Space Physics (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

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All questions are for separate science students only

The Sun is the closest star to the Earth.

1.
(a) A 2.5 kg mass would have a weight of 750 N at the surface of the Sun.

Calculate the gravitational field strength at the surface of the Sun.

Use the equation:

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Gravitational field strength = _______________ N/kg

(2)

(b) Gravity is a non-contact force.

Which of the following is also a non-contact force?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Air resistance

Electrostatic

Friction

Tension

(1)

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(c) All stars have a life cycle.

The figure below shows part of the life cycle of a star that becomes a black dwarf.

Complete the figure below.

Choose answers from the box.

Black hole Neutron star

Red giant Supernova White dwarf

(2)

The table below gives the mass of three stars compared to the mass of the Sun.

Star Mass compared to the mass of the Sun

X × 25.0

Y × 15.0

Z × 0.9

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(d) Which letter represents the star most likely to become a black dwarf?

Give a reason for your answer.

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

X Y Z

Reason ____________________________________________________________

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(2)

(e) In which stage of the life cycle of a star are elements heavier than iron produced?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Nebula

Protostar

Supernova

(1)
(Total 8 marks)

Most galaxies are moving away from the Earth. Scientists can determine the speed of a galaxy
2. by observing the light from the galaxy.

(a) Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

frequency speed wavelength

When scientists observe the light from distant galaxies, they observe an increase in

the ___________________________________ of light from those galaxies.

(1)

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The light spectra from stars and galaxies include dark lines.

The lines have the same pattern.

Figure 1 shows the light spectrum from the Sun and from four galaxies.

Figure 1

(b) Which galaxy is moving the fastest away from the Earth?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

A B C D

(1)

(c) Which galaxy is the furthest away from the Earth?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

A B C D

(1)

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(d) The Big Bang theory is one way to explain the origin of the universe.

How does the Big Bang theory describe the universe when it began?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Very big and very dense

Very big and extremely hot

Very dense and extremely hot

Very small and extremely cold

(1)

(e) Which statement about the Big Bang theory is correct?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Scientists have proved that the theory is correct.

Scientific evidence supports the theory.

There is no other way to explain the origin of the universe.

(1)

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(f) Figure 2 shows three ways that the size of the universe may have changed with time.

Figure 2

Which graph would the Big Bang theory suggest is correct?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

X Y Z

Give a reason for your answer.

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(2)
(Total 7 marks)

(a) Complete the sentences.

3.
The Sun is a stable star. This is because the forces pulling inwards caused

by _______________ are in equilibrium with the forces pushing outwards caused by

the energy released by nuclear _______________.

(2)

(b) Write down the equation that links distance travelled (s), speed (v) and time (t).

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(1)

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(c) The mean distance between the Sun and the Earth is 1.5 × 1011 m.

Light travels at a speed of 3.0 × 108 m/s.

Calculate the time taken for light from the Sun to reach the Earth.

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Time = _______________ s
(3)

(d) Some stars are much more massive than the Sun.

Describe the life cycle of stars much more massive than the Sun, including the formation of
new elements.

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(6)

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(e) Stars emit radiation with a range of wavelengths.

Which property of a star does the range of wavelengths depend on?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Density

Mass

Temperature

Volume

(1)
(Total 13 marks)

Our solar system includes the Sun, planets and moons.

4.
(a) Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

Andromeda Milky Way Pinwheel Whirlpool

Our solar system is part of the _______________ galaxy.

(1)

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(b) Planets orbit the Sun.

What force causes planets to orbit the Sun?

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(1)

The table below shows data about five planets.

Mean distance from the Sun in

Planet Mean surface temperature in °C
millions of kilometres

Earth 150 +22

Mars 228 –48

Jupiter 778 X

Saturn 1430 –178

Uranus 2870 –200

(c) How does the mean surface temperature of the planets in the table change as the mean
distance from the Sun increases?

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(1)

(d) Predict the mean surface temperature of Jupiter (X) in the table above.

Mean surface temperature of Jupiter = __________ °C

(1)

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(e) Five of the planets in the solar system are given in the table above.

How many other planets are there in the solar system?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Two

Three

Four

Five

(1)

(f) Our Moon is a natural satellite.

Why is the Moon classified as a satellite?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

It has no atmosphere.

It has no gravitational field.

It is too small to be a planet.

It orbits a planet.

(1)

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(g) How are planets and moons similar?

✓) two boxes.
Tick (✓

Their mass is about the same.

Their orbits are circular.

Their surfaces are the same colour.

They are similar in diameter.

They do not emit visible light.

