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Questions and Answers
What is the primary element converted into helium within a star?
What is the primary element converted into helium within a star?
What is the name given to a 'baby star' that has begun to produce its own light?
What is the name given to a 'baby star' that has begun to produce its own light?
A sun-like star that has run out of hydrogen will expand and become a:
A sun-like star that has run out of hydrogen will expand and become a:
What is the end result of a massive star's rapid expansion and explosion?
What is the end result of a massive star's rapid expansion and explosion?
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Which of the following describes a black dwarf?
Which of the following describes a black dwarf?
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What is the name given to a star pattern that is not one of the 88 officially recognized patterns?
What is the name given to a star pattern that is not one of the 88 officially recognized patterns?
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Which of these is an example of an asterism?
Which of these is an example of an asterism?
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What property of a star does its color indicate?
What property of a star does its color indicate?
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What is the range of a celestial object's altitude?
What is the range of a celestial object's altitude?
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If a star has an azimuth of 180°, in which direction would it be located?
If a star has an azimuth of 180°, in which direction would it be located?
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Which of the following is the closest description of microgravity?
Which of the following is the closest description of microgravity?
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What is the primary reason why regular pencils are not suitable for use in space?
What is the primary reason why regular pencils are not suitable for use in space?
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What is the name for the model that places the Earth at the center of the planetary system?
What is the name for the model that places the Earth at the center of the planetary system?
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Which of the following best describes the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere?
Which of the following best describes the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere?
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Which of the following is NOT a change that occurs in astronauts' bodies in space?
Which of the following is NOT a change that occurs in astronauts' bodies in space?
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What is an equinox?
What is an equinox?
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What is the main hazard in space associated with the sun?
What is the main hazard in space associated with the sun?
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What essential feature must a pen have to function properly in space?
What essential feature must a pen have to function properly in space?
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What was the key difference that Kepler introduced to the heliocentric model that improved accuracy?
What was the key difference that Kepler introduced to the heliocentric model that improved accuracy?
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What is the force that pulls objects towards each other?
What is the force that pulls objects towards each other?
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Approximately how long have humans known that the Earth revolves around the Sun?
Approximately how long have humans known that the Earth revolves around the Sun?
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Which of these events is NOT described in the text?
Which of these events is NOT described in the text?
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When does the fall equinox occur?
When does the fall equinox occur?
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What was the initial problem with the heliocentric model before Kepler's refinements?
What was the initial problem with the heliocentric model before Kepler's refinements?
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According to the provided text, what is the minimum speed a spacecraft needs to travel to escape Earth's atmosphere?
According to the provided text, what is the minimum speed a spacecraft needs to travel to escape Earth's atmosphere?
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What was the main purpose of the 'Alouette 1' satellite?
What was the main purpose of the 'Alouette 1' satellite?
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Which of the following best describes the primary function of the structural and mechanical elements of a rocket?
Which of the following best describes the primary function of the structural and mechanical elements of a rocket?
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What is the name of the dog launched into space by the Soviet Union about one month after Sputnik?
What is the name of the dog launched into space by the Soviet Union about one month after Sputnik?
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Which of Newton's Laws of Motion is primarily employed for rocket propulsion?
Which of Newton's Laws of Motion is primarily employed for rocket propulsion?
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What makes the quote by John W. Young particularly significant?
What makes the quote by John W. Young particularly significant?
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Historically, what was one of the initial uses of rockets?
Historically, what was one of the initial uses of rockets?
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Based on the text, what percentage of a rocket's components is dedicated to the payload?
Based on the text, what percentage of a rocket's components is dedicated to the payload?
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Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between frequency and wavelength of electromagnetic energy?
Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between frequency and wavelength of electromagnetic energy?
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What is the speed at which electromagnetic energy travels?
What is the speed at which electromagnetic energy travels?
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What is the approximate wavelength of visible light measured in?
What is the approximate wavelength of visible light measured in?
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Which of the following is a key advantage of radio telescopes over telescopes that detect visible light?
Which of the following is a key advantage of radio telescopes over telescopes that detect visible light?
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What best describes the function of radio interferometry?
What best describes the function of radio interferometry?
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Which of these forms of electromagnetic energy has the highest frequency?
Which of these forms of electromagnetic energy has the highest frequency?
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What is the primary use of space probes, as described in the content?
What is the primary use of space probes, as described in the content?
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Which statement best describes the relationship between radio waves and visible light?
Which statement best describes the relationship between radio waves and visible light?
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What was the landing date of NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars?
What was the landing date of NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars?
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What concept involves measuring angles between a baseline and a target object to determine distance?
What concept involves measuring angles between a baseline and a target object to determine distance?
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Which of the following describes the Parallax Effect?
Which of the following describes the Parallax Effect?
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How can the composition of a star be determined?
How can the composition of a star be determined?
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What role has technology played in space exploration?
