Life In The Universe Unit 1

Front 1

Definition of Life

Back 1

Hard to define but includes microbes, plants, and animals

Front 2

What is Nasa searching for?

Back 2

Anything that could be considered life

Front 3

SETI

Back 3

Search for extra-terrestrial intelligence.

Searches for only intelligent life by trying to make contact.

Front 4

Three Sciences of Astrobiology

Back 4

Biology-Defines life so we can find it.

Planetary Science-Helps us know what to look for and where.

Astronomy-Physics in universe should be the same as everywhere else. Many places life could exist

Front 5

Why would life be common? (3)

Back 5

Organic molecules form easily naturally

Life appeared early in history of Earth.

Earth life can survive under wide range of conditions.

Front 6

Places where life would most likely be.

Back 6

Mars

Jupiter's moons-EUROPA, Gandymede,Calisto

Saturn's moon Titan

Other stars

Front 7

Three areas of Astrobiology

Back 7

Study conditions for origin, ongoing existence of life.

Look for those conditions on other places in the universe

Look for actual occurance of life.

Front 8

Greek philosophy vs. modern day science.

Back 8

Greek philosophers used thought instead of observaions.

Front 9

Greeks and the Origin of Science

Back 9

Tried to understand nature without the supernatural.

Developed geometry

Reasoning from observation

Front 10

Models of the Universe

Back 10

Geocentric-proposed by Ptolemy

Heliocentric-First proposed by Aristarchus. Continued by Copernicus.

Front 11

Celestial Sphere

Back 11

Imaginary sphere which objects appear to reside when looking from earth.

Front 12

Stellar Paralax

Back 12

Apparant shift in position of stars when the Earth is in different positions.

Ancient astronomers didn't know why we didn't see stellar if the earth was moving but it was because we were too far away.

Front 13

Retrograde motion and explanations

Back 13

Apparant motion of planets viewed from Earth in which they switch for a few weeks or months.

Geocentric model-planets moving around earth with small circles turning into a biggar one.

Heliocentric model- Bigger orbits at slower speeds create apparent change

Front 14

Atomist

Back 14

Earth, heavens made from infinite # of four element atoms.

Front 15

Aristotelians

Back 15

4 elements (not atoms) are only on earth. Heavens made of fifth element aether

Front 16

Copernicus Model

Back 16

Brought back the sun centered model.

Not much better than Ptolemaic model because circular orbits.

Front 17

Tycho

Back 17

Collected data on on planetary position.

Front 18

Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

Back 18

Orbits elliptical

Equal area in equal time.

Planets farther from the sun take a longer average amount of time. p-squared=a-cubed.

Front 19

Ptolemy

Back 19

Suggested epicycles to explain retrograde motion

Front 20

Galileo's Contradictions to Old Ideas

Back 20

Objects remain in motion unless force acts to stop them. Objects not left behind as Earth moves

Sunspots, Moon Mountains prove universe isn’t perfect.

Milky Way proves stars more numerous than before thought-stellar parallax could exist.

Four moons orbit Jupiter. Not everything orbits Earth.

Venus orbit impossible around Earth.

Front 21

Hallmarks of Science (3)

Back 21

Seek explanation for observed phenomena that relies solely on natural causes

Progress through creation and testing of models of nature. Explain observations as simply as possible

Testable prediction about natural phenomena. Abandon or revise model if it doesn’t work.

Front 22

Theory

Back 22

Wide variety of observations that explains model with no exceptions

Front 23

Law

Back 23

Law is a mathematical proof that will not allow any exceptions. Very rare.

Front 24

Occam's Razor

Back 24

Model should be as simple as possible.

Front 25

Newton's Law of Gravity

Back 25

Every mass attracts other mass through gravity.

Helped further explain other scientists work and physics of planets.

Front 26

Einstein's Theory of Gravity

Back 26

Gravity is curvature of spacetime. Massless things like light must curve around massive things like the sun

Front 27

Order of Size of Universe Bodies (smallest to biggest) and Earth's address

Back 27

Planet, solar system, galaxy, galaxy cluster, galaxy supercluster, universe

Earth, solar system, milky way, local cluster, local supercluster

Front 28

Light year

Back 28

Distance light travels in one year.

Front 29

Big Bang Theory

Back 29

Theory of how universe began as an extremely hot, dense mixture of particles and radiation.

Hydrogen and Helium were created.

Front 30

Cosmic Background Radation

Back 30

Remnant radiation from the Big Bang which is detected using radio telescopes.

Front 31

Energy Source of Stars

Back 31

Thermonuclear Fusion

Front 32

Most important property of a Star

Back 32

Mass

Front 33

Planetary Nebulae and Supernovae

Back 33

When stars die. Releases matter into the universe.

Front 34

Nebula Theory

Back 34

•Instellar gas cloud contracts due to gravity
•Spins faster and faster making Flat with sun in the center.
•Material condenses to make building blocks for planets
o Inside planets=metal/rock condense
o Outer planets ice condenses
•Building blocks collide and stick together in Accretion
•Remaining gas cleared from space.

Front 35

Planet

Back 35

Orbits a star
Round
Has cleared its orbit

Front 36

Moon

Back 36

Object that orbits a planet

Front 37

Comet

Back 37

Relatively small icy object that orbits a star

Front 38

Asteroid

Back 38

Relatively small and rocky object that orbits a star.

Front 39

Dwarf Planets

Back 39

Meet conditions for planets except they have not cleared out orbit.