Stars
What star is closest to Earth?
what is a half life?
The time it takes for half of the original material to decay
What is the biggest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
List the three requirements for life
liquid medium, raw material, energy source
What does the atomic number on the periodic table mean?
How many protons the element has in one atom
What stage of it's life cycle is the sun in right now?
main sequence
How old is our solar system?
4.5 billion years old
How were the planets in our solar system created?
From the nebular rings and dust around our star (the sun)
What are the three life requirements for a human?
liquid: water
raw material: carbon, oxygen, nitrogen
energy: chemical (food)
What element is our sun fusing right now in its core?
H
what are all stars born in?
a nebula
After one half life, how much of the parent (original) atoms remain?
50%
List the planets of our solar system in order starting with the planet closest to the sun
Mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune, pluto (?)
what do scientists call the 'zone' earth occupies?
Habitable or goldilocks zone
How does the sun produce sunlight and energy?
Through nuclear fusion in it's core.
What are the two potential 'endings' for high mass stars?
neutron star or black hole
A rock sample containing Strontium 30 is tested and 25% of the original Strontium remains. How many half lives have passed?
2
longer
What planets/moons are scientists looking at for signs of life?
Titan, Europa, Mars
What would the fusion of two He atoms produce?
Be (beryllium)
List the steps of the life cycle of a low/average-mass star
nebula - protostar - main sequence - red giant- nova- planetary nebula with white dwarf
How do we know how old the solar system is?
Through radioactive decay dating
Why are the inner planets rocky and the outer planets gaseous?
The heat of the sun vaporized the lighter gasses on the inner planets
A distant planet has an abundance of carbon, nitrogen, and helium. It receives a fair amount of sunlight from a nearby star. It has solid ice lakes covering the surface. Why would scientists potentially exclude this planet in the search for life?
The liquid material does not exist- it is solid ice
A red giant still fuses elements in its core. At which element does fusion in a red or supergiant stop because the element is too heavy?
Fe (iron)