Space Tech & History
Which type of electromagnetic radiation is observed by optical telescopes?
Visible Light
Which best describes the hierarchical (organizational) relationship between planets and other spatial bodies in order from smallest to largest?
Planet, Solar System, Galaxy, Galaxy Cluster, Universe
Stellar Nebula
What colors stars tend to be the coolest? What side of the HR diagram are they on? What color stars tend to be the hottest? What side of the HR diagram are they on.
Red stars are the coolest and they are located on the right side of the HR diagram.
Blue stars are the hottest and they are located on the left side of the HR diagram.
Explain the apparent motion and absolute motion of stars.
The apparent motion is the way that the star APPEARS to move as we observe it from Earth. For example, stars APPEAR to rise and set in the night sky. This is their apparent motion.
The stars are not truly moving across our night sky. Their apparent motion is actually due to the movement of the Earth, not the movement of the stars. It takes thousands of years for a star to make a slight, yet observable, shift in the sky. This is describing the actual motion of the star.
The term that most accurately describes a space craft that has no human crew is...
A space probe.
When does the northern hemisphere experience summer?
When the northern hemisphere (or the northern part of Earth's axis) is tilting TOWARDS the sun.
The life cycle stages that a star exist is dependent on its...
Mass/Size
What are the two factors that a stars brightness is dependent on?
Where are brighter stars located on the HR Diagram?
Where are dimmer stars located on the HR Diagram?
Temperature (Blue stars are hotter, and hotter stars are brighter. Red stars are cooler, and cooler stars are dimmer)
AND
Size (Larger stars tend to shine brighter than smaller stars)
Bright stars are located higher up on the HR Diagram, and dimmer stars are located toward the bottom of the HR diagram.
Describe the primary difference between the heliocentric and geocentric models of the solar system. Which model do we know to be true today?
The heliocentric model involves the sun being at the center of out solar system, while the geocentric model involves the Earth being at the center of our solar system. The model that we know is true today is the heliocentric model.
How was NASA's Explorer 1 different from the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2?
Explorer 1 carried scientific instruments on board while the Sputniks only had communication technology.
When does the northern hemisphere experience winter?
When the northern hemisphere (northern part of Earth's axis) is tilting AWAY from the sun.
When an average-sized star begins to die, it becomes a _______________. When a massive star begins to die, it becomes a _______________________.
Red Giant; Red Supergiant.
What are the characteristics (temperature and brightness) of a star that is located on the top left of the HR Diagram?
It will be hot (because its on the left) and bright (because it is towards the top).
What is a light-year and why is it used? (Make sure to answer both parts of the question)
A light-year is the distance that light can travel in one year. Astronomers use light-years to to measure the extremely vast distances between stars and other objects in space.
Hey guess what?
You're out of this world!
(Hehehe, get it? Space puns.)
How does the distance between two object affect the force of gravity?
Closer objects have a stronger gravitational force than objects that are farther away from each other.
A red giant will eventually become a ______________, which is a glowing cloud of dust and gas. The core of the star is left over. It is dense, about the size of the Earth, and it glows. This is called a ____________________.
Planetary Nebula; White Dwarf.
What are the characteristics (temperature and brightness) of a star that is located on the bottom right of the HR Diagram?
It will be a cooler star (because it is on the right) and it will be a dimmer star (because it is towards the bottom).
What is a revolution? How long does it take for Earth to complete one full revolution? What is a rotation? How long does it take for Earth to make one full rotation? (Make sure to answer ALL parts of this question)
A revolution is one full orbit around the sun. For Earth, one revolution is 365.25 days. That means it takes 365.25 days for Earth to make one complete orbit around the sun.
Earth's rotation refers to how it spins on its axis. One full rotation takes 24 hours.
What do you call a bacon-wrapped comet?
A meat-eor!
(Ok fine- no more cheesy space puns I promise)
How does the size of an object affect the force of gravity?
Larger objects have a stronger gravitational force than smaller objects.
A red supergiant will explode suddenly, in what is referred to as a ______________. Afterwards, most of these once-massive stars will become a _______________. These are extremely dense stars that are about the size of a city. The most massive of these stars will become a _____________________. Light cannot escape them.
Supernova; Neutron Star; Black Hole
What are the characteristics (temperature and brightness) of a star that is located on the top right of the HR Diagram?
It is a cooler star (because it is on the right) and a brighter star (because it is towards the top).
What did you enjoy learning about the most in our space unit?
I look forward to hearing your feedback on the test!