Integrated Physical Sciences: Section 3 Lessons 1-3

earth science

the study of Earth's structure and composition, as well as the processes that change Earth

Universal Law of Gravitation

the gravitational force of attraction between any two objects is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the distance between them

Who developed the heliocentric model?

Copernicus

According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, which types of objects does gravity act to produce a force on?

between every pair of objects

What happens to the force of gravity when two objects are closer to one another?

it is greater

What happens to the force of gravity if the mass of either object is greater?

the force of gravity is greater

What describes the force of gravity?

it is always attractive

Suppose some region of space happened to have a greater density of matter than another. Which of these describes the expected effect of gravity acting on matter in the early universe?

Gravity would cause matter to attract and tend to be pulled toward regions where there is already more matter.

Nuclear fusion

a process that occurs when hydrogen and other small nuclei fuse to form larger nuclei, releasing large amounts of energy in the process.

star

a celestial body that is held together by its own gravity and that releases visible light and other forms of radiant energy generated by nuclear fusion.

What would happen to the density when the kinetic energy and pressure of the hydrogen and other matter in a nebula are affected by falling through great distances under the influence of gravity while the nebula is collapsing?

it would increase

What would happen to the pressure when the kinetic energy and pressure of the hydrogen and other matter in a nebula are affected by falling through great distances under the influence of gravity while the nebula is collapsing?

it would increase

What would happen to the kinetic energy of the particles of matter when the kinetic energy and pressure of the hydrogen and other matter in a nebula are affected by falling through great distances under the influence of gravity while the nebula is collapsing?

it would increase

What would happen to the temperature when the kinetic energy and pressure of the hydrogen and other matter in a nebula are affected by falling through great distances under the influence of gravity while the nebula is collapsing?

it would increase

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons it has in its nucleus. The fewer protons an atom has, the smaller the nucleus is. During nuclear fusion, the nuclei of small atoms, such as hydrogen, fuse together, resulting in the release of energy. What happens to the size of the nuclei of the elements that are formed during this process?

they are larger

Nuclear fusion is the process that produces energy in stars, including Earth's sun. Gravity is a key force in beginning nuclear fusion in a star. Fusion can begin only when the gases have condensed enough to increase their temperature and pressure to the point that the hydrogen atoms can be forced to fuse together. The new elements have greater atomic number. What happens to their atomic mass?

it is greater

galaxy

a collection of hundreds of billions of stars that are clustered together by gravity.

orbit

when gravity causes one celestial body to move around another in a nearly circular path.

What do astronomers mean when they refer to the Milky Way?

our own galaxy

Which of these best describes a galaxy?

A group of billions of stars held together by gravity

2 multiple choice options

What would you expect to happen to the moon if the Earth's mass is doubled?

The moon would eventually crash into the Earth

Newton's laws of motion, with his law of universal gravitation, account for how Earth moves around the sun. Recall that acceleration is a change of velocity, and that velocity is described by both speed and direction. What can an acceleration, or change in velocity, involve?

An increase in speed, a decrease in speed, a change in direction of motion

Which force accounts for Earth's moon moving in a nearly circular path around Earth?

Gravity between Earth and the moon

2 multiple choice options

solar system

a collection of object that orbit a star

planet

a large, spherical object that orbits a star

moon

a naturally formed object that orbits a planet

asteroids

Very small, rocky bodies that orbit the sun

comets

Relatively small, icy, dusty bodies that travel around the sun in very elliptical orbits

what are the 8 planets in our solar system?

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Where is the asteroid belt located?

Between Mars and Jupiter

Which phrase best describes the sun (a star)?

A very massive celestial body that emits light and other forms of radiant energy as a result of nuclear fusion

2 multiple choice options

Which of the following is a large, spherical celestial object that circles a star directly?

a planet

3 multiple choice options

Which of the following is a naturally formed object that orbits a planet?

a moon

3 multiple choice options

What is a small rocky body that orbits the sun, mostly found in a large belt between Mars and Jupiter?

an asteroid

3 multiple choice options

Which phrase best describes a comet?

Small object made of ice and dust that orbits the Sun in long elliptical orbits

2 multiple choice options

which are the inner planets?

