DAY 11 AST 101: Exploring the Solar System

A set of vocabulary flashcards derived from the lecture notes on energy and conservation in astrophysics.

Momentum

A quantity defined as the product of mass and velocity.

Angular Momentum

A measure of rotational motion, defined as radius multiplied by mass and velocity.

Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

Thermal Energy

The collective kinetic energy of particles within a substance; measured by temperature.

Potential Energy

Stored energy that has the potential to be converted into kinetic energy.

Total Mechanical Energy (TME)

The sum of kinetic and gravitational potential energy in a system, conserved in bound orbits.

Newton’s Laws

A set of laws that describe the relationship between the motion of objects and the forces acting on them.

Center of Mass

The point where two objects in a system balance each other, around which they orbit.

Torque

A force that causes an object to rotate about an axis, effectively changing angular momentum.

Gravitational Potential Energy

The potential energy held by an object because of its position relative to a gravitational field.

Radial Velocity Method

An astronomical technique used to detect exoplanets by observing the wobble of stars.

Kinetic Energy

The energy of motion, depending on mass and speed.

Angular Momentum Conservation

A principle stating that in the absence of external torque, the angular momentum of a system remains constant.

Energy Transformation

The process of changing energy from one form to another, such as potential energy to kinetic energy.

Mechanical Energy

The total potential and kinetic energy in a mechanical system.