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Exam 3
N/A
50
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
11/25/2013

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
refracting
Definition
uses lenses to gather light
Term
reflecting
Definition
uses mirrors to gather light
Term

Gather light
Resolve fine detail
Magnify
Definition
Three main functions of
a telescope
Term
dimmer image, less detail
Definition
small diameter objective lens cause
Term
brighter image, more detail
Definition
large diameter objective lens cause
Term
Resolving power
Definition
refers to how fine of a
detail you can see
Term
angular resolution
Definition
Increasing the size of your telescope
improves your
Term
angular resolution
Definition
the smaller the detail, the better your
Term
gather lots of light and see faint (distant)objects; see fine details on a planet or closely spaced stars/galaxies
Definition
Telescopes allow us to
Term
diameter
of the primary mirror (or lens)
Definition
Telescope size refers to the
Term
Our atmosphere blocks some
electromagnetic radiation
Definition
Why do we put telescopes in crazy locations?
Term
The Earth’s atmosphere is turbulent - hot
and cold air is constantly moving around.As light from a star passes through the moving layers, the light “bounces around” on its way to your eye. This bouncing of the light is what makes
the stars twinkle.
Definition
Why do stars twinkle?
Term
turbulent
Definition
hot
and cold air is constantly moving around.
Term

We can see all wavelengths.
It is very cold in space.
Earth’s atmosphere is turbulent.
Definition
Benefits of telescopes
in space
Term
photon
Definition
the ‘unit’ of light
Term
Centaurus A
Definition
a galaxy with an active galactic nucleus
Term
It provides us with light and heat. The Sun is the only star we can study in great detail.
Definition
Why is the Sun Important?
Term
5 billion more years of fusion
Definition
The sun has enough helium for
Term
neutrinos
Definition
almost massless particles that don't really interact with anything, thus they escape the sun easily but are very hard to detect. about 6.5 trillion pass through your hand every second
Term
corona
Definition
above chromosphere
Term
photosphere
Definition
the sun's surface
very thin
Term
chromosphere
Definition
outside of photosphere
Term
Aurora
Definition
occurs when charged particles from the
Sun collide with atoms in Earth’s atmosphere.
Term
50-100 years
Definition
CFCs live for
Term
It gets re-radiated in the IR, which is why items left
out in the Sun feel hot.
Definition
What happens to the light that is absorbed?
Term
Phantom Energy
Definition
sometimes called stand-by power
Term
The good: cheap, reflects sunlight
cools the Earth
The bad: destroys ozone, might work too well
Definition
what is the good and bad in spraying sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere?
Term
The good: removes carbon dioxide
The bad: filters might need to be massive, lots of energy to clean CO2 from filters; could require clearing land and more CO2 produced that removed
Definition
what is the good and bad in building giant air filters/fake trees that remove CO?
2
Term
The good: clouds reflect sunlight
might cool the Earth; could be stopped?
The bad: unpredictable at best
might accidentally form severe storms,
water vapor is also a greenhouse gas
Definition
what is the good and bad in putting salt in the air to form clouds?
Term
The good: works on small scales
plankton eat CO2
The bad: large plankton blooms can destroy the underwater ecosystem
no fish = bad
Definition
what is the good and bad in using iron powder to grow plankton in the ocean?
Term
The good: natural process, harmless
could be used as a building material
The bad: man made version requires energy and mining uses CO2 to remove CO2; mining destroys
land
Definition
what is the good and bad in using CO2
to make limestone?
Term
The good: block as much or little light as we want.
“remove” screen when we’re done
The bad: very expensive, long timeline
might take millions of small satellites; don’t
know how plants might react
Definition
what is the good and bad in deploying a giant sun screen
Term
igneous
Definition
formed through the cooling and
solidification of magma or lava
ex. basalt, obsidian
Term
sedimentary
Definition
formed by the deposition
of material on the Earth’s surface or
within bodies of water
ex. sandstone
Term
metamorphic
Definition
rocks that have
undergone a physical or chemical change
due to tremendous heat and pressure
Term
continental drift
Definition
the idea that the continents can
move
Term
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Definition
very prominent and
visible both above and below water; accurate measurements show the east and west sides are moving apart by 3cm
per year
Term
tectonic plates
Definition
Earthquakes occur mostly along boundaries
of
Term
Earthquakes
Definition
result of plates colliding, separating,
moving across each other
Term
Earth’s mantle
Definition
a high viscosity fluid;
can move or flow very slowly;
Term
convection currents
Definition
Heat transfers to mantle and causes
Term
mantle
Definition
tectonic plates ‘ride’ on the
Term
volcanoes
Definition
As the oceanic plate sinks deep under the continental plate, some material heats up, rises and melts the mantle, creating pools of liquid hot magma
Term
igneous
Definition
All Moon rocks are
Term
asteroids
Definition
the big objects in space; also known as minor planets
Term
meteoroids
Definition
smaller than asteroids
Term
meteors
Definition
passing through an atmosphere
Term
meteorites
Definition
on the ground
Term
regolith
Definition
this “dust”, results from constant bombardment by micrometeoroids
Term
Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
Definition
ripped apart by Jupiter’s gravity and then slammed into Jupiter in 1994
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