(2)

(h) The diameter of the Earth is 13 000 km.

The diameter of the Sun is 110 times greater than the diameter of the Earth.

Calculate the diameter of the Sun.

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Diameter of the Sun = _______________ km

(2)
(Total 10 marks)

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(a) The Sun is a star.
5.
Which galaxy is the Sun in?

Tick one box.

Cartwheel

Milky Way

Starburst

Tadpole

(1)

(b) Light takes 500 seconds to travel from the Sun to the Earth.

Light travels at 300 000 kilometres per second.

Calculate the distance between the Sun and the Earth.

Use the equation:

distance = speed × time

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Distance = ____________________ kilometres

(2)

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The table below gives information about some of the planets in our solar system.

The planets are in order of increasing distance from the Sun.

Planet Time to orbit the Sun in years

Mercury 0.2

Venus 0.6

Earth 1.0

Mars

Jupiter 12.0

(c) There are some planets in our solar system missing from the table above.

How many planets are missing?

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(1)

(d) Estimate how many years it takes Mars to orbit the Sun.

___________________ years
(1)

(e) Calculate how many times Venus will orbit the Sun in 9 years.

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In 9 years, Venus will orbit the Sun ___________________ times.

(2)
(Total 7 marks)

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(a) There are eight planets in orbit around the Sun.
6.
Which other type of object orbits the Sun?

Tick one box.

Dwarf planet

Galaxy

Moon

Star

(1)

(b) Complete the sentences.

Choose the answers from the box.

black hole gravity friction

nebula protostar upthrust

The Sun was formed when a ____________________ in space was pulled

together by ____________________ .
(2)

(c) The Sun has reached the Main Sequence stage in its lifecycle.

What stage in the lifecycle of the Sun will follow the Main Sequence stage?

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(1)

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The table shows some data about the eight planets that orbit the Sun.

Distance from the Time to orbit Mean surface

Planet Sun compared to the Sun in temperature in
the Earth years °C

Mercury 0.4 0.2 +125

Venus 0.7 0.6 +465

Earth 1.0 1.0 +22

Mars 1.5 1.9 –48

Jupiter X 12 –108

Saturn 9.6 30 –180

Uranus 19.3 84 –216

Neptune 30.0 165 –201

(d) What pattern links the distance a planet is from the Sun and the time taken by the planet to
orbit the Sun?

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(1)

(e) Estimate the value of X in the table.

Distance = ____________________
(1)

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(f) A student looked at the data in the table and wrote the following conclusion:

‘The mean surface temperature of a planet decreases the

further the planet is from the Sun.'

Explain why this conclusion is not totally correct.

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(3)
(Total 9 marks)

The figure below shows what scientists over 1000 years ago thought the solar system was like.
7.

(a) Give one way that the historical model of the solar system shown in the figure above is
different from what we now know about the solar system.

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(1)

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(b) Give one way that the solar system shown in the figure above is the same as what we now
know about the solar system.

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(1)

(c) The first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth was launched into space in 1957.

Describe the orbit of an artificial satellite.

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(1)

(d) What provides the force needed to keep a satellite in its orbit?

Tick one box.

friction

gravity

tension

(1)

(e) All stars go through a lifecycle.

The star Mira will go through a supernova stage in its lifecycle but the Sun will not.

How is the star Mira different to the Sun?

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(1)
(Total 5 marks)

In 1929, the astronomer Edwin Hubble observed that the light from galaxies moving away from
8. the Earth had longer wavelengths than expected.

(a) What name is given to this effect?

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(1)

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(b) From his observations, Hubble was able to calculate the speed of a galaxy and the
distance of the galaxy from the Earth.

Figure 1 shows the results of Hubble’s calculations.

Figure 1

What relationship between the speed of a galaxy and the distance is suggested by
Hubble’s results?

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(1)

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The observations made by Hubble support the idea that the Universe is expanding. This means
that galaxies are continually moving away from each other and from the Earth.

Figure 2 shows a student using a balloon to model the idea of an expanding Universe.

Some dots, which represent galaxies, were marked on the balloon.

The balloon was then inflated.

Figure 2

(c) Give one strength and one weakness of this model in representing the idea of an
expanding Universe.

Strength ___________________________________________________________

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Weakness _________________________________________________________

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(2)

In the 1950s there were two main theories to explain how the Universe began.

(d) In what way do the observations made by Hubble support both Theory 1 and Theory 2?

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(1)

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(e) Most scientists now believe that Theory 2 is correct.
Suggest what is likely to have caused scientists to start thinking Theory 1 is wrong.

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(1)
(Total 6 marks)

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