iGCSE Physics Space Physics

How does earth itself rotate

About its own axis once every 24 hours

How long does it take earth to orbit the sun

365 days

Why does earth have seasons

Differences in solar radiation received

How long does it take for the Moon to orbit the Earth

Approximately one month

How does the moon’s phases progress around the Earth

Begins with a new moon, crescent appears and increases until the first quarter, then a gibbous phase, followed by a full moon, and then it decreases back through gibbous and crescent phases to new moon

Equation for average orbital speed

v = 2πr/T

What does the solar system contain

The sun, eight planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids and comets

What parts of the solar system have elliptical orbits

Minor planets and comets

Which planets are rocky and small

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars (the four closest planets to the sun)

What planets are gaseous and large

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (the four outer planets)

What is the order of planets of ascending distance from the sun

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

What keeps the planets and satellites in orbit

Gravity

What are artificial satellites used for

Weater, communications, GPS

What is the life cycle of a star (sun sized)

Nebula → Protostar → Main sequence → red giant → white dwarf

What is the life cycle of a massive star

Nebula → Protostar → Main sequence → red supergiant → supernova → neutron star or black hole

What is redshift

An increase in the observed wavelength of electromagnetic radiation emitted from receding stars and galaxies

What supports the Big Bang theory

Redshift

Wjhat is cosmic background radiation

A microwave radiation of specific frequency observed at all points in space around us

What is the value of the hubble constant

2.2×10^-18

Equation used in the topic of Space Physics

d/v = 1/H₀