Solar System -Unit 6

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the study guide about the Solar System, focusing on celestial bodies, life requirements, and gravitational forces.

Oort Cloud

An area surrounding our solar system, made of icy debris, located thousands of astronomical units away from the Sun.

Kuiper Belt

A region beyond Neptune containing icy objects and comets.

Meteor

A meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere.

Asteroids

Smaller than planets, rocky objects orbiting the sun in a belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Inertia

The tendency of a moving object to keep moving in a straight line unless acted upon by another force.

Gravitational force

The force affecting the path of satellites, determined by the mass and distance between two objects.

Life requirements

Basic needs for life on Earth, including liquid water, a stable atmosphere, and suitable temperature.

Size of Earth

The appropriate mass that allows Earth to maintain a substantial atmosphere due to sufficient gravitational pull.

Proximity to Sun

The distance from the Sun affects the state of liquid water; too close causes evaporation, too far causes freezing.

Habitable planet besides Earth

Mars is sometimes considered to have the potential for habitability.