Astronomy Unit 7

asteroid

• A small rocky body orbiting the sun, found mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt.

• A large gaseous planet located beyond Neptune.

• A celestial object that burns up upon entering Earth's atmosphere.

• A frozen mass of ice and dust that orbits the sun.

celestial object

• Any natural object outside of Earth's atmosphere, such as stars, planets, moons, and asteroids.

• A man-made object that orbits the Earth, like a satellite.

• A type of meteorological phenomenon occurring in the atmosphere.

• A geological formation found on the surface of the Earth.

nuclear fusion

• A process where atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy.

• A reaction where atomic nuclei split into smaller parts, releasing energy.

• A method of generating electricity using fossil fuels.

• A chemical reaction that involves the transfer of electrons between atoms.

geocentric model

• An astronomical theory which describes the universe as a system with Earth at the center.

• A model that places the Sun at the center of the universe.

• A theory that suggests the Earth is flat and stationary.

• A concept that explains the movement of stars around the Earth.

meteor

• A large celestial body that orbits the sun.

• A small body of matter from outer space that enters the earth's atmosphere, becoming incandescent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light.

• A type of star that has exploded and is no longer visible.

• A planet that is made up of gas and has no solid surface.

comet

• A celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust, and when near the sun, a 'tail' of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun.

• A large rock that orbits the sun and does not have a tail.

• A star that has exploded and is no longer visible.

• A planet that is made entirely of gas and has no solid surface.

moon

• A natural satellite that orbits a planet.

• A type of star that emits light.

• A large asteroid in the asteroid belt.

• A planet that orbits the sun.

Doppler effect

• The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.

• A phenomenon where sound waves are amplified when the source is stationary.

• The increase in amplitude of a wave as it travels through a medium.

• The reflection of waves off a surface causing a change in direction.

solar system

• The collection of eight planets and their moons in orbit around the sun, together with smaller bodies such as asteroids, meteoroids, and comets.

• A group of stars that form a constellation in the night sky.

• A large cloud of gas and dust in space where stars are born.

• The path that comets take as they orbit the sun.

Coriolis effect

• The deflection of moving objects when they are viewed in a rotating reference frame, such as the rotation of Earth affecting wind patterns.

• A phenomenon that causes objects to move in a straight line due to gravitational pull.

• The change in temperature of an object when it moves at high speeds.

• The increase in pressure experienced by objects moving through a fluid.