Unit E: Space - Science Past Paper PDF

Unit E: Space Section 1  The Night Sky We’ve been fascinated with the objects in the night sky for as long as humans have been around. You have witnessed objects in the sky like the Sun, the Moon, constellations, and even some planets. We can also witnes...

Unit E: Space Section 1  The Night Sky We’ve been fascinated with the objects in the night sky for as long as humans have been around. You have witnessed objects in the sky like the Sun, the Moon, constellations, and even some planets. We can also witness events in the sky like meteor showers, an eclipse or the northern lights.  Tracking Cosmological Events Every year we experience a summer and winter solstice. IIn the northern hemisphere the summer solstice occurs near June 21st → The longest period of daylight in the year. The winter solstice occurs around December 21st→ The shortest period of daylight in the year. These events are swapped in the southern hemisphere.  Tracking Cosmological Events Another phenomenon is the equinox. This comes from the Latin meaning “equal night”. These are the 2 days per year when the day and night are the same length. → Spring equinox: March 21st → Fall equinox: September 21st What do you notice about the dates of solstices and equinoxes?  Question: How long have we known the Earth revolves around the Sun and not the other way around?  About 500 years! 2000 years ago, humans theorized that Earth was at the centre of our planetary system and everything revolved around it. Aristotle first came up with the geocentric model. It included: -The Earth in the centre -The Sun & the 5 known planets (at the time) -Fixed stars that didn’t move. In 1530, Nicholas Copernicus came up with a very different model. It explained observed movements of planetary bodies much more simply. The heliocentric model featured the Sun at the centre with all other planets revolving around it (including Earth).  One little problem... The idea that the planets moved in circular orbits didn’t work perfectly. A German mathematician, Johannes Kepler , came up with the idea that the planets orbited in ellipses. This model worked perfectly and provided the groundwork for our current model of our solar system.  Improving Technology Sundials have Over time, our understanding of space been used for has progressed immensely. We have over 7000 developed new tools and techniques years! to improve our abilities to record, measure and analyze things millions of kilometers away. These inventions started out very simply, though.  Important Tools Quadrants Astrolabes Cross Staff Used since 200 A.D. Used to create Used since 14th Century. accurate charts Measures the angle Designed to measure a star’s height above the recording star between the moon and horizon. positions. any star.  Important Tools Telescopes Since the 16th century we’ve used telescopes to explore the night sky in depth. Now we have radio telescopes that actually orbit in space! These allow us to track things beyond our galaxy. The Hubble Space Telescope It is believed that the Hubble Space telescope can view events that happened up to 12 billion years ago. How does the Hubble Space Telescope see back in time?  Time and distance Space is so incredibly vast that using kilometres to describe distances is not effective. In order to provide usable distances in space we have come up with 2 units of measurement in space. -Astronomical Units -Light Years  Astronomical Units An astronomical unit is used to measure “local” distances. By that, we mean distances within our solar system. One astronomical unit (Au) is the average distance between the centre of the Earth and the centre of the Sun. This is about 149 599 000 km.  Light Years Unfortunately, even astronomical units won’t work to calculate distances outside of our solar system. For things that are very far away we use light years. A light year is the distance that light would travel in 1 year. Light travels almost 300 000 km per second, so in a year it travels almost 9.5 trillion kilometers. How long does it take light from the Sun to reach Earth?  What is a star? Stars are giant balls of burning gases that give off immense amounts of light. → Primarily made from hydrogen and helium. → Stars can be very different from each other.  How are Stars Made? Stars are born in nebulae ( the plural of nebula ). These are huge clouds of hydrogen gas. The gravity of the gases pulls the molecules toward each other until they become a giant rotating ball of gas. As the atoms move closer together, the pressure and temperature increase and the ball starts rotating faster. Eventually, the cloud of gas becomes the central core of a star! Protostars Once the central core of the star is capable of producing its own light, it becomes a protostar. This stage can last for up to 50 million years. These are essentially “baby stars”.  