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EXAM 1
Chapters 1-5
35
Astronomy
Undergraduate 2
02/08/2012

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What is the cause of the most basic and obvious changes in the appearance of celestial objects?
Definition
Earth's daily rotation
Term
What is the celestial sphere, what are its features, and why is it useful?
Definition
Where the stars and constellation lie on this, which surround earth. Features: North Celestial Pole, South Celestial Pole, Celestial Equator, and Ecliptic(path sun follows). It allows us to map the sky as seen from Earth.
Term
Why do we see different stars at night at different times of the year?
Definition
The constellations you see depend on your latitude. The Sun's apparent location along the ecliptic determines which constellations we see at night.
Term
What causes the Earth's seasons?
Definition
Earth's rational tilt relative to the Sun. The tilt of the Earth's axis causes sunlight to fall directly on Earth at different times of the year.
Term
Why does the amount of daylight change throughout the year?
Definition
The steeper sunlight angle formed as Earth rotates means the Sun follows a longer and higher path through the sky, giving that hemisphere longer daylight.
Term
What are solstices and equinoxes?
Definition
Solstices-two point at which sunlight becomes most extreme for the two hemispheres. Equinoxes- two points at which the hemispheres are equally illuminated.
Term
What are the four solstices and equinoxes? When do they occur?
Definition
Summer Solstice- June, Winter Solstice- December, Spring Equinox- March, Fall Equinox- September
Term
What is precision and what are its effects?
Definition
A gradual wobble that changes the orientation of Earth's axis in space. Takes about 26,000 years, gradually changing where the axis points in space.
Term
What causes the Moon to appear in phases?
Definition
The phase of the moon depends on its position relative to the sun as it orbits Earth.
Term
How much of the moon can we see from Earth?
Definition
Half the moon
Term
Does the moon rotate?
Definition
Yes
Term
When are tides strongest and weakest?
Definition
Strongest- In the spring (sun, moon reinforce) Weakest- neap (sun, moon interfere)
Term
What are tides on Earth doing to the Earth's rotation and to the Moon's orbit around us?
Definition
Causes Earth's rotation to slow, friction of water mixed with faster rotation Earth causes the tides to lead the moon.
Term
Which of our largest time divisions is not "natural", that is, not based on some orbital/rotational characteristic?
Definition
Week
Term
Why do planets sometimes appear to have retrograde motion?
Definition
When planets temporarily revers their apparent motion through the stars
Term
If the Earth's rotation was not tilted relative to the Sun, what would be the consequences?
Definition
Equal day and night all over, every day an equinox. No seasons. The sun would be overhead at noon only along the equator.
Term
How do sciences operate and evolve?
Definition
Interplay between theory and observations
Term
What is the most important characteristic of a scientific theory, distinguishing it from other kinds of theories?
Definition
Most valued theories make testable predictions
Term
What causes lunar and solar eclipses?
Definition
Lunar- occurs when Earth lies directly between the sun and the moon, so that Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. Solar- occurs when the Moon lies directly between the Sun & Earth, so that the Moon's shadow falls on Earth.
Term
What phase must the moon be in for a lunar eclipse to occur? for a solar eclipse?
Definition
lunar- full moon near node, solar- new moon near node
Term
Which kind of eclipses do we see most often?
Definition
Solar eclipse
Term
Was Copernicus' heliocentric model of the Solar System more accurate than the contemporaneous descendant of Ptolemy's geocentric model?
Definition
No
Term
How was Brahe able to compile the most accurate positions of astronomical objects?
Definition
Huge instruments, large lever arm
Term
Who used Brahe's accurate planetary positions to make a very accurate heliocentric model of the Solar System?
Definition
Kepler
Term
How did Galileo's Law of Inertia differ from Aristotle's?
Definition
Different masses fall at the same rate
Term
What is light?
Definition
an electromagnetic wave, but also comes in individual pieces(Photons).
Term
What are the wave-like behaviors of light?
Definition
Dual wave/particle nature. Reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference
Term
What are the particle-like properties of light?
Definition
Photons (massless)- Individual pieces of light
Term
Does light have mass?
Definition
No
Term
What do E, m, c correspond to in E=mc^2?
Definition
E: the amount of potential energy, m: the mass of the object, c:speed of light
Term
What does E=mc^2 mean when applied to light?
Definition
The speed of lighht is about 300,00 km/s. All light travels through empty space at the same speed.
Term
What are the three kinds of light spectra?
Definition
1) Continuous Spectrum- the spectrum of an ordinary(incadescent) light bulb is a rainbow of color. Broad range with wavelength's without interruption. 2) Emission Line Spectrum- thing, low density cloud of gas emits light only at specific wavelengths that depends on its composition and temperature. Bright emission lines against a black background. 3) Absorption Line Spectrum- cloud of gas lies between us and the light bulb. Cloud absorbs lights of specific wavelength's, so the spectrum shows dark absorption lines over rainbow background.
Term
Why do astronomers want telescopes to be large? There are two main reasons.
Definition
They collect more light, so can see fainter and deeper. They can resolve angular structures.
Term
What is the difference between refracting and reflecting telescopes?
Definition
Reflecting use mirrors and refracting use lenses.
Term
Why are some telescopes sent into space as satellites?
Definition
Some telescopes need to be above the Earth's atmosphere: Our atmosphere absorbs many wavelengths of light, atmosphere turbulence blurs images from space
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