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183 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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copernican astronomy
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we are not at the center of the universe
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galaxy
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where stars are found; a group of 100-200 billion stars
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conservation of energy
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energy can't be created or destroyed
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heat
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form of energy; transfers among particles in a substance or system by means of kinetic energy
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heat death of the universe
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eventually the universe will end of w/nothing more than a conglomeration of small particles moving in chaotic patterns (too much heat)
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big bang theory
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16 billion yrs ago, stars, planets, moons, etc. were compressed into 1 dimensionless point; giant explosion occured & threw everything outward
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what is the ultimate speed limit of the universe
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186282 mi/sec
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according to the big bang theory, how old is our universe?
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10-20 billion yrs
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starting position for right ascension
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1st day of spring/ vernal equinox
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what's the name of our galaxy
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milky way
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approx how many stars can be seen w/the naked eye on a clear night
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2500 stars
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finite
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if the amt of space in a universe can be measured
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infinite
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when space goes on forever
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open universe
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a universe w/no ending
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closed universe
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a universe that has boundaries or limits
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centimeter
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one hundredth of a meter
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kilometer
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one thousand meters (3/5 of a mile)
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3 basic components of the physical universe
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space time matter
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how was the meter originally defined
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one 10-millionth the distance btwn. the north pole & equator
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what is measured by square units of space
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area
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what is measured by cubic units of space
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volume
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what is the shape of a finite 2-dimensional universe that's open in both dimensions
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surface of a sphere
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what's the shape of a finite 2-dimensional universe that's open in just 1 dimension
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surface of a cylinder
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what would the physical universe be like if space didn't exist
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all objects would be lumped together in one small spot
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what would the physical universe be like if time didn't exist
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every event would take place at the same time
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sidereal day
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the real length of time it takes the earth to rotate; 23 hrs, 56 mins, 4 secs
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solar day
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the 24 hr span we live by
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platonic year
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number of yrs it takes for earth to complete one wobble (25800 yrs)
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kilogram
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prime unit in the metric system (2.2 lbs on earth)
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slug
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the only fundamental unit of mass in the english system (32.2 lbs on earth)
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what originally determined the length of the month
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the time it took for the moon to orbit the earth
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why are there 7 days in our week
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the babylonians noticed how a few points of light in the sky moved diff from other stars.. 7 moved this way
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what is one of the effects of the earth's wobbling on its axis
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we obtain a new north star every few thousand yrs
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procession
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wobbling on its axis
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if you were to travel to jupiter where gravity is 5 times stronger on earth...
a. your mass & weight would be 5 times as much on earth b. only your weight would be 5x greater c. only your mass would be 5x greater d. neither mass or weight would change |
b.
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what's the north star now & what will the next one be?
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now is polaris. will be vega
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the earth rotates on its axis from
a. north to south b. south to north c. east to west d. west to east. |
d
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if a distant star were in front of you, exactly how long would it take the earth to rotate so that the star is again exactly in front of you?
a. solar day b. 23 hrs, 56 mins, 4 sec c. week d. 24 hr. |
b
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if a ball on the end of a string is first made to swing back & forth through a large arc & then a small arc:
a. the length of time to swing back & forth is the same for both arcs b. takes longer to swing thru large arc c. takes longer to swing thru small arc |
a
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why does the sidereal day and solar day differ by about 4 mins
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it takes the sun about 4 mins longer to appear to go around the earth- a result of the movement of the earth in its revolution around the sun
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difference btwn weight & mass
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weight depends on how strong gravity pulls an object & mass depends on the atoms that make up the object
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small circle
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circles north and south of the equator which wouldn't cut the earth into equal portions
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great circle
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the circle around the earth; divides planet into 2 equal halves
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prime meridian
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longitudinal line of 0 degrees running thru greenich, england
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ozone layer
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layer in earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone
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how many miles is it from the surface of the earth to the center of the earth
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4000 miles
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diameter of earth
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8000 miles
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which layer of our atmosphere is closest to the ground
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trophosphere
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where is 0 degrees latitude
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equator
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what is the shortest distance btwn 2 points on the surface of the earth
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an arc of a great circle
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the very center of the earth is:
a. molten nickel & iron b. solid nickel & iron c. molten rocks d. solid rocks |
b
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the layer of the atmosphere that can be used to reflect radio waves is
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ionosphere
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the earth's mantle is made mostly of
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heavy rocks
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what would happen if the ozone layer disappeared
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uv rays could easily penetrate earth's atomosphere
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the earth's crust is made of
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light rocks
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if you fell into a hole that went from 1 side of earth to the other, how fast would you be falling & how long would it take you
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44 mins @ 18000 miles/hr
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meridian
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line running from the north thru the zenith to the south- cuts sky into eastern & western half
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azimuth
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horizon- tells which direction to look
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circumpolar stars
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stars at the north pole that dont rise or set
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declination
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latitude in the sky- measured from 0 degrees at the celestial equator to + or - 90 degrees at the poles
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right ascension
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north-south lines when projected onto the celestial sphere
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ecliptic
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the path the sun follows thru the sky over the course of the year
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where would you look in the sky to find an altitude of 45 degrees and azimuth of 180 degrees
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half way up in the south
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why is polaris so famous
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it's located above the north pole @ the north celestial pole
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as the sun moves around the sky once each year, it passes thru a group of 12 constellations. collectively these constellations make up the:
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zodiac
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what season are we experiencing in the norther hemisphere when the sun is viewed closest to polaris
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summer
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on the first day of fall the sun has a declination of 0 degrees. t/f
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true
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as seen from here in kent:
a. only the stars close to the north star rise and set b. all the stars rise & set only during the winter months c. all stars rise & set d. some stars rise & set & others are always in the sky |
d.