What role has technology played in space exploration?
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Study Notes
Unit E: Space - Section 1
- The night sky has fascinated humans for a long time
- Objects in the night sky include the Sun, Moon, constellations, and planets
- Events in the sky include meteor showers, eclipses, and the northern lights
Tracking Cosmological Events
- A summer solstice occurs near June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the longest period of daylight
- A winter solstice occurs around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the shortest period of daylight
- These events are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere
- An equinox occurs twice a year (March 21st and September 21st). The day and night are equal length
About 500 Years
- For 2000 years, humans believed Earth was the center of the universe with everything revolving around it
- This geocentric model was proposed by Aristotle
- The model included Earth at the center, the Sun, the five known planets, and fixed stars
Heliocentrism
- In 1530, Nicholas Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model—the Sun at the center of our solar system
- All other planets, including Earth, revolve around the Sun
One Little Problem
- The idea that planets moved in circular orbits was not perfect
- Johannes Kepler proposed that planets orbit in ellipses—this improved the model of the solar system
Improving Technology
- Our understanding of space has improved over time
- Tools and techniques have been developed to observe what is millions of kilometers away
- Simple tools like sundials have been used for over 7000 years
Important Tools
- Quadrants: Used since 200 A.D. to measure a star's height above the horizon
- Astrolabes: Used to create accurate charts recording star positions
- Cross Staffs: Used since the 14th Century to measure the angle between objects in the sky
- Telescopes: Used since the 16th Century to explore the night sky in depth, including modern radio telescopes that orbit space
The Hubble Space Telescope
- The Hubble Space Telescope is believed to be able to view events that occurred up to 12 billion years ago
Time and Distance
- Space is very large. Kilometers are not suitable units of measurement
- Astronomers use astronomical units (AU) and light-years (LY)
- 1 LY = 5.8 trillion miles (9.4 trillion kilometers)
Astronomical Units
- An AU is the average distance between Earth and the Sun
- About 149,599,000 km
Light Years
- A light-year is the distance that light travels in one year
- Light travels at nearly 300,000 km/s, so in one year it travels almost 9.5 trillion kilometers
What is a Star?
- Stars are giant balls of burning gases (primarily hydrogen and helium) giving off immense light
- Stars can vary greatly in appearance
How are Stars Made?
- Stars are born in nebulae, which are clouds of hydrogen gas
- Gravity pulls the molecules together, increasing pressure and temperature until a star forms
Protostars
- Once the central core of a star is capable of producing its own light, it becomes a protostar
- This stage can last up to 50 million years
The Life of Stars
- Stars reach temperatures of 27 million degrees F
- Hydrogen is converted into helium, releasing massive amounts of energy
- This conversion lasts about 10 billion years
The Death of Sun-like Stars
- When a sun-like star runs out of hydrogen, it expands into a red giant
- It cools and shrinks into a cold, dark star the size of Earth—this is a white dwarf
- The dwarf will fade until it becomes a black dwarf (this is theoretical)
The Death of Massive Stars
- When a massive star runs out of hydrogen, it becomes a red giant
- Instead of shrinking, massive stars explode into a supernova
- A super nova can form a black hole
Constellations and Asterisms
- A constellation is a group of stars that create patterns in the sky
- There are 88 recognized constellations; all other patterns are asterisms including parts of constellations
The Big Dipper & Ursa Major
- The Big Dipper, although a recognizable pattern, is actually an asterism within the constellation Ursa Major
Star Temperature
- A star's color indicates its temperature. Hotter stars appear bluer, cooler stars appear redder
- The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a visual representation of stars and their temperatures and sizes
Analyzing Stars
- Starlight produces a wavelength on the visible light spectrum
- We can determine the makeup of stars by the type of light they emit
The Doppler Effect
- Lightwaves are compressed when an object moves towards Earth, resulting in a blue shift
- Lightwaves stretch out when an object moves away from Earth, resulting in a red shift
Galaxies
- Galaxies are groups of millions or billions of stars, dust, and gas held together by gravity
- There are billions of galaxies in the universe
Asteroids
- Asteroids are chunks of rock and ice that are between Mars and Jupiter
- There are more than 100,000 asteroids
- It's believed the asteroid belt is the remnant of a destroyed planet
Comets
- Comets are chunks of rock and ice orbiting the Sun, often going far out to the edge of our solar system
- They can take thousands of years to complete an orbit
- Tails are produced from melting ice and gas from the heat of the Sun
What Causes a Comet's Tail?
- As comets approach the Sun, they heat up and ice melts, producing gaseous and dust tails
Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites
- Meteoroids are small pieces of rock in space with no particular path
- Meteors occur when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere
- Meteorites occur when a meteor is large enough to reach the ground before disintegrating
Our Solar System
- Most of the planets are named after Roman mythological gods
- The order of planets from the Sun is: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
The Protoplanet Hypothesis
- The protoplanet hypothesis describes the formation of solar systems.
