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ASTRONOMY CHAPTER 7
from book and outline paper
56
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
03/05/2009

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Term
What is an atom?
Definition
consists of a nucleus surrounded by a cloud of electrons
Term
what does the nucleus consist of?
Definition
positively-charged protons and uncharged neutrons
Term
What does the number of protons in an atom determine?
Definition
which element it is
Term
What are isotopes?
Definition
atoms of the same element (same # of protons) but have different number of neutrons
Term
what is an ion?
Definition
an atom that has lost or gained an electron
Term
A neutron is surrounded by a number of negatively charged electrons equal to what?
Definition
the number of protons in the nucleus
Term
What forms a molecule?
Definition
two or more atoms joined together
Term
how are the electrons in an atom attracted to the nucleus?
Definition
The Coulomb force (binding energy that holds electrons in at atom)
Term
What does the size of an electron's orbit depend on?
Definition
it's energy (orbits can be thought of as energy levels)
Term
Why are an electrons orbits thought of as energy levels?
Definition
because the size of an electrons orbit depends on the energy
Term
What is an excited atom?
Definition
an electron is excited to a higher orbit by a collision between atoms or absorption of a photon.
Term
What is the lowest possible orbit known as?
Definition
the ground state
Term
What is thermal energy?
Definition
the agitation among the atoms and molecules of an object
Term
What is the flow of thermal energy?
Definition
heat
Term
what does temperature refer to?
Definition
the intensity of the thermal energy (the agitation)
Term
What causes the emission of black body radiation?
Definition
the motion among the particles in a body
Term
The hotter an object is, does it radiate more or less? does it have a shorter/longer wavelength of maximum intensity?
Definition
radiates more and has a shorter wavelength
Term
When can an atom emit or absorb a photon?
Definition
when an electron makes a transition between orbits
Term
What types of series does the Hydrogen atom have for each spectrum?
Definition
1. Lyman Series of lines in Ultraviolet
2. Balmer Series in the visible
3. Paschen Series in the infrared
Term
What does the strength of spectral lines depend on?
Definition
the temperature of the star
Term
What is the star's spectral class determined by?
Definition
the absorption lines in its spectrum
Term
Why is the spectral sequence important?
Definition
because it is a temperature sequence
Term
What does the astronomer learn by classifying the star?
Definition
the temperature of the stars surface
Term
What can a spectrum tell you about the star?
Definition
the chemical composition
Term
What is the Doppler EffecT?
Definition
the change in the wavelength of radiation due to relative radial motion of source and observer
Term
What is a blue shift?
Definition
when a star is approaching and you observe slightly shorter wavelengths
Term
What is a red shift?
Definition
when a star is receding and you observe longer wavelengths
Term
what does the doppler effect reveal?
Definition
the stars radial velocity
Term
What is doppler broadening of spectral lines caused by?
Definition
motions of the atoms in a hot gas
Term
what is collisional broadaning caused by?
Definition
colliding of atoms
Term
What does broadening depend on?
Definition
temperature and density
Term
List six things that astronomers can study about a star just by receiving its light.
Definition
1. total energy output
2. surface temperature
3. radius
4. chemical composition
5. velocity relative to earth
6. rotation period
Term
What are the particles that make up a nucleus?
Definition
protons and neutrons
Term
What is the most abundant atom?
Definition
Hydrogen
Term
TRUE OR FALSE: any energy can excite an electron
Definition
false, it has to be exactly the right amount of energy
Term
What does the color of the star tell us about?
Definition
temperature
Term
What is the spectrum of a stars light, or any nearly thermal spectrum, called?
Definition
black body spectrum
Term
the hotter the object is, what does it emit more of?
Definition
energy
Term
What is the first law of black body radiation?
Definition
the hotter an object, the more energy it emits
Term
According to the Wein's displacement law, as temperature increases, what does the peak wavelength of a blackbody spectrum do?
Definition
shifts toward shorter wavelengths
Term
What is the second law of Black Body Radiation?
Definition
That as the temperature increase, the peak wavelength of a blackbody spectrum shifts to shorter wavelengths
Term
A solid, liquid, or dense gas that is excited to emit light produces what kind of spectrum?
Definition
continuous spectrum
Term
A low density gas excited to emit light produces what kind of spectrum?
Definition
emission spectrum
Term
If light comprising a continuous spectrum passes through a cool, low-density gas, what will the result be?
Definition
an absorption spectrum
Term
If light comprising a continuous spectrum passes through a cool, low-density gas, what will the result be?
Definition
an absorption spectrum
Term
What are Kirchoff's three laws of radiation?
Definition
1. a solid, liquid, or dense gas excited to emit light produces a continuous spectrum
2. a low-density gas excited to emit light produces an emission spectrum
3. if light comprising a continuous spectrum passes through a cool, low-density gas, the result is an absorption spectrum
Term
What kind of spectra are the spectra of starS?
Definition
absorption spectra
Term
What are the most prominent lines in many astronomical objects called?
Definition
Balmer lines of Hydrogen
Term
List the Spectral classes from highest temperature to lowest temperature.
Definition
O B A F G K M
(Oh Be A Fine Guy, Kiss Me!)
Term
What can relative strengths of absorptions lines tell us about stars?
Definition
the composition of the stars
Term
If a light source is moving towards an observer what kind of shift is there?
Definition
a blue shift
Term
if a light source is moving away from an observer, what kind of shift is there?
Definition
a red shift
Term
What is radial velocity?
Definition
the component of velocity along your line of sight
Term
Does light excite electrons into higher or lower energy states?
Definition
higher
Term
the longer the wavelength, the higher or lower the temperature?
Definition
lower
Term
what is energy flux?
Definition
energy given off in form of radiation
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