Life In The Universe Quiz 2

Astronomical unit (AU)

Used for distances between planets

Light year (LY)

Distance light travels in one year, used for stellar distances

Astrobiology

Focus is on matter that can, in principle life, form, which means made up of atoms

Dark matter/dark energy

astronomers discovered that the universe consists of it. A mysterious energy that is accelerating the expansion of the universe

cosmic calendar

scales the 14 billion years of the universe into a 365 day calendar

observable universe

the finite age of the universe pleases a limit on how far we can see

ion

a charged atom

organic molecules

contain carbon

compounds

molecules made from atoms with 2 or more elements

molecules

consists of two or more atoms

thermal energy

collective kinetic energy of a system of particles

laws of conservation of energy

energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only converted

light

an electromagnetic wave, characterized frequency and wavelength, comes in photons

spectroscopy

study of the spectrum of light, created by spreading light into it’s component colors

nebular theory

planets begin to form through condensation and accretion. Inside the frost line is metal and rock. Outside is metal, rock, and ice.

Planetesimals

the ones that survive grow and grow largest become planets

radiowave

largest but weakest wave

gamma wave

smallest but most energetic wave

Photon

a particle of light

ROYGBIV

rainbow colors, visible light, longest/weakest wave is red, shortest/strongest wave is violet

atoms

made of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

nucleus

add/remove electron = ion. add/remove neutron = isotope. add/remove proton = different element

why do we need to split up light?

to learn anything about stars

temperature gases

high temp gas = more collisions, more light/energy. low temp gas = less collisions, less light/energy

temperature

how fast molecules or atoms are moving

black body spectrum

a perfect absorber