← All topics | Space physics notes page | This whole topic is Separate Physics only. HT = Higher only | 🔍 = see example pictures (Google Images, SafeSearch on)
✏️ Topic summary – copy into your book
Our solar system is a small part of the Milky Way galaxy. Stars form from clouds of dust and gas pulled together by gravity, and their life cycle depends on their size; fusion in stars makes the elements. Gravity keeps planets and satellites in orbit. Red-shift shows that distant galaxies are moving away from us, which is evidence that the universe is expanding and supports the Big Bang theory.
Lesson 1 – The solar system and how stars form
- Read: Space Physics → “Our solar system”.
- Copy notes: Space Physics → the “✏️ Copy into your book” box.
- Copy definitions: Space Physics → Key definitions → 1 “What is our solar system made up of?”, 2 “What is a galaxy?”, 3 “What is a nebula?” and 8 “Natural vs artificial satellite”.
- Draw: Key Diagrams: Space → diagram 97 (the solar system) 🔍.
- Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Space → passage 1 (our solar system).
- Practise: Space Physics → Q1, Q2 and Q3.
Lesson 2 – The life cycle of stars
- Read: Space Physics → “The life cycle of a star”.
- Copy definitions: Space Physics → Key definitions → 4 “What is a protostar?”, 5 “Why is a main sequence star stable?”, 6 “What is a supernova?” and 7 “How are the elements made?”
- Copy worked example: Space Physics → Q6 (what happens to a star much bigger than the Sun) – copy the answer as a model.
- Draw: Key Diagrams: Space → diagram 98 (life cycle of stars flowchart) 🔍. See also 🔍 forces in a main sequence star.
- Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Space → passage 2 (life cycle of a star), passage 5 (big stars and small stars) and passage 6 (how elements are made).
- Practise: Space Physics → Q4, Q5 and Q7.
- Lesson activity: You Are Stardust.
Lesson 3 – Orbital motion (HT)
- Read: Space Physics → “Orbital motion”.
- Copy definition: Space Physics → Key definitions → 9 “Why is an object in a circular orbit accelerating?”
- Copy worked example: Space Physics → Q9 (why a satellite at constant speed is accelerating).
- Draw: Key Diagrams: Space → diagram 99 (orbiting satellite) 🔍.
- Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Space → passage 3 (orbital motion).
Lesson 4 – Red-shift and the Big Bang
- Read: Space Physics → “Red-shift and the Big Bang”.
- Copy definitions: Space Physics → Key definitions → 10 “What is red-shift?”, 11 “What is the Big Bang theory?” and 12 “Dark mass and dark energy”.
- Copy worked example: Space Physics → Q10 (how red-shift is evidence for the Big Bang).
- Draw: Key Diagrams: Space → diagram 100 (red-shift) 🔍. See also 🔍 galaxy speed–distance graph.
- Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Space → passage 4 (red-shift and the Big Bang) and passage 7 (dark matter and dark energy).
- Practise: Space Physics → Q8.
- Lesson activity: Where Did It All Begin?
Lesson 5 – Review and test
- Read: Space Physics → “⚠️ Where students lose marks – Space”. Copy the three you think you’d get wrong.
- Test yourself: Space Physics → cover the answers and try all 12 Key definitions, then redo Q1–Q10.
- Mind map: Mind map guide → Space.
- Redraw from memory: diagrams 98 and 100 from Key Diagrams: Space, then check them.
- Quiz: Space quiz – 20 questions. Mark it and work out your percentage.
- Exam practice: AQA past papers → Paper 2 space questions.