The Life of Stars Eventually, the star reaches temperatures upwards of 27 This will last million degrees F. At this about 10 billion years or until it point it starts converting runs out of hydrogen (H) into helium hydrogen to (He) and releasing massive convert. amounts of energy.  The Death of Sun-like Stars Once a sun-like star runs out of hydrogen it expands into a red giant. Eventually, the star cools and shrinks into a cold, dark star the size of Earth. This is called a white dwarf. It will continue to fade until it Scientists do not believe becomes a black dwarf star. a black dwarf star has actually existed yet!  The Death of Massive Stars When massive stars run out of hydrogen, they become red giants. However, instead of shrinking, they expand rapidly and explode in what is called a We can’t see black holes. We only know they exist because of how matter supernova. This supernova around them is manipulated. then results in a black hole.  Constellations and Asterisms A constellation is a group of stars that create patterns in the sky. There are only 88 officially recognized constellations. All other “patterns” in the sky are called asterisms. This includes parts of patterns.  The Big Dipper & Ursa Major While we tend to know the Big Dipper as a constellation, it is actually an asterism. It is a part of the large constellation of Ursa Major (the Great Bear).  Star Temperature The colour of a star indicates how hot it is. A Hertzprung-Russell Diagram Hotter stars look more blue and tend to be larger. Colder stars look more red and tend to be smaller. Although, there are a couple exceptions. A Hertzprung-Russel diagram provides a visual representation of the size and temperature of stars.  Colour the Hertzsprung Russell Diagram!  Analyzing Stars Just like other forms of light, starlight produces a wavelength on the visible light spectrum. We can determine the makeup of stars by the type of light they give off! Test it! Based on the diagram, which elements do you think this star contains? We know that light travels in waves. Changes in The Doppler wavelengths can be used to measure how fast something is moving, as well as the direction it is Effect moving in. We use the doppler effect to tell us if an object is coming toward Earth or moving away from it. If an object is moving towards the Earth, the lightwaves are compressed and they shift to shorter wavelengths (blues and violets). We call this blue-shift. If an object is moving away from Earth, the lightwaves stretch out and extend their wavelengths (oranges and reds). We call this red shift.  TEST IT! Which statement about the star in the image below is correct? Nearby Star Recently Observed Wavelengths  TEST IT! Which statement about the star in the image below is correct? Nearby Star Recently Observed Wavelengths  Galaxies Galaxies are groups of millions or billions of stars, dust and gas held together by gravity. We have reason to believe there are billions of galaxies in our universe. Each one of those dots is a galaxy. Before we can talk about our solar system, we need to talk about the relative size of things in our universe. Prepare to be amazed.  Asteroids Asteroids are chunks of rock and ice that can be up to 1000km wide. Between Mars and Jupiter there is an asteroid belt that contains more than 100,000 asteroids. It is Pop question! How likely is it that a spaceship would survive driving believed to be the remnants of a through an asteroid belt? destroyed planet.  Comets are chunks of Comets rock and ice that orbit the Sun. They get very close to the sun and often orbit to the edge of our solar system. They can take 1000s of years to complete an orbit. What causes the tail of a comet? When a comet gets close to the Sun, it speeds up and heats up. As it heats up, the ice begins to melt and evaporate producing a tail of gas and dust observable from Earth.  Meteoroids, Meteors and Meteorites Meteoroids are Meteors occur Meteorites occur small pieces of when a meteoroid when a meteor is rock flying through enters our large enough to space with no atmosphere. They reach the ground particular path. produce light and before they disintegrate. disintegrating. Our Solar System My Mercury Very Venus Excellent Earth Most of our planets were Mother Mars named after Roman Just Jupiter mythological gods. Served Saturn Us Uranus Nine Neptune Pizzas Pluto  The Protoplanet Hypothesis The protoplanet hypothesis is a theory that explains the formation of solar systems. 