The Universe and its Origins
The expansion of the universe from a hot, infinitely dense state.
The collapsing core of a sun-sized star, left behind when the outer layers slowly peel away after the red giant phase.
The process by which our Sun produces energy.
What is nuclear fusion?
The shape of all orbits in our solar system.
What is an ellipse?
The pancake-shaped cloud orbiting around the baby Sun which our planets cooled out of.
What is the protoplanetary disc?
The two most abundant elements in the universe.
What are hydrogen and helium?
The smallest and longest-lasting type of main sequence star.
What is a red dwarf?
The phase of life our Sun is currently in.
What is the main sequence?
The amount of time it takes for an object to orbit around its star.
What is an orbital period?
The main features covering geologically ancient surfaces in our solar system, such as the surface of the Moon and Mercury.
What are impact craters?
The flash produced when the first nuclei captured electrons, creating the first atoms and releasing photons.
What is the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation?
The phase of a high-mass star’s life cycle when it fuses elements like carbon, neon, and iron (heavier than helium, but no heavier than iron).
What is a red supergiant?
The “fuel” element that is “burned up” in our Sun’s energy production process.
What is hydrogen?
The factor which, along with both masses, determines the gravitational force between two objects.
What is the distance between two objects?
In the early solar system, the distance from the Sun past which ice can accumulate.
What is the frost line?
The reason why light from distant galaxies is generally more red-shifted than light from nearby galaxies.
What is Hubble's Law? / What is their higher velocity away from us?
The process that produces heavy elements like gold, iridium, and iodine during a Type II supernova.
What is neutron capture?
The inward-pulling force that balances out the outward push of gas pressure in our Sun, stabilizing it.
What is gravity?
The point in Earth’s orbit where its orbital speed is fastest.
What is the perihelion? / What is the point where Earth is closest to the Sun?
The method by which we can learn the absolute ages of solar system materials, like the oldest rocks on Earth, meteorites, and Mars.
What is radiometric dating?
The basic observation that does not match with Newton’s proposal of an infinite, static universe (according to Olber's Paradox).
What is the dark space between the stars?
The last phase in the life cycle of a star of 8-25 solar masses.
What is a neutron star?
The two factors directly responsible for a star’s energy output.
The relationship between the period (T) and semi-major axis (a) of an orbit according to Kepler's 3rd Law.
What is T2 ~ a3?
The reason why “hot Jupiters” orbit closely to their stars, despite having ice and gas in their composition.
What is planet migration?