Download Space Review Questions answers

Space Review Questions
1. What is revolving in a heliocentric model of our solar system? What
is revolving in a geocentric model?
In a heliocentric model the planets revolve around the sun. In the
geocentric model, the sun and planets revolve around the earth.
2. Explain what is meant by the word “elliptical”. What does this word
have to do with the study of space?
Elliptical means oval shaped. Orbits are elliptical. The closer two
objects are together the more circular their orbits appear. The farther
apart the objects are the more oblong (ovalish) the orbits appear.
3. What kinds of things do radio telescopes and radio interferometry
allow us to see that Galileo could never of seen with his simple
refracting telescope? How does a radio telescope work?
Radio telescopes view radio waves. These allow us to look deeper into
space. Radio interferometry is linking a whole bunch of telescopes
together to increase the resolution.
4. When gasoline is spilled on the ground, a rainbow like sheen can
bee seen. Are the colours that you see being absorbed or emitted?
Explain.
The effect you are seeing is similar to, but not the sames as when you
shine a light through a prism. What we see as "white light" is really made
up of all the different colors of the rainbow. When light goes through a
prism, it changes speed, and that speed change splits up the colors so
they are not all mixed together. White light goes in, gets broken up, and
the separate color components emerge.
Like the prism, the gasoline is making it possible for you to see the
different colors that are all mixed up in white light. But it doesn't happen
for exactly the same reason as in a prism. It's a bit harder to explain, but a
short summary is that the gasoline forms a thin film on top of water (you
usually see this when the ground is wet, right?). Light that hits the film is
partially reflected and partially transmitted. The light that is partially
transmitted then hits the water, and some of it is also reflected. What
comes to your eye is the combination of the light reflected from the film
and from the water. The light that came from the water had to travel a tiny,
tiny bit farther than the light coming from the film, and that throws the two
beams, that were once one, out of sync. When light gets out of sync like
that, the waves "interfere" with one another: when crests overlap with
crests, they make super crests, and when crests overlap with troughs,
they cancel out, making an "interference pattern". Different colors of light
have different wavelenghts, so the interference pattern is a little different
for different colors, so the colors, which are normally all mixed up, making
white light, become separated, so you can see them individually.
5. List 4 differences between inner planet and outer planets in our
solar system. Identify each planet as either eart-like or “Jovian”.
Inner planets (Earth Like)
Outer Planets(jovian)
Smaller
Huge
Rocky
Gasseous
Few moons
Many moons
Short orbital period
Long orbital period
6. Venus is an earth-like planet but has far more carbon dioxide in it’s
atmosphere than earth. What major effect do you think this has on
the planet & it’s environmental conditions?
This makes an increased greenhouse effect. Venus is super hot and it
rains sulfuric acid.
7. Does the moon produce, absorb, reflect, or refract light? What is
the difference between reflection and refraction?
Reflects light. Refraction bends light waves and focus’ it on a point.
Reflection reflects in back.
8. What galaxy do we live in? How many constellations in our galaxy?
How many galaxies are there in the universe?
We live in the milky way. 88 constellations in our galaxy. There could
be an infinite amount in the universe because we would see star
groupings from a different point of view.
9. A spectroscope reveals some dark lines when used to observe the
spectra of hydrogen. Why? What does that mean?
Because that portion of light is absorbed by hydrogen. It means that
hydrogen is present.
10. Explain what happens to both pitch and sound waves as a police
car approaches you and as it moves away from you.
As a vehicle moves towards you the waves are compressed. This
causes a high pitch sound. As they move away they stretch out. This
causes a lower pitch.
11. Explain what is meant by Red-Shift. What does it mean about the
nature of our universe?
Red shift is the apparent shift of the colours of a star to go to the red
side of the spectrum this happens when objects move away from us.
It tells us the universe is expanding.
12. Sketch a diagram showing the difference between all different
types of electromagnetic radiation.
13. List three physiological changes that occur to an astronaut who
spends prolonged amounts of time in space.
Bone density decreases
Muscles atrophy (they weaken)
Depth perception is affected
14. Why is it important to maintain carbon dioxide and oxygen
concentrations at a constant level in the cabin of the space shuttle?
So the astronauts can breathe properly.
15. What are the major differences between the Apollo rockets, and
the current space shuttles? Explain the differences in their function
and their design / shape.
Apollo rockets could not be reused. Space shuttles are reused, so they
are designed more like planes so they can glide back to earth. The
payload is bigger.
16. What are the three components of a rocket? Which component is
different between a rocket use in war (ballistic missile) and a rocket
used to launch a satellite?
Payload, Structural and Fuel. The payload is different. Humans
instead of a bomb
17. List three ways that humans have benefited from satellites.
GPS, remote sensing, weather prediction, communication etc.
18. Satellite TV users shouldn’t have to ever reposition their dish.
This is because the satellite it is receiving information from is in a
geosynchronous orbit. Describe what this means.
That the satellite is in the same position above earth at all times.
19. What is remote sensing and what is it used for?
Using a satellite to sense things on earth. This is used on weather
forecasting satellites and satellites like google earth which takes
pictures.
20. What advantages does the Hubble telescope have over ground
based telescopes?
There is no atmospheric distortion, no light pollution and it can be
used at all times.
21. What is the difference between a refracting telescope and a
reflecting telescope? Which was used first and which is more
powerful?
Refracting uses lenses. Reflecting uses mirrors. Refracting was first
but reflecting is more powerful.
22. Sketch and explain how you would use triangulation to find the
distance to a distant object.
You would measure the angle
between an object and your position and then 6 months later you
would do the same. You would then draw a scale diagram and
measure the distance to your baseline.
23. What is space junk and how is it dangerous?
Debris/garbage floating in space that we have left there from various
space missions/old satellites etc. It is dangerous because it can
contact rockets/space stations etc.
24. Identify three significant Canadian space achievements.
-Canada arm 1
Canada arm 2
- Anik 1 – 1st communication satellite.
- Alouette 1
25. List two political, ethical, and environmental considerations for
space exploration.
Political
1. Who owns space?
2. Who has the rights to the moons resources?
Ethcal
1. Should we spend money on space research when there are
sick people on earth?
2. Do we have the right to claim the Moon?
Environmental
1. Can we destroy other planets to mine materials?
2. Who is responsible for space junk?
26. What is the difference between altitude and azimuth when
describing a star’s position? Explain how they would be different for
somebody in northern BC and somebody in southern Ontario.
Altitude – How high something is. The elevation
Azimuth – What direction is it – North South East West
Azimuth– Different because they have a different horizon. B.C your
farther North so the object might be South of you and in Ontario that
object could be to the North.
Altitude- It could appear higher in the sky due to sea level differences
and the stars appearance in your horizon. Everyones horizon is
different at different latitudes.
27. Sketch a diagram showing the life cycle of a sun-like star and a
massive star.