SPACE PHYSICS NOTES By Ms.

Kesha

The Earth

1. Know that the Earth is a planet that rotates on its axis, which is tilted, once in approximately
24 hours, and use this to explain observations of the apparent daily motion of the Sun and
the periodic cycle of day and night

2. Know that the Earth orbits the Sun once in approximately 365 days and use this to explain
the periodic nature of the seasons
 3. Know that it takes approximately one month for the Moon to orbit the Earth and use this to
explain the periodic nature of the Moon’s cycle of phases

4. Define average orbital speed from the equation v = 2πr/ T where r is the average radius of
the orbit and T is the orbital period; recall and use this equation.

6.1.2 The Solar System continued

 Know that the strength of the gravitational field

(a) at the surface of a planet depends on the mass of the planet
(b) around a planet decreases as the distance from the planet increases
 Calculate the time it takes light to travel a significant distance such as between objects in the
Solar System
-s=d/t
 Know that the Sun contains most of the mass of the Solar System and this explains why the
planets orbit the Sun

Why ?-Know that the force that keeps an object in orbit around the Sun is the gravitational
attraction of the Sun

 Know that the strength of the Sun’s gravitational field decreases and that the orbital speeds
of the planets decrease as the distance from the Sun increases

 Know that an object in an elliptical orbit travels faster when closer to the Sun and explain
this using the conservation of energy

Why object in an elliptical orbit travels faster when closer to the Sun ?
.2.1 The Sun as a star
1. Know that the Sun is a star of medium size, consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium, and
that it radiates most of its energy in the infrared, visible and ultraviolet regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum
2. Know that stars are powered by nuclear reactions that release energy and that in stable
stars the nuclear reactions involve the fusion of hydrogen into helium
3. Nuclear Fusion in Stars

.2.2 Stars
 State that:
(a) galaxies are each made up of many billions of stars
(b) the Sun is a star in the galaxy known as the Milky Way
(c) other stars that make up the Milky Way are much further away from the Earth than the
Sun is from the Earth
(d) astronomical distances can be measured in light-years, where one light-year is the
distance travelled in (the vacuum of) space by light in one year

 Know that one light-year is equal to 9.5 × 10^15 m3

  Describe the life cycle of a star:

(a) a star is formed from interstellar clouds of gas and dust that contain hydrogen
(b) a protostar is an interstellar cloud collapsing and increasing in temperature as a result of
its internal gravitational attraction
(c) a protostar becomes a stable star when the inward force of gravitational attraction is
balanced by an outward force due to the high temperature in the centre of the star
(d) all stars eventually run out of hydrogen as fuel for the nuclear reaction
(e) most stars expand to form red giants and more massive stars expand to form red
supergiants when most of the hydrogen in the centre of the star has been converted to
helium
(f) a red giant from a less massive star forms a planetary nebula with a white dwarf star at its
centre
(g) a red supergiant explodes as a supernova, forming a nebula containing hydrogen and
new heavier elements, leaving behind a neutron star or a black hole at its centre
(h) the nebula from a supernova may form new stars with orbiting planets

6.2.3 The Universe

1. Know that the Milky Way is one of many billions of galaxies making up the Universe
and that the diameter of the Milky Way is approximately 100000 light-years

Red-shift is the increase in wavelength of light from objects that are moving away from you. Red-
shift from distant galaxies provides vital evidence for the Big Bang theory. The Big Bang is a physical
theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and
temperature.

2. Describe redshift as an increase in the observed wavelength of electromagnetic

radiation emitted from receding stars and galaxies?
  Usually, when an object emits waves, the wavefronts spread out symmetrically
 If the wave source moves, the waves can become squashed together or stretched out

 A moving object will cause the wavelength, λ, (and frequency) of the waves to change:
o The wavelength of the waves in front of the source decreases and the frequency increases
o The wavelength behind the source increases and the frequency decreases
o This effect is known as the Doppler effect

 The Doppler effect also affects light

o If an object moves away from an observer the wavelength of light increases
 This is known as redshift as the light moves towards the red end of the spectrum

 Redshift is:

An increase in the observed wavelength of electromagnet radiation emitted from receding stars and
galaxies
 3. Know that the light emitted from distant galaxies appears redshifted in comparison
with light emitted on the Earth. Know that redshift in the light from distant galaxies
is evidence that the Universe is expanding and supports the Big Bang Theory

 Red-shift provides evidence that the Universe is expanding because:

 Red-shift is observed when the spectral lines from the distant galaxy move closer to the red end of the
spectrum
o This is because light waves are stretched by the expansion of the universe so the wavelength
increases (or frequency decreases)
o This indicates that the galaxies are moving away from us

 Light spectrums produced from distant galaxies are red-shifted more than nearby galaxies
o This shows that the greater the distance to the galaxy, the greater the redshift
o This means that the further away a galaxy is, the faster it is moving away from the Earth

 These observations imply that the universe is expanding and therefore support the Big Bang Theory
  Around 14 billion years ago, the Universe began from a very small region
that was extremely hot and dense
 Then there was a giant explosion, which is known as the Big Bang
 This caused the universe to expand from a single point, cooling as it does so,
to form the universe today
 Each point expands away from the others
 This is seen from galaxies moving away from each other, and the further
away they are the faster they move
 Redshift in the light from distant galaxies is evidence that the Universe is
expanding and supports the Big Bang Theory
 As a result of the initial explosion, the Universe continues to expand

ANSWER THE REMAINING QUESTIONS AND SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM?

4. Know that microwave radiation of a specific frequency is observed at all points in

space around us and is known as cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR).
5. Explain that the CMBR was produced shortly after the Universe was formed and that
this radiation has been expanded into the microwave region of the electromagnetic
spectrum as the Universe expanded
6. Know that the speed v at which a galaxy is moving away from the Earth can be
found from the change in wavelength of the galaxy’s starlight due to redshift
7. Know that the distance of a far galaxy d can be determined using the brightness of a
supernova in that galaxy
8. Define the Hubble constant H0 as the ratio of the speed at which the galaxy is
moving away from the Earth to its distance from the Earth; recall and use the
equation H0 = v d
9. Know that the current estimate for H0 is 2.2 × 10–18 per second
10. Know that the equation d v = 1 H0 represents an estimate for the age of the
Universe and that this is evidence for the idea that all the matter in the Universe was
present at a single point