DAY 12 Exploring the Solar System: Gravity and Tides

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the lecture topic of Gravity and Tides in the Solar System, providing definitions and important concepts in astrophysics.

Tides

The phenomenon of the periodic rise and fall of the ocean's surface caused by the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun.

Differential Gravity

The variation in gravitational force experienced by an object due to its position relative to a mass, such as the Moon or the Sun.

Angular Momentum

A measure of the rotational motion of an object, which depends on the distribution of mass and its distance from the axis of rotation.

Torque

A force that causes an object to rotate around an axis, calculated as the product of force and the distance from the point of rotation.

Synchronous Rotation

A state in which an object's rotation period matches its orbital period, resulting in the same face always facing the object it orbits.

Spring Tides

Tides that occur during the new moon and full moon when the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun align, resulting in higher high tides and lower low tides.

Neap Tides

Tides that occur during the first-quarter and third-quarter moons when the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun are perpendicular, leading to lower tides.

Gravitational Force

The attractive force between two masses, which causes tides through the differential effect on the Earth’s water surface.

Tidal Bulge

The raised area of water created by the gravitational pull of the Moon or Sun, leading to high tides in those regions.

Milankovitch Cycles

Long-term variations in Earth's climate caused by changes in its orbit or axial tilt, affecting energy distribution from the Sun.