Astrophysics Definitions – Flashcards
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What is the universe?
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a large collection of billions of galaxies
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What is a galaxy?
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A large cluster of stars
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What is a solar system?
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a star with orbiting planets
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What is a planet?
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A large sphere of matter that orbits the sun
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What is an exoplanet?
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A planet orbiting around a star other than the Sun
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What is a satellite?
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A body orbiting a larger body or planet
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What is the order of the planets?
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Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
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What is a geostationary satellite?
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One that orbits the earth around the same rate as Earth rotating on its axis
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How do you change direction in space?
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Change in movement has to be caused by applying a force in a certain direction
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What is an advantage of space exploration?
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Advances in technology and new inventions
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What are some risks of space exploration?
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micrometeorites - danger from impact damage (to spacecraft and to astronauts during spacewalks) solar flares and radiation - danger from ionising radiations no atmosphere - we need air to breathe space debris - danger from impact damage
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What must a spacecraft do to protect astronauts on re entry to earth's atmosphere?
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Absorb a certain amount of heat energy Radiate heat energy back into the atmosphere
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Approximately, how old is earth?
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14 billion years
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What is the Big Bang Theory?
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The universe came into existence as a singularity and rapidly expanded into what it is today
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What is a line spectra?
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Visible light given by a source represented in bands of colour
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What telescope detects visible light?
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Optical telescope
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What telescope detects radio waves?
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Radio telescope