1. A cloud of gas and dust swirls around 2. The large majority of the dust collects in the centre, forming the Sun of that system. 3. The remaining material accumulates in clumps, resulting in planets.  The inner Planets Mercury Venus Distance from the Sun: 0.39 AU Distance from the Sun: 0.72 AU # of Moons: 0 # of Moons: 0 Average Surface Temp: 180° Average Surface Temp: 480° Period of Rotation: 59 days Period of Rotation: 243 days Period of Revolution: 88 Days Period of Revolution: 225 Days Earth Mars Distance from the Sun: 1 AU Distance from the Sun: 1.52 AU # of Moons: 1 # of Moons: 2 Average Surface Temp: 15° Average Surface Temp: -53° Period of Rotation: 1 day Period of Rotation: 24.6 hours Period of Revolution: 365 Days Period of Revolution: 607 Days  The Outer Planets Jupiter Saturn Distance from the Sun: 5.27 AU Distance from the Sun: 9.54 AU # of Moons: 28 # of Moons: 19 Average Surface Temp: -108° Average Surface Temp: -180° Period of Rotation: 9.8 hours Period of Rotation: 10.4 hours Period of Revolution: 11.9 Years Period of Revolution: 29.5 Years Uranus Neptune Pluto Distance from the Sun: 19.19 AU Distance from the Sun: 30.06 AU Distance from the Sun: 39.5 AU # of Moons: 15 # of Moons: 8 # of Moons: 1 Average Surface Temp: -214° Average Surface Temp: -220° Average Surface Temp: -230° Period of Rotation: 17.4 Hours Period of Rotation: 16.2 Hours Period of Rotation: 6.39 Days Period of Revolution: 84 Years Period of Revolution: 165 Years Period of Revolution: 248 Years  The Parallax Effect Parallax refers to the idea that objects tend to look like they have shifted when viewed from two different places. They have not. We have changed the angle from which we are observing them.  So How Do We Locate Celestial Objects? To locate objects in space universally we need to identify 2 things: Altitude: How high in Azimuth: Which the sky is it? direction is it in? → Measured from 0° - 90° → Measured from 0° - 360° The zenith is the point directly Exactly North is 0° and we above you. rotate clockwise. Which star has an altitude of about 45 degrees and an azimuth of about 45 degrees? Which star has an altitude of 85 degrees and an azimuth of 350 degrees? Unit E: Space Section 2 Fact or Fiction When NASA first started sending astronauts to space, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA spent a decade, and 12 billion dollars to develop a pen that works in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, and almost on any surface including glass and at a temperature ranging from below freezing to 200 degrees celsius. The Russians used a pencil.  Fiction This is often quoted as a way to make fun of government In order to write in space spending, but the truth is, you need a pen that can: designing devices to work in the environments of space can -write in a vacuum be incredibly difficult. You can’t -write upside down in use pencils in space. The tips microgravity break off and can get jammed -write in temperatures that in machinery and they’re range from -200° to 200°. flammable.  Changes in the Body In space, your body undergoes intense changes. Astronauts require intense training in order to prepare for these changes. Bone density is reduced. Less pressure on bones causes them to expand. Heart doesn’t pump as hard to circulate blood Muscles aren’t used as much, and therefore weaken Visual depth perception is affected  Hazards In Space Even with the best preparations, there are hazards beyond the control of astronauts. They encounter these as they travel through space. Damaging cosmic rays from the Sun and other sources. Risk of being hit by meteoroids. Extreme temperatures Lack of required gases (oxygen, etc.) No atmospheric pressure.  Gravity & Microgravity What is Gravity? Gravity is the force of attraction between masses. Gravity is what brings you back to Earth when you jump. Without gravity, things would float around. In space, gravity is very minimal. There are no objects with enough mass to maintain it. We call this minimal amount of gravity microgravity. “Anyone who sits on top of the largest hydrogen-oxygen fueled system in the world, knowing they’re going to light the bottom, and doesn’t get a little worried, does not fully understand the situation.” —John W. Young  Recycling Water and Oxygen on the ISS For the next component, you will watch a video and complete the questions in your booklet. Be sure to use detail! Nasa: Recycling Air & Oxygen In Space  Achievements in Rocket Science The biggest challenges to exploring space can be categorized: 1. How to go fast enough to achieve orbit around Earth away from its gravity. 