Revision Notes on Physical World

Light year

The distance travelled by light in vacuum in one year is called a light year. It is a unit of length used to
measure astronomical distances. Its value is 9.46 1015 m.

Astronomical unit (AU)

The average distance between the earth and the sun is called astronomical unit.

Astronomy

It is the branch of science which deals with the study of heavenly bodies of universe.

Solar system

(a)
The sun and all the objects moving around it taken together is called solar system.

(b) Solar system consists of the sun, the eight planets and other heavenly bodies like asteroids and
comets etc.

(c) Nearest star from the earth other than the sun is alpha centauri.

Sun

(a) The sun is a typical example of a star.

(b) Seventy percent of suns mas is hydrogen, twenty eight percent helium and two percent heavier
elements from lithium to uranium.
(c) The suns mas is about 2 1030 kg which is more than 3 105 times that of the earth and radius 1.4
106 km.

(d) The source of suns energy is the process of nuclear fusion taking place in it.

(e) The sun rotates about its axis and completes one rotation in 25 days.

Photosphere

It is the inner part of sun which appears as a bright disc. It is a denser mixture of gases and vapors. Its
thickness is about 500 km and its temperature is about 6000 K.

Chromosphere

It is the outer part of sun, just above the photosphere. It is a rarer mixture of gases and vapors.

Planets

(a) Mercury: Nearest, smallest and hottest planet of the solar system. Life is not possible on mercury.

(b) Venus: Also called morning star and the evening star is brightest amongst all.

(c) Earth: It is the only planet which contains suitable conditions for evolution and survival of life. It has
only natural satellite named moon.

(d) Mars: Nearest planet to earth. It is redish. it has traces of O2 but percentage of O2 is not sufficient for
evolution and survival of life. Mars is laso called red planet. The temperature of mars varies from 21 C
to 27 C. It has two satellites known as phobos and deimos.

(e) Jupiter: Largest planet of the solar system having the maximum number of satellites. Jupiter is the
largest planet of the solar system. Its temperature is about 140 C. It has 63 satellites and no life
possible on the Jupiter.

(f) Saturn: It has ring around it. Saturun is the second largest planet of the solar system. Its temperature
is about 180 C. It has 61 satellites.

(g) Uranus: It is the only planet which rotates from east to west on it axis. Uranus appears green due to
the large amount of methane and ammonia clouds in its atmosphere. Its temperature is about 127 C. It
has 15 satellites.

(h) Neptune: It has no special characteristic. Neptune is very far away from the sun. It has two satellites.

Terrestrial Planets

The four planets nearest the sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called terrestrial planets.

These planets have well defined surface of rocks and soils.