Radiation & Stars
What is the difference between fission and fusion?
Fission is an atom breaking apart and fusion is more than one atom combining to make bigger atoms.
If you throw a ball in space, what happens to the ball?
It floats with the same velocity forever, unless it hits something else.
Where does energy in the Earth's atmosphere come from?
The sun
What is climate change?
Increase in the Earth's average temperature.
What are 3 layers of the earth, from the center to the outside?
Core, mantle, crust
What is an isotope?
Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons (same element) but different numbers of neutrons (different mass.)
Which has a stronger force of gravity, a very massive planet or a very small planet with a low mass?
A very massive planet.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is right now and climate is an average.
What causes climate change?
It is largely caused by carbon dioxide emissions from human activities like burning fossil fuels.
What is a convergent boundary?
A place where two pieces of the Earth's crust move towards each other.
What can redshift tell you about movement?
If something is redshifted, it is moving away.
If an astronaut pushes the Space Station, how will the astronaut and Space Station move?
The Space Station will move a little in one direction and the astronaut will move a lot in the opposite direction.
How does convection work?
Warm air or water becomes less dense and rises, then cools down and sinks to create a circular current.
What kinds of gases absorb energy from infrared waves to keep the Earth warm?
Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor
What is the relationship between earthquakes and volcanoes?
They both happen at plate boundaries. Earthquakes can predict volcanoes.
In the electromagnetic spectrum, what happens to ENERGY when WAVELENGTH increases?
Energy and frequency decrease when wavelength increases.
Why do planets move more slowly if they are far away from the Sun?
The distance is greater, so the force of gravity is smaller.
When water changes from a liquid to a gas, does its energy increase or decrease?
Energy increases when a substance goes from a liquid to a gas.
Coal is the worst, natural gas is better but still emits carbon dioxide, and solar power is the best.
The layer on the bottom.
How did the solar system form and fusion start in the Sun?
Gravity caused a cloud of gas and dust (a NEBULA) to contract and heat up.
Why does the same force cause a less massive object to accelerate more than a bigger, more massive object?
Force equals mass times acceleration, so when the force is the same, more mass means less acceleration.
You look at the climate of two cities, one in the middle of a continent far away from water and one on the coastline of an ocean. Which city would have a bigger change in temperature during the year?
The one in the middle of the continent, because being near water evens out temperature changes due to the high specific heat of water.
Why can a warming climate cause an increase in the number of storms and make storms worse?
Because energy in the atmosphere from heat and water vapor makes storms stronger.
What two geological events can cause cross-cutting structures in rock formations?
Earthquakes cause faults or fissures and volcanoes cause volcanic dikes.