could explain a gradual warming trend in a planet's climate?
Definition
a decreasing albedo.
Term
Why doesn't Venus have seasons like Mars and Earth do?
Definition
its not tilted on its axis
Term
why does mars have extream season
Definition
because it has a crazy orbit.
Term
Which of the following is not one of the four major factors that can cause a long-term change in a planet's climate?
Definition
a change in the strength of the planets magnetic feild.
Term
Why isn't the earth's atmosphere mostly hydrogen?
Definition
Light gases such as hydrogen move faster than heavier gases and escape from the earth's gravitational field.
Term
Venus may have started with an ocean's worth of water. Where is its water now?
Definition
The water was lost when ultraviolet light broke apart water molecules and the hydrogen escaped to space.
Term
Deuterium is more abundant on Venus than elsewhere in the solar system. What do we think this fact tells us about Venus?
Definition
It once had huge amounts of water in its atmosphere.
Term
what is not a product of out gassing
Definition
oxygen.
Term
Why does the burning of fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect on Earth?
Definition
Burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 100%
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