2. How to keep equipment operating in space 3. How to get there and back safely.  Breaking Free From Earth’s Gravity The first challenge we had to overcome was the gravity that keeps us down on Earth. In order to overcome gravity and leave Earth’s atmosphere, a spacecraft needs to travel at least 28,000 km/h.  Propulsion In order to Around 400 B.C. a Greek propel objects mathematician named quickly enough Archytas used steam to propel a model pigeon to break along wires. through Earth’s atmosphere, 2000 years ago, Chinese armies were using many gunpowder to make breakthroughs rocket-propelled arrows for battle. have occurred.  Some Space “Firsts” Sputnik Laika, the Dog In 1957, the Soviet One month later, they Union launched the also launched a small first artificial capsule containing a dog satellite. It was named Laika. She survived for 7 days as it called “Sputnik”. orbited Earth. Why were Sputnik and Laika called “artificial satellites” instead of just “satellites”?  Alouette 1 Alouette 1 was the first Canadian launched satellite. This made Canada the 3rd country ever to design, build, and launch its own artificial satellite. The Physics Rockets operate using Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion. of Rockets “For every action these is an equal and opposite reaction.”  Parts of A Rocket Structural and Mechanical The Payload (6%): Elements (3%): -The materials needed for -Everything that forms the mission. actual rocket. -People -Engines, storage tanks, fins, -Food etc. -Water -Beds and amenities The Fuel (91%): What makes the rocket “go”. If your payload is too -liquid oxygen heavy, your rocket won’t -liquid hydrogen get off the ground. -gasoline  The Future of Rocketry Ion Drives Solar Sails Engines that use Work like a boat sail Xenon (Xe). The except they use Xenon is electrically electromagnetic charged and emitted energy that makes as exhaust. the spacecraft move.  There are 3 types of spacecrafts... Shuttles Space Probes Space Stations Transport people Contain equipment Orbiting spacecraft and goods to for robotic designed for orbiting spacecrafts. exploration of long-term stays and space. experiments in space.  Let’s Talk About Satellites A satellite is any object that orbits around a planet in a circular or elliptical orbit. Natural Satellites Artificial Satellites Any satellite that was not made Any satellite that was made by by mankind. Example: The Moon humans. Example: GPS Satellites Satellites serve many functions: 1. Communication 2. Weather forecasting 3. Watch TV 4. GPS positioning 5. Many other functions  Satellite Placement Geosynchronous Orbits Low Earth Orbits Geosynchronous Low Earth satellites satellites move in the are only about same direction that 500-800km above Earth rotates at 36000km high so they Earth. They move look like they are always fast and rotate in the same spot. around the Earth about 1.5 times an Usually radio and hour. television satellites. LANDSAT & RADARSAT LANDSAT and RADARSAT are specific satellites that: - track the movement of ships - report on environmental change - search for natural resources Remote Sensing Remote sensing is a process in which imaging devices in a satellite make observations of Earth’s surface and send this information back to Earth. It is used to provide information on the condition of the environment, natural resources, and effects of urbanization. This information is used for planning.  GPS: Global Positioning Systems The Global Positioning System is an arrangement of 27 satellites that orbit Earth. It was originally developed for use by the military but then opened for use by the general public. How Does It Work? The 3 closest satellites send information to a receiver. The receiver then determines the overlapping area of the satellites to determine the most likely position of the receiver. Take a Look! Imagine you are somewhere in Canada and your device tells you that you are 150 km from Red Deer. Take a Look! Another person tells you that you are 90km from Edmonton. Take a Look! Finally, another person tells you that you are 200 km from Calgary. The place where all 3 circles meet is your location! Unit E: Space Section 3 3.1 Using Technology to See The Visible How is it that we’ve been able to view, observe and monitor all the stunning objects in the night sky? Thankfully, with the development of different technologies, such as binoculars and telescopes we are able to do just that!  