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Unit 5 QB

The document provides an overview of the solar system, including its formation through the Nebular Theory, the structure and energy generation of the Sun, and the characteristics of planets, asteroids, and comets. It also discusses Kepler's laws of planetary motion, advancements in space exploration, and the significance of telescopes like Hubble and James Webb. Additionally, it highlights the roles of the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud in comet formation.

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3 views

Unit 5 QB

The document provides an overview of the solar system, including its formation through the Nebular Theory, the structure and energy generation of the Sun, and the characteristics of planets, asteroids, and comets. It also discusses Kepler's laws of planetary motion, advancements in space exploration, and the significance of telescopes like Hubble and James Webb. Additionally, it highlights the roles of the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud in comet formation.

Uploaded by

950322243004
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIT 5

Two Marks with Answers

1. What is the solar system?

The solar system is a collection of celestial bodies, including the Sun,


planets, moons, and smaller objects like asteroids and comets, held together
by the Sun's gravity. It formed about 4.6 billion years ago.

2. What is the Nebular Theory?

The Nebular Theory suggests the solar system formed from a rotating
cloud of gas and dust, called the solar nebula, which collapsed under gravity
to form the Sun and planets.

3. What triggers the collapse of a molecular cloud?

Shockwaves from nearby supernovae or collisions between molecular


clouds can compress the cloud, initiating its collapse into a denser region to
form stars and planets.

4. What is a protoplanetary disk?

A protoplanetary disk is a rotating disk of gas and dust surrounding a


young star, where planets form through accretion and coalescence of
materials.

5. What are planetesimals?

Planetesimals are solid objects formed from dust and ice in the
protoplanetary disk, acting as building blocks for planets through collision and
gravitational attraction.

6. What is nuclear fusion in the Sun?

Nuclear fusion in the Sun's core combines hydrogen nuclei into helium,
releasing vast amounts of energy that powers the Sun's radiation and solar
wind.

7. What is the proton-proton chain reaction?

It is the primary nuclear fusion process in the Sun, where hydrogen


nuclei combine in steps to form helium, releasing energy in the form of
photons and particles.
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8. What is the solar wind?

The solar wind is a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun’s


corona, extending through the heliosphere and influencing space weather and
planetary magnetospheres.

9. What are the Sun's primary layers?

The Sun's main layers are the core (fusion occurs), radiative zone
(energy transported via radiation), and convective zone (energy transferred
through convection).

10.What causes sunspots?

Sunspots are cooler, darker areas on the Sun’s surface caused by


intense magnetic activity inhibiting convection.

11.What are terrestrial planets?

Terrestrial planets, like Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, are rocky,
dense, and smaller, located closer to the Sun.

12.What are gas giants?

Gas giants, like Jupiter and Saturn, are massive planets composed
mainly of hydrogen and helium with thick atmospheres and ring systems.

13.Why is Venus the hottest planet?

Venus has a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere causing a runaway


greenhouse effect, trapping heat and maintaining surface temperatures of
~462°C.

14.What is unique about Jupiter's Great Red Spot?

The Great Red Spot is a massive, persistent storm on Jupiter, spanning


more than 16,000 km and lasting over 300 years.

15.Why is Uranus tilted?

Uranus's extreme axial tilt (~98°) likely resulted from a massive


collision early in its history, causing it to rotate on its side.

16.What is the asteroid belt?


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The asteroid belt is a region between Mars and Jupiter containing rocky
debris that failed to form a planet due to Jupiter's gravitational influence.

17.What are Trojans?

Trojans are asteroids that share a planet’s orbit, located at stable


Lagrange points, 60° ahead or behind the planet.

18.What is the Kuiper Belt?

The Kuiper Belt is a region beyond Neptune, home to icy bodies and
dwarf planets like Pluto, contributing to short-period comets.

19.What is the Oort Cloud?

The Oort Cloud is a hypothetical spherical shell of icy bodies


surrounding the solar system, believed to be the source of long-period
comets.

20.What are comets made of?

Comets are composed of ice, dust, and rocky particles. When near the
Sun, sublimation creates a glowing coma and tail.

21.State Kepler’s first law.

Kepler’s first law states that planets orbit the Sun in elliptical paths, with
the Sun at one focus of the ellipse.

22.What is Kepler’s second law?

Kepler’s second law states that a planet sweeps out equal areas in its
orbit around the Sun in equal intervals of time, moving faster when closer to
the Sun.

23.What is Kepler’s third law?

Kepler’s third law relates a planet’s orbital period (T) to its semi-major
axis (a), stating T2∝a3.

24.How did Newton extend Kepler’s laws?

Newton explained Kepler’s laws using his law of gravitation,


demonstrating that planetary motion results from the gravitational force
between the Sun and planets.

197
25.What is orbital eccentricity?

Orbital eccentricity measures the deviation of an orbit from a perfect


circle, with 0 being circular and values closer to 1 being more elongated.

26.What is a geostationary orbit?

A geostationary orbit is an orbit 35,786 km above Earth, where


satellites match Earth’s rotation, appearing stationary relative to the surface.

27.What are polar orbits used for?

Polar orbits pass over Earth’s poles, providing complete global


coverage, commonly used for weather and reconnaissance satellites.

28.What is the Hubble Space Telescope?

The Hubble Space Telescope is an orbiting observatory capturing high


resolution images of space, contributing to discoveries about galaxies,
exoplanets, and dark energy.

29.What is the Voyager mission?

The Voyager mission launched twin spacecraft to explore outer planets


and interstellar space, with Voyager 1 being the farthest human-made object.

30.What is the James Webb Space Telescope?

The James Webb Space Telescope observes the universe in infrared,


enabling studies of early galaxies, star formation, and exoplanets.

PART B & C

1. Explain the formation of the solar system using the Nebular Theory.
2. Describe the Sun’s structure and energy generation process. 3.
Discuss the characteristics and evolution of terrestrial planets. 4.
Compare and contrast the gas giants and ice giants.
5. Explain Kepler’s laws of planetary motion with applications. 6. Analyze the
significance of asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets in understanding the solar
system's history.
7. Discuss the advancements in space exploration technologies and their impact
on solar system studies.
8. Explain the importance and design of artificial satellites in communication and
navigation.
198
9. Compare the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud, focusing on their composition
and role in comet formation.
10.Describe the importance of the James Webb Space Telescope in modern
astronomy.
199

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