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Questions and Answers
What is the process of observing nature, creating a hypothesis, making a prediction, and testing the prediction called?
What is the process of observing nature, creating a hypothesis, making a prediction, and testing the prediction called?
The scientific method
A group of stars forming a pattern in the sky is called a constellation.
A group of stars forming a pattern in the sky is called a constellation.
False
What is the path the sun travels through the stars called?
What is the path the sun travels through the stars called?
The ecliptic
What is our only natural satellite?
What is our only natural satellite?
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What does "sidereal" mean in astronomy?
What does "sidereal" mean in astronomy?
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What does "sydonic" mean in astronomy?
What does "sydonic" mean in astronomy?
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Ancient Greeks were known for their scientific approach, emphasizing observations and experiments.
Ancient Greeks were known for their scientific approach, emphasizing observations and experiments.
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The main problem with the early geocentric model was explaining the retrograde motion of planets.
The main problem with the early geocentric model was explaining the retrograde motion of planets.
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Copernicus's heliocentric model was immediately accepted and embraced by the scientific community.
Copernicus's heliocentric model was immediately accepted and embraced by the scientific community.
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What did Tycho Brahe use to determine the distance of a supernova?
What did Tycho Brahe use to determine the distance of a supernova?
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Who formulated Kepler's Laws of planetary motion?
Who formulated Kepler's Laws of planetary motion?
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Who is credited with being one of the first to point a telescope at the sky?
Who is credited with being one of the first to point a telescope at the sky?
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Who revolutionized physics by defining the force of gravity?
Who revolutionized physics by defining the force of gravity?
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Foucault's Pendulum provides evidence that Earth is rotating.
Foucault's Pendulum provides evidence that Earth is rotating.
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The plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun is known as the ecliptic.
The plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun is known as the ecliptic.
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Earth experiences seasons because our planet's axis of rotation is tilted.
Earth experiences seasons because our planet's axis of rotation is tilted.
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A solar day is exactly 24 hours, while a sidereal day is slightly longer.
A solar day is exactly 24 hours, while a sidereal day is slightly longer.
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We always see the same side of the Moon because it is tidally locked, meaning its rotation period matches its orbital period.
We always see the same side of the Moon because it is tidally locked, meaning its rotation period matches its orbital period.
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We experience lunar eclipses every month.
We experience lunar eclipses every month.
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What is the name of the local coordinate system fixed to a position on Earth?
What is the name of the local coordinate system fixed to a position on Earth?
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Study Notes
Science as a Process and Body of Knowledge
- Science is both a process and a body of knowledge
- The scientific method involves observing nature, creating hypotheses, making predictions, and testing those predictions
- Results may lead to rejection or refinement of hypotheses
- Occam's razor suggests simpler theories are preferable
The Night Sky
- A group of stars forming a pattern is called an asterism
- A constellation encompasses a star pattern and surrounding area
- The Moon appears about 1/2 degree across from Earth
- Stars appear to move in circular paths around the North Star
- The Sun's apparent path through the stars over a year is called the ecliptic
- We use leap years because a year isn't a whole number of days
- Today's calendar is Gregorian and our only natural satellite is the Moon
- Phases of the Moon occur due to different parts being illuminated as seen from Earth
- Sidereal refers to alignments with fixed stars
- Synodic refers to alignments between Sun, Earth, and a third object
History of Astronomy
- Ancient Greeks didn't fully utilize observation and experimentation in their approach
- Their cosmology relied on the idea that everything moved in perfect circles
- A key problem was explaining retrograde motion of planets (planets appearing to move backward in the sky)
- Ptolemy attempted to resolve this with the concept of epicycles, a complex geometric model
- Later, advances in technology led to these models becoming less useful
Telescopes and other concepts
- Copernicus developed a heliocentric model of the solar system.
- Tycho Brahe's accurate observations were crucial for later astronomers.
- Kepler's laws describe planetary motion in elliptical orbits.
- Galileo used the telescope to observe celestial bodies, supporting the heliocentric model.
- Newton developed the law of universal gravitation
- Newton's prism experiment demonstrated that white light is a combination of all visible colors
- Ole Rømer measured the speed of light
- Thomas Young's double-slit experiment confirmed the wave nature of light,
- James Clerck Maxwell showed light is a wave of electric and magnetic fields
- Kirchhoff discovered that heated elements emit unique emission spectra, and light passing through a gas showed unique absorption spectra
- Spectral lines are unique to each element,
- A blackbody spectrum emitted by matter is based on its temperature.
- Telescopes can be reflecting or refracting and brighten, resolve, and magnify images.
- Today, images are captured using CCDs (charge-coupled devices) and telescopes can detect wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum.
- Electromagnetism is the spectrum beyond visible light.
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Description
Explore the fundamental principles of science as a process and a body of knowledge, emphasizing the scientific method and Occam's razor. Additionally, delve into the wonders of the night sky, including asterisms, constellations, the phases of the Moon, and the Sun's ecliptic path.
