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Flashcards cover Steady State, Eternal Inflation, Big Crunch, Big Bang theories; Big Bang timeline events; evidences for the Big Bang; Solar System types (Terrestrial vs Jovian); Solar Nebular Theory and planet formation; and the use of exponential notation in cosmology.
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What does the Steady State Theory propose about the universe?
The universe is unchanging and remains in its original state; as space expands, new galaxies are formed.
What does Eternal Inflation Theory state?
The very early universe underwent exponential growth; the growth stopped and energy was converted into matter and radiation.
What is the Big Crunch Theory?
The universe will stop expanding and collapse into itself, eventually turning into a giant black hole.
What is the Big Bang Theory?
About 13.8 billion years ago the universe expanded from a tiny, hot, dense point called a singularity.
What is inflation in the Big Bang timeline?
A superfast expansion that grew the universe from the size of an atom to the size of a grapefruit in a tiny fraction of a second.
What happened around 3 minutes after the Big Bang?
Quarks clumped into protons and neutrons as the universe cooled to about 10^8°C.
What occurred at about 300,000 years after the Big Bang?
Electrons joined with protons and neutrons to form atoms (mostly hydrogen and helium); light could finally shine.
What happened around 1 billion years after the Big Bang?
Gravity caused hydrogen and helium gas to coalesce into giant clouds that formed the first stars and galaxies.
What occurred around 15 billion years after the Big Bang?
Galaxies clustered; the first stars died and spewed heavy elements into space to form new stars and planets.
What are the three key evidences for the Big Bang Theory?
Expansion of the universe; Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation; and the abundance of elements in the universe.
What are the main characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?
Close to the Sun; small, rocky planets with solid surfaces; high density; slower rotation; few moons; no rings.
What are the main characteristics of Jovian Planets?
Far from the Sun; large, gaseous planets with no solid surface; low density; faster rotation; strong magnetic fields; many moons and rings.
Name the Terrestrial Planets.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Name the Jovian Planets.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
What does the Solar Nebular Theory propose?
The entire solar system starts as a large cloud of gas that contracted due to self-gravity.
What happens after the solar nebula collapses and flattens?
Planetesimals begin to form within the swirling disk.
How do planets grow in the Solar Nebula Theory?
Planetesimals collide and merge; larger planetesimals attract more gas and dust, leading to planet formation.
What happens to the excess dust and gas in the solar nebula?
It is gradually removed, leaving planets around the Sun and creating a new solar system.
Why are cosmological numbers often written in exponential form?
Because the numbers are extremely large or extremely small, exponential notation makes them easier to express.
What happened around one second after the Big Bang?
The universe rapidly expanded and cooled, allowing fundamental particles to form.
What is the scientific term for the contraction in the context of the Solar Nebula Theory?
Accretion
What is a supernova and what part does it play in the Solar Nebula Theory?
A supernova is a massive explosion of a star, marking its death and dispersing elements into space. This process enriches the surrounding interstellar medium with heavier elements, contributing to the formation of new stars and planetary systems.