space physics

• what galaxy is our solar system apart of

  the milky way galaxy
• how many planets make up our solar system

  8
• what do the planets do to the sun

  orbit the sun as the sun is a star
• what type of force pulled together gas and dust to form the sun

  gravitational force of attraction
• what word is described to the coming together of dust and gas

  a nebulla
• what type of reactions occur at the start of the lifecycle of a star as dust and gas are drawn towards each other

  fusion reactions
• what factor determines the life cycle of a star

  the size of it
• what two phases do all stars undergo

  protostar and main sequence star
• what do stars similar magnitude to the sun become

  black dwarf
• what two things much bigger than the sun can a star become at the end of their life cycle

  a neutron star and a black hole
• what two phases do stars similar size to the sun undergo after being a main sequence star

  red giant and white dwarf
• what two phases do stars bigger than the sun undergo after being a main sequence star

  red super giant and a supernova
• what is produced during the fusion processes in a star

  all naturally occurring elements
• what condition is needed for the fusion reactions to occur in a star

  high temperatures
• how are elements heavier than iron produced

  in a supernova
• what type of nuclei fuse together to make heavier elements in a star

  hydrogen nuclei
• how are elements distributed throughout the universe

  explosion of the supernova
• what allows planets and satellites to maintain circular orbits

  gravity provides a gravitational force that acts as the centripetal force
• why is the presence of a centripetal force important

  as it allows for the object to maintain its circular motion
• what type of satellite can a planets moon be described as

  a natural satellite
• when the speed of the orbit is higher, what does the object require

  a greater centripetal force
• to have a high centripetal force, what must also be strong

  the gravitational force
• what is red shift

  an observed increase in the wavelength of light from distant galaxies
• what can be said about the motion and wavelength of emitted light from a galaxy, the further away it is

  the further away the galaxy is, the faster its moving
• what do red shifts require evidence for

  that the universe is expanding and the big bang theory
• what does the big bang theory suggest

  the universe started from a very small, hot and dense region in space
• if the red shift is very far away, what does this mean

  its greater
• what did scientists observe to provide evidence that the universe is expanding

  the supernovae