Astronomy Study Guide: Solar System

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What stage of a star's life cycle does nuclear fusion occur?

Red giant stage

Main sequence stage (correct)

White dwarf stage

Protostar stage

What is the primary composition of terrestrial planets?

Silicate rocks and metals (correct)

Ice and frozen methane

Gas and dust

Liquid hydrogen and helium

What is the result of a star moving away from an observer?

Disappearance of the spectrum

Red shifting of the spectrum (correct)

No change in the spectrum

Blue shifting of the spectrum

What is the primary characteristic of a planet that differentiates it from other celestial bodies?

It has enough mass to form a roughly spherical shape (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of asteroids are primarily composed of nickel and iron?

M-type asteroids (A) Signup and view all the answers

How long after the Big Bang did stable atoms begin to form?

300,000 years (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is unique about the planet Earth?

It has a unique atmosphere that supports life (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of comets in the formation of planets?

They seeded planets with water and organic matter (A) Signup and view all the answers

When did the first galaxies begin to form in the universe?

1 billion years after the Big Bang (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the shape of the Milky Way galaxy?

Spiral (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary process that occurs at the core of a star?

Nuclear Fusion (B) Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main elements that make up a star?

Hydrogen and Helium (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of main sequence stars?

They are fusing hydrogen to helium in their core. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Where are white dwarfs located on an H-R diagram?

Lower left side of the diagram. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What happens to a star when it becomes a red giant?

It expands as hydrogen ignites in its core. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the final stage of a star's life cycle for a massive star?

Black hole or neutron star. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a supernova?

The explosion of a very large star that temporarily gives off enormous energy. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a black hole?

A region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the composition of Martian soil?

Rocks high in iron (B) Signup and view all the answers

Where is water found on Mars?

Trapped in polar ice caps below Mars' surface (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of Jovian planets?

They are gassy, big, and cold (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is unique about the Great Red Spot on Jupiter?

It is a storm that is twice as big as Earth (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why do people on Earth not observe the 'dark side of the moon'?

The moon rotates at the same rate as its revolution around Earth (A) Signup and view all the answers

How was the moon formed?

Mars-sized objects crashed into Earth and blasted material into space (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a meteor?

A rock that has entered the Earth's atmosphere (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the rocks that reach the surface of the Earth?

Meteorite (A) Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when magnetic energy is released from sunspots?

A solar flare occurs (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the phase of the moon when the left side is visible and more than half of the light is visible?

Gibbous (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a large, bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on a planet's surface?

Crater (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a collection of gas that has collapsed from a giant molecular cloud?

Protostar (D) Signup and view all the answers