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if you were on the equator of the earth, where would you look to find the north star polaris?
a. over your head b. on the horizon in the direction of the north c. 41 degrees up in the northern part of the sky d. can't tell b/c it depends on the time of day |
b
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the north-south line above greenwich, england can't be used as the 0 right ascension line b/c:
a. the earth rotates causing the line over greenwich england, to constantly change b. the sun shifts its position in the background sky each day c. the line over greenwich, england is not a great circle |
a
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geocentric theory
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the earth is located at the center of an imaginary transparent sphere (celestial sphere)
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heliocentric theory
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the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our solar system
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retrograde motion of a planet
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planets only seem to move in retrograde or backwards motion b/c the earth can pass a planet as it journeys around the sun
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nova
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exploding star
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who is given credit for promoting the heliocentric theory
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nicholas copernicus
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who discovered the moons of jupiter & noted that nature likes the idea of smaller objects circling larger objects
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galileo
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why did the nova in 1572 make people think more about the sky?
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sky isn't constant
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the seasons on earth are due to the fact that the earth is sometimes closer to the sun than at other times. t/f
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false
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the farther a star is away from us, the more it seems to shift its position against distant background stars as we move around the sun. t/f
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false
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how does the aberration of starlight prove that the earth is moving around the sun?
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light rays radiating from a star seem to bend into the front of the moving earth. when the earth is on the other side of its orbit, the light seems to bend in the opposite direction & this proves the earth must be moving
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planetarium
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a place where one can see a stimulation of the nighttime sky
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constellation
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a group of stars forming a pattern that's traditionally named after its apparent form or a mythological figure
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how is the north star found by using the big dipper
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draw line thru pointer stars (2 stars in the bucket)
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how many constellations are there in the sky
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88
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what makes a zodiacal constellation diff from other constellations?
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the sun seems to pass thru it
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which is not a major advantage of the planetarium?
a. show stars as seen from diff points on earth b. show effect of earth's rotation on its axis speeded hundred of times c. show effect of aberration of starlight d. show how planets, sun and moon seem to move in the sky |
c.
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the planetarium projects the motion of all nine planets in our solar system. t/f
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false
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the planetarium can be used to show the effect of the earth's rotation on its axis. t/f
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true
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radius vector
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a line joining a planet and the sun
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ellipse
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the shape in which the planets travel around the sun (ovals)
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foci
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not at the center
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which planet is covered with red surface dust
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mars
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which planet is tipped nearly 90 degrees on its axis
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uranus
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which planet travels around the sun in an orbit which is not in the same plane as the other planets?
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pluto (part of the reason why its not a planet anymore)
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until 1999, which planet is the most distant from the sun
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neptune
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during which month is the earth the farthest from the sun
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july
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the only place we know of in our solar system where there is an active volcano other than on earth is?
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io, a moon on jupiter
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kepler formed his 3 laws of the heliocentric theory based on the data provided by who?
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tycho brahe
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keplers 2nd law says?
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the speed of a planet varies depending how close it is to the sun
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what can be obtained by using kepler's 3rd law?
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determine the distance btwn a planet and the sun
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how did kepler describe the variation in a planet's speed using a radius vector?
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a planet travels faster when close to the sun & slower when farther from the sun
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uniform velocity
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velocity of an object at a constant speed in a constant direction
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relative velocity
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velocity of an object added to the velocity of a frame
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what greek letter represents the change in something?
