Module 1: The Universe

Name the three laws of Keppler:

1. A planet orbiting the sun does so in an eclipse, the sun is set at one focus point 2. Given the same amount of time a planet will cover the same amount of orbit, equal area is covered in equal time 3. The square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube ot the semi-major axis of its orbit, formula ~ p2 α a2

What is the blue shift?

Blue shift is when objects in the universe moves toward us, their spectrum shifts toward blue.

How do we know how much of each element is in a star like our Sun?

Breaking down the sun's light by wavelength.

What is nuclear fusion? How does our sun get all of its energy?

Nuclear fusion is a nuclear reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei come close enough to form one or more two different atomic nuclei. This process releases lots of energy when the nuclei fuse together which is how the sun gets all of its energy,

What happens when a star runs out of fuel?

Once a star runs out of hydrogen it will begin to burn helium. From there helium will convert to carbon, and this process will get repeated (depending on the size of the star) all the way up to Iron. If the star has a lower mass its death will include two different parts: planetary nebula and dwarf stage. If the star has a higher mass its death will have three parts: explode into a supernova, to a black hole and eventually a neutron star.

What characteristics do you see on the H-R diagram?

Surface temperature and luminosity (depending some also show the size of the star too).

What don't we slam into our Sun?

We don't slam into our Sun because Earth travels in an ellipse (Kepler's First Law). This is a set path the planet goes on while orbiting that prevents it from crashing or slamming into the sun. Also gravity.

supernova

a high mass star that can end its life cycle

mineral

a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound having an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical.

neutron star

a remnant of a supernova

protostar

a star in an embryo stage

red giant

a star that burns helium and forms carbon by nuclear reactions

When did the Big Bang theory occur?

about 13.7 billion years ago

elements

each of more than one hundred substances that cannot be chemically interconverted or broken down into simpler substances and are primary constituents of matter.

gravity

force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth or toward any other physical body having mass

black hole

iron is produced, the star implodes and collapses

What factor affects the evolution of our Sun?

its mass

When looking at the HR diagram where do you find the oldest stars?

lower left side

What factors affect gravity in between objects?

mass and distance

nova

occurs when a white dwarf adds materials from a nearby red giant

perihelion

point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet it is closest to the sun

What color is the coolest color of the rainbow?

red

atomic number

same as the number of protons in the atom

Big Bang theory

the rapid expansion of matter from a state of extremely high density and temperature according to current cosmological theories marked the origin of the universe; the universe originated billions of years ago in an explosion from a single point of nearly infinite energy density

nucleus

the small and dense region at the center of an atom made up of protons and neutrons

planetary nebula

what a red giant becomes after it runs out of fuel

Where do you find the protons, electrons, and neutrons of atoms?

Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus while electrons are found in the electron cloud (area surrounding the nucleus)

Red shift?

Red shift is when objects in the universe move away from us, their spectrum shifts toward red.

atomic mass

add the number of protons to the number of neutrons

rotation of the earth

amount of time it take the earth to complete a full rotation (24 hours)

revolution of the earth

amount of time it takes the earth to complete one orbit around the sun (365 days)

What color is the hottest color of the rainbow?

blue

sunspots

darker and cooler areas on the surface of the sun in a region called the photosphere

aphelion

point in the orbit of a plant, asteroid, or comet it is furthest from the sun

Name all the components of the electromagnetic spectrum:

radio waves microwaves infrared light visible light ultraviolet light x-rays gamma rays

What affects the brightness of a star?

size, temperature, and distance from the Earth

neutrons

subatomic particle about the same mass as a proton but without an electric charge, present in all atomic nuclei except those of ordinary hydrogen

protons

subatomic particle occurring in all atomic nuclei, with a positive electric charge

electrons

subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms moving around the nucleus

isotopes

two or more forms of the same element that contain equal number of protons but different number of neutrons in their nuclei, hence the difference in atomic mass but not in chemical properties