Astronomy and the Universe Flashcard

Front

What are two ways a scientist can detect a black hole?

Back

Observing gravitational waves and X-ray emissions.

Front

What two elements make up Jupiter’s atmosphere? Where did those elements come from?

Back

Hydrogen and helium; from the solar nebula.

Front

Why does Venus have the highest surface temperature of any planet?

Back

It has a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide.

Front

How long did it take for our solar system to form after the initiation of the Big Bang?

Back

9 billion years.

Front

The color of a star is closely related to its _____?

Back

Temperature.

Front

What is a black hole?

Back

A region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

Front

What is the solar nebula theory?

Back

A model that explains the formation of the solar system from a rotating disk of gas and dust.

Front

What is gravitational wave detection?

Back

A method of observing ripples in spacetime caused by massive accelerating objects, such as colliding black holes.

Front

What is the greenhouse effect?

Back

The warming of Earth’s surface due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Front

What is the significance of the temperature of a star?

Back

It determines the star's color, brightness, and stage in its life cycle.