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delta
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what basic & useful rule is used to check that a problem in physics is done correctly?
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units on right side of equal sign match what you're trying to solve for
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when using the relative velocity equation, where is the observer assumed to be located?
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stationary outside frame
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when using the scientific method, one should:
a. make just 1 hypothesis b. be careful not to treat a hypothesis as a solution unless and experiment has shown the hypothesis to be virtually true c. think of experiments before making hypotheses d. never accept a solution unless sure its 100% correct |
b.
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the slug & kilogram are units of :
a. time b. space c. mass d. weight |
c.
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the electromagnetic force will cause 2 neutrons to repel. t/f
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false
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which layer of the atmosphere contains our weather?
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trophosphere
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the earth's gravity tries to pull objects to:
a. the surface of the earth b. the center of the earth c. the north pole of the earth d. the equator of the earth |
b.
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as seen from the earth's equator:
a. all stars are circumpolar & polaris is at the zenith b. polaris is on the horizon w/ all other stars rising and setting c. polaris is on the horizon but only stars close to polaris rise & set d. polaris is found in diff parts of the sky depending on the time of day |
b.
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the starting position for measuring right ascension is:
A. vernal equinox b. location of the sun on the first day of spring c. both of the above d. none of the above |
c.
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a convincing argument for the heliocentric theory is:
a. retrograde motion of planets b. the seasons on earth c. phases of the planet venus d. parallax of stars e. all the above |
e.
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we're closest to the sun during the summer months when we have our warmest weather. t/f
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false
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what's the basic equation for uniform velocity?
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v=Δd/Δt
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why can't a person save themselves by jumping off the floor of a falling elevator just as it hits the ground?
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their relative speed when they hit the ground is the same as the elevators
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acceleration
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change in an object's velocity divided by the change in time
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terminal velocity
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the max speed an object can reach before air resistance prevents it from continuing to accelerate
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what is the value of the earth's acceleration due to gravity?
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32 ft/ sec.^2
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when dropped, why does a feather fall more slowly than a brick
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air pushes it back
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on the moon, light objects fall more slowly than heavy objects. t/f
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false
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differential calculus
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if the slope of the line can't be determined by looking at the graph, this gives the slope mathematically; **slope & acceleration
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integral calculus
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divides area into an infiinite number of rectangles & add the areas together to give the total area; **distance & area
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what assumption is made about the beginning velocity of an accelerating object when the equation Δd=1/2at^2 is used?
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start at rest
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what is obtained by finding the area under the velocity-time graph?
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distance moved
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what is obtained from the slope of the velocity- time graph
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acceleration
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an object that is moving w/uniform velocity could be represented as:
a. an upward sloping line on the velocity time graph b. a horizontal line on the velocity time graph c. a downward sloping line on the velocity time graph |
b.
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one way to approximate the area under the velocity time graph is to divide it into many rectangles. t/f
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true
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isotropic property of space
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when moving in 2 or more directions simultaneously, motion in 1 dimension doesn't affect motion in other directions
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force
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push or pull
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grand unification theory (gut)
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an attempt to unify all forces into just one
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of the 4 classifications of forces, which is the weakest?
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gravity
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of the 4 classifications of forces, which is the strongest?
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strong interacting / strong nuclear force
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due to the weak interacting force, a neutron removed from an atom will break into 3 particles after about 19 mins. What are the 3 particles?
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proton, electron, neutrino
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the force dealing w/ charged particles is:
a. gravity b. weak interacting force c. strong interacting force d. electromagnetic force |
d.
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if a bullet is fired from the gun horizontally over a flat surface while a 2nd bullet is dropped from the same height as the gun what will happen?
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both bullets will hit the ground at the same time
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the force dealing w/ the breaking apart of the neutron is:
a. gravity b. electromagnetic c. strong interacting force d. weak interacting force |
d.
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a cannon shoots a cannonball sideways off a cliff. the cannonball hits the ground 6 secs later. if a 2nd cannonball is dropped vertically off the cliff, how long will it take to hit the ground?
a. 6 secs. b. more than 6 secs. c. less than 6 secs |
a.
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when a net force is placed on an object it will:
a. move in a straight line at a constant speed b. reverse direction c. not move d. accelerate |
d.
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partial success has been achieved in combined which of the following 2 forces into 1 force?
a.gravity & electromagnetic b.gravity & weak interacting c. weak interacting & electromagnetic d. strong interacting & electromagnetic |
c.