- A cloud of gas and dust swirls around
- The bulk of dust collects to form the star
- The remaining material accumulates in clumps forming planets
The Inner Planets
- Mercury: distance from the sun: 0.39 AU, average surface temp: 180°, # of moons: 0
- Venus: distance from sun: 0.72 AU, average surface temp: 480°, # of moons: 0
- Earth: distance from sun: 1.00 AU, average surface temp: 15°, # of moons: 1
- Mars: distance from sun: 1.52 AU, average surface temp: -53°, # of moons: 2
The Outer Planets
- Jupiter: distance from sun: 5.27 AU, moons: 28
- Saturn: distance from sun: 9.54 AU, moons: 19
- Uranus: distance from sun: 19.19 AU, moons: 15
- Neptune: distance from sun: 30.06 AU, moons: 8
- Pluto: distance from sun: 39.5 AU, moons: 1
The Parallax Effect
- Parallax refers to the apparent shift in the position of an object when viewed from two different locations
- This is not the actual shift of the object, but a change in the angle of view
So How Do We Locate Celestial Objects?
- To locate objects in space, we need to identify their altitude (measured from 0° to 90°) and azimuth (measured from 0° to 360°)
- Zenith is the point directly above an observer
Determining a Star's Composition
- Stars' composition can be determined by measuring the absorption spectrum of the light the emit
Space Probes
- Unmanned spacecraft used to explore distant parts of the solar system.
- Examples include: NASA's Perseverance rover
Using Technology to Interpret Space
- Technology is crucial to astronomical understanding
- Telescopes, space stations, and probes increase comprehension of space objects
Measuring Distance–Triangulation
- Triangulation, a method for determining distance, uses the geometry of a triangle to make measurements from angles and distances
- An object's distance is determined by measuring angles using a baseline and the object.
Remote Sensing
- Remote sensing is a satellite-based method to collect information on Earth's surface, environmental changes, natural resources and urban areas
- Satellites using imaging devices make observations and transmit data
GPS: Global Positioning Systems
- GPS uses an arrangement of 27 orbiting satellites to determine a location's position on Earth.
- Receivers identify the overlapping area of signals from several satellites to determine the most probable location.
Fact or Fiction
- Ball point pens were not well suited for use in space, so a special pen was developed, costing NASA 12 billion dollars!
Hazards in Space
- Some hazards in space are damaging cosmic rays, meteoroids, extreme temperatures, and the lack of atmospheric pressure.
Achievements in Rocket Science
- Overcoming forces of gravity to achieve orbit
- Developing and maintaining functioning equipment in space
- Safely getting to space and returning
Propulsion
- Early breakthroughs in propulsion included a Greek method of using steam to propel wings (400 BC), to a later Chinese use of gunpowder for rockets (2000 years ago).
Some Space “Firsts”
- Sputnik, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth
- Laika, a dog, was sent into space by the Soviet Union one month after Sputnik
Alouette 1
- Alouette 1 was the first satellite launched by Canada
- This made Canada the third country to design, build, and launch its own satellite
The Physics of Rockets
- Rockets operate on Newton's Third Law of Motion (“for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”)
Parts of a Rocket
- Rockets have structural elements, fuel, and a payload (all of the necessary materials).
- Payload weight can prevent launch
The Future of Rocketry
- Future possibilities include ion drives (powered by electrically charged xenon) and solar sails (powered by electromagnetic energy).
Types of Spacecrafts
- Shuttles: transport people and equipment to orbiting spacecraft.
- Space Probes: contain equipment for exploring space.
- Space Stations: are orbiting spacecraft designed for long-term stays.
Let’s Talk About Satellites
- Satellites, are objects in orbit around a planet
- Natural and artificial satellites exist
- Satellites have multiple functions including communication, weather forecasting, TV watching, and positioning systems
Satellite Placement
- Geosynchronous Orbits: satellites orbit Earth at a speed matching Earth's rotation. They appear stationary above a particular spot on Earth
- Low Earth Orbits: satellites orbit lower to Earth, making observation faster.
LANDSAT & RADARSAT
- Specific satellites that track ships, environmental changes, and natural resources
Remote Sensing
- Imaging devices on satellites make observations of Earth. Information on conditions, natural resources, and urbanization is used in planning.
GPS: Global Positioning Systems
- The GPS system includes an arrangement of 27 satellites. Each satellite transmits its position information, and a GPS receiver calculates its location by intersecting signals from several satellites.
Take a Look!
- GPS example of using overlapping location data from 3 satellites to calculate a specific position
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Description
Test your knowledge on the fascinating world of stars and celestial phenomena. This quiz covers topics such as star formation, properties, classifications, and functions within the cosmos. Challenge yourself with questions that explore the life cycle of stars and their characteristics.