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

1 multiple choice option

which are the outer planets?

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

1 multiple choice option

What is the composition of the outer planets?

They are low density and gaseous

axis of rotation

the imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole on which a planet rotates.

Suppose Earth's rotation on its axis slowed significantly. What would be the most likely result of this change?

Day and night would last longer.

Suppose you have a spaceship capable of traveling to the distant reaches of the universe. On your journey, you encounter a cloud of gas particles. As the force of gravity pulls these particles closer together, which of the following properties of the gas also increases?

all of these increase

3 multiple choice options

Suppose you have a spaceship capable of traveling to the distant reaches of the universe. Your spacecraft enters a large spiral galaxy. What does it have at its center?

a black hole

Suppose you have a spaceship capable of traveling to the distant reaches of the universe. As you travel through the spiral galaxy, you pass by a star with several planets orbiting it. Suppose the force of gravity between the planets and their star was suddenly turned off. Which of the following BEST describes the motion of the planets in the absence of any gravitational force?

They would move in a straight line.

3 multiple choice options

Suppose you have a spaceship capable of traveling to the distant reaches of the universe. You return to your solar system and fly from the outer edge of the system toward the sun. Which planet's orbital path will you cross first?

Neptune

3 multiple choice options

Suppose you have a spaceship capable of traveling to the distant reaches of the universe. As your spacecraft passes Jupiter and approaches Mars and Earth, you narrowly avoid a collision with a rocky object about 30 kilometers across. What would this object be classified as?

An asteroid

Because of Earth's tilt and spherical shape, light from the sun strikes the Northern Hemisphere of Earth at a different angle than it strikes the Southern Hemisphere. Thus, the different hemispheres are heated unequally by the sun. When the Northern Hemisphere experiences the season of fall, which season does the Southern Hemisphere experience?

spring

Your spacecraft has the ability to monitor surface temperatures of a planet. As you reach Earth, what do your scans of the planet show about the surface temperatures?

Opposite seasons for each hemisphere

What explains this difference in seasons on Earth?

Earth's tilt

What season is it when a hemisphere is tilted most strongly toward the sun?

summer

At the time of your observations, the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing the summer season. How is this hemisphere tilted with respect to the sun?

tilted toward the sun

You conclude your journey by performing a detailed, comprehensive scan of Earth over a period of several months. Which of the following statements regarding your observations of Earth is correct?

A hemisphere receives the most sunlight when tilted toward the sun.

2 multiple choice options

The Orion molecular cloud complex is the most active region of star formation nearest to Earth's own sun. Where would a new star be likely to form in the cloud complex?

where the mass is the most dense

The core of a star is an intense environment. The temperatures can be greater than 15 million Kelvin when nuclear fusion of hydrogen takes place in the core of a star. What creates the tremendous pressure needed to force the hydrogen atoms together so that this happens?

gravity

3 multiple choice options

What is the term for stars that are grouped together because of the attraction for each other due to gravity?

galaxies

Newton's first law of motion says that planets continue to move in a straight line in the same direction until an outside force acts on them. Newton's law of universal gravitation says that planets are attracted to the sun by gravity. To obey both laws, what must planets do?

Move in a circular or elliptical orbit

In which one of the following pairs is the first planet listed closest to the sun?

Mars and Neptune

3 multiple choice options

Which planet has the highest density?

mars

3 multiple choice options

Which object does gravitational collapse account for the orbit of around Earth?

the moon

1 multiple choice option

When the sun and planets formed, heavier and more massive elements collected closer to the sun. Jupiter is the largest of the planets. What would it be composed of compared to Earth?

lighter elements

Which objects are mainly located in the area of space between Mars and Jupiter?

asteroids

As Earth orbits around the sun once per year, it also spins on its axis once per day. What does this spinning motion cause?

the change between day and night

What is the cause of seasons on Earth?

The tilt of the Earth's axis

When the season in the Northern Hemisphere is summer, in which direction is the North Pole of Earth tilted relative to the sun?

toward the sun

What would the variation in temperature at the North Pole be like if Earth was not tilted at all?

less

Due to the tilt of the axis as Earth orbits the sun, how are the geographic variations of solar radiation at Earth's equator compared to at the poles?

they are smaller