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why does the nucleus not break apart due to all the positively charged protons repelling against each other
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strong nuclear force; mesons act like glue & hold the nucleus together
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explain the principle behind the neutron bomb
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neutrons cause great damage & when great amounts are released, they destroy living tissue
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the name given to the unit of force equal to pushing on a 1 slug object and making it increase its velocity 1 ft/sec every sec the force is applied is the:
a. newton b.ounce c.dyne d.pound e.slug |
d.
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a graph used to determine the acceleration of an object by the slope of the line is?
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velocity time graph
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weight vs. mass
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weight- depends on how hard gravity pulls on the object
mass- constant |
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if the earth had no atmosphere, a falling person w/a parachute would fall just as fast as another person falling from the same height w/o a parachute. t/f
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true
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the acceleration of 25 meters/hr^2 means?
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for every hr that goes by the object gains 25 meters/hr in its velocity
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on the first day of spring, the position of the sun is on the celestial equator. t/f
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true
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according to keplers laws, which planet moves fastest?
a. mars b.jupiter c.mercury |
c
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in the observer's sky, an object that has an altitude of 90 degrees would be found?
a.due north b.exactly overhead c. due east on the horizon d.halfway up the sky due east e.halfway up the sky due west |
b.
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where is the starting position for measuring declination in the sky?
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celestial equator
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the force of gravity is manufactured by?
a. all matter regardless of its size or charge b.only charged particles c.only neutral particles d. only large objects |
a.
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which of the following is true?
a.gravity pulls w/the same force on all objects b.gravity pulls harder on the light objs c.gravity pulls harder on heavy objs |
c.
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as seen here in kent:
a. all stars rise & set b.some stars rise & set and others are always in the sky c.only the stars close to the north star rise & set d. only during the winter months do all the stars rise & set |
b.
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if the star vega was in front of you, how long would it take for the earth to rotate so that the star is again in front of you?
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sidereal day
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pound
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if a mass of 1 slug is made to accelerate 1 ft./sec^2, then the net force on the obj is one pound
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newton of force
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1/5 of a pound; if a mass of 1 kg is made to accelerate 1 meter/sec^2
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dyne
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if a mass of 1 gram is made to accelerate 1 cm/sec^2
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net force
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causes an obj to accelerate
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according to newtons 2nd law, what happens to the acceleration of an object if the mass of the obj is increased?
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the smaller the acceleration
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what did newtons 4th law state?
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theres an attracting force between any 2 masses
f=g(m1m2/r^2) |
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if a moving obj doesnt have any force applied to it, not even friction, what will the object do?
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move at a constant speed in a straight line
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the thrust out the back of the space shuttle causes the shuttle to go forward. which of newton's laws is this an example of?
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third
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since its more difficult to make heavy objs move, why does a heavy obj fall just as fast as a light obj?
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heavy objs want to move slower, but gravity pulls harder on it
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if you push all the way down on the gas pedal, your car will reach a top speed at which it wont go faster. why is this true even if your engine is still applying force to your car?
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net force causes an obj to accelerate
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what is the final form of energy?
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heat (in the form of oscillating motion of the atoms)
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scientific method
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5 step plan for solving problems
1.define prob 2.do research 3.make hypotheses or guesses at possible solutions 4. experiement 5.state solution |
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percent of certainty
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how sure you are that your solution is correct (1-100%)
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meter
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one ten millionth the distance btwn the north pole & equator
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what is kent's latitude & longitude
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latitude: 41 degrees
longitude: 81 degrees |
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zenith
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the point directly overhead in the observers sky
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what are the degrees of north, south, east & west on the horizon
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north: 0 degrees
east: 90 degrees south: 180 degrees west: 270 degrees |
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altitude
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tells how high an object will be in the sky
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imaginary points directly above the north & south poles
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the north celestial pole & the south celestial pole
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celestial equator
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the circle around the sky over the equator
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3 limitations (to some theory???)
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1. earth rotates
2. earth revolves around the sun 3. objects move, not stars |
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2 rules pertaining to polaris
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1. the altitude of polaris in the sky is equal to the observer's latitude
2. as earth rotates, polaris doesn't appear to move, but all other celestial objects appear to travel in circles around polaris once each day |
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circumpolar stars
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starts at the north pole that don't rise or set
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at the equator, all stars rise & set. t/f
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true
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4 proofs of heliocentric theory
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1. retrograde motion of the planets
2.parallax of stars 3.seasons 4.aberration of starlight |
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simultaneous motion
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when an object moves in 2 dimensions (directions) at the same time
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acceleration due to gravity on earth
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32 ft/sec^2
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