YOU
Small rocky bodies found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter are known as:
asteroids
When a star runs out of fuel, its _____ begins to shrink.
core
A group of single stars, star systems, star clusters, dust and gas is known as a:
galaxy
A natural satellite that orbits Earth because of the gravitational pull between it and other planets:
the moon
Stars are mostly made up of plasma and these elements:
Helium, Oxygen & Carbon
What is a black hole?
An object with a force of gravity SO STRONG that nothing (not even light) can escape!
The solar system is made up of the sun, _______ & their _______ and other small objects.
planets and their moons
Stars develop when gravity causes ____ and _____ to contract creating intense heat.
gas and dust
Solar flares are loops of plasma that connect, producing this type of energy:
magnetic
The sun is largely made up of these TWO gases:
Helium and Hydrogen
What galaxy contains our solar system?
The Milky Way (not the candy bar)
The distance that light travels in one year is called a light-year and is about:
9.46 trillion kilometers (km)
The force of _____ keeps things in orbit around the sun.
gravity
Cooler stars appear to be _____ while hotter stars appear _____.
red, blue
List the planets in order from CLOSEST to the sun to FARTHEST from the sun.
Spelling counts, take your time :)
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
The center (innermost section of our sun) is known as the:
core
In the 1990s scientists found evidence that the universe was expanding, they believe due to this mysterious force:
dark energy
The first stage of a star's formation is known as a:
protostar
List the basic components of the inner planets:
List the basic components of the outer planets:
INNER- rock and metal
OUTER - liquid and gas
When supergiants run out of fuel, they explode and that explosion is called a(n):
supernova
How is a spiral galaxy different from an elliptical galaxy?
SPIRAL GALAXY- has a bulge in middle & arms that spiral outward similar to a pinwheel
ELLIPTICAL GALAXY- rounded, but elongated (aka- stretched long) and somewhat flat
Explain the difference between these two terms:
ROTATION and REVOLUTION
ROTATION- is one full day, meaning one entire turn of a planet on its axis. ***Remember that the length of a day on a planet varies. For example, Earth is about 24 hours.
REVOLUTION- is one full year, meaning one full orbit around the sun. ***Remember that the length of a year for a planet varies. For example, Earth is about 365 days.
Why do small stars last longer than larger ones?
Smaller stars use up their "fuel" slower than larger stars.
Explain the Big Bang Theory.
It was a point in time when the universe formed in an instant billions of years ago, creating a HUGE explosion.
Explain why scientists use astronomical units (AUs) to measure distance in space.
The distances between objects in space is REALLY large so it would not make much sense to use small measurements such as ft, cm, yds, etc.