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Unit 3 Test Solar System
Solar System Test
22
Astronomy
8th Grade
03/02/2012

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

The sun is massive. It contains 99.8% of the mass in the solar system and is made up of several different elements. Which of these elements makes up about 25% of the mass of the sun?

Definition

 

 

Helium

Term




What is Newton’s law of universal gravitation?


Definition

Gravitational force increases as the mass of an object increases or as the distance between two objects decreases.

Term

The terrestrial planets include Mars, Venus, Earth, and which other planet?

Definition
Mercury
Term

How are Jupiter and Saturn similar?

Definition

 

They have many satellites.

Term

Which term describes a bright streak of light that results when a meteoroid burns up in Earth’s atmosphere?

Definition
Meteor
Term
What is the Heliocentric Model?
Definition
Sun Centered Solar System
Term
What is centripetal force?
Definition

Centripetal force is a force that makes a body follow a curved path.    

Term

The Kuiper Belt is being constantly studied. To date, about how many objects have been found in the Kuiper Belt?

Definition
About 1,000.
Term

What is the primary atomic reaction that takes place within the sun and converts hydrogen atoms into helium atoms?

Definition
Atomic Fusion
Term

Much of the surface of Mars is dry and dusty.  What weather conditions do winds on Mars most likely create on Mars?

Definition
Dust Storms
Term

The table below shows some information about the period of revolution of Earth and the gas giant planets.

            Planet

Revolution (days)

Earth

365

Jupiter

4,329

Neptune

60,152

Saturn

10,768

Uranus

30,660

How long does it take Neptune to complete two full revolutions in Earth years?

Definition
~330 years.
Term

Which stage in the formation of the solar system came first?

Definition
Solar Nebula
Term

Pluto is mainly composed of which materials?

Definition
Ice and rock.
Term

The diagram below shows positions from which Sanjay could be viewing a star. The star appears to be in the gray square.

[image]

From which position is Sanjay observing the star?

Definition
3
Term

During the sunspot cycle, the number of sunspots rises and falls, and their locations change. What is the length of the sunspot cycle?    

Definition
11 years
Term
How did the terrestrial planets form?
Definition
Terrestrial planets developed from the collisions and mergers of rocky planetesimals in the inner part of the protoplanetary disk.
Term

Mercury is heavily cratered from meteorite impacts. What difference between Earth and Mercury allows Mercury to be more affected by meteorite strikes?

Definition
Mercury has almost no atmosphere, so meteorites strike the planet's surface rather than burning up.
Term
   Identify three physical properties that characterize gas giant planets.
Definition

Large

Lower Densities

Hydrogen and Helium

Rocky Cores with Deep Atmosph.

Far from sun

Planetary Rings and Many Moons

Term

The sun is a low-mass star on the outer reaches of the Milky Way galaxy. Much like Earth, the sun has many different layers that define its structure. Identify the sun’s six layers.

Definition
Core, Radiative Zone, Convective Zone, Photosphere, Chromosphere, and Corona
Term

Describe a comet, and indicate where comets are located. Explain why a comet develops a tail when it nears the sun.

Definition

A comet is a small body of ice, rock, and cosmic dust that follows and orbit around the sun.  

 

The comet's tail forms when heat from the sun causes ice in the nucleus to vaporize releasing gas and dust.

Term

Compare and contrast the heliocentric and geocentric models of the Solar System.

Definition

Heliocentric Model- Sun Centered

Geocentric Model- Earth Centered

Term

Scientists once classified Pluto as a planet. Then they reclassified it as a dwarf planet. Explain why Pluto was reclassified.

Definition
Pluto meets two of the three planetary requirements. It is round because of its own gravity, and it orbits the sun.  However, a planet must also have a clear orbital path, and Pluto does not.
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