Telescopes Some characteristics of telescopes : ★ Allow us to see fainter and more distant objects in detail ★ Cannot be detected by the unaided eye ★ Each provides us with a variety of information about the objects that make up our universe.  Optical telescopes Optical telescopes have been used for the past 400 years. They consist of a series of lenses and mirrors gather and focus the light from stars so that we can see it. The larger the area of the lenses or mirrors in a telescope, the greater the ability of the telescope to see the faint light of objects that are very distant. Refracting Telescopes Refracting telescopes use two lenses to gather and focus starlight. A diameter over 1 m causes the glass in the lens to warp under its own weight. Reflecting Telescopes Reflecting telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to gather and focus the light from stars. At one end is a large concave mirror , which is made from glass-like material that so that it can reflect the faintest light it receives. INTERFEROMETRY: COMBINING TELESCOPES FOR GREATER POWER The technique of using telescopes in combination to improve the resolution of the images seen with optical telescopes. Example : Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory, located high in the Andean Mountains in Chile. It is really four separate telescopes being used together. Assignment Read Pg. 435 - 438 3.2 Using Technology to See Beyond the Visible More than visible light… ❏ Objects in space, such as stars and galaxies, also emit radio waves, infrared (heat) waves, and X-rays. ❏ These are all forms of electromagnetic energy. ❏ This energy travels at the speed of light, 300,000 km/s, but has different wavelengths and frequencies from those of light. Wavelength and Frequency Wavelength refers to the length of a wave from one peak to the next. Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time.  Electromagnetic Energy ❏ Energy with a high frequency has a short wavelength. Gamma rays, for instance, have a high frequency (1020 waves per second) and a very short wavelength (less than a millionth of a centimetre). Radio waves have a low frequency, but wavelengths that can be several kilometres long. ❏ The visible light we see all around us occupies a small section of the entire electromagnetic spectrum , which covers the whole range of electromagnetic energy. ❏ Visible light has a wavelength measured in micrometers (written as μm). One micrometre is 1 millionth of a metre. Radio Telescope ❏ Radio waves are received from stars, galaxies, nebulae, the Sun, and even some planets ❏ Radio waves are not affected by weather and can be detected during the day and at night. ❏ By focussing their radio telescopes on areas of space that appear empty, astronomers have discovered a lot about space Question: How do you think we could improve the power of a radio telescope?  Radio Interferometry and Arrays ❏ Several small radio telescopes are combined to achieve greater resolving power ❏ Interferometry improves the performance and accuracy of radio images.  Space Probes ❏ Used to explore distant areas of our solar system ❏ Unmanned satellites or remote-controlled “landers” where it would be too difficult or dangerous to send humans. NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars February 18, 2021 Space probes have been used to carry out remote sensing on Mercury and Jupiter, sample soil on Mars, land on Venus, and study the nature of Saturn’s rings. Using Technology to interpret space Technology has played an enormous role in our understanding of space, and space exploration. Without telescopes, space stations, probes etc. we wouldn’t have the understanding we do today.  Measuring Distance Triangulation is based on the geometry of a triangle. By measuring the angles between a baseline and the target object, you can determine the distance to that object. Example: Let’s say the individuals are standing 24 m apart. What is the scale of the drawing to the real scenario? Next, measure the dotted line you drew. Let’s say it is 5 cm long. Set up another ratio to figure out the actual distance to the tree.  The Parallax Effect Parallax refers to the idea that objects tend to look like they have shifted when viewed from two different places. They have not. We have changed the angle from which we are observing them.  Determining a Stars Composition Just like other forms of light, starlight produces a wavelength on the visible light spectrum. We can determine the makeup of stars by the type of light they give off! Test it! Based on the diagram, which elements do you think this star contains?