AQA · Physics · 8463
GCSE Physics: Red-shift
Space physics · AQA GCSE Physics (8463), specification point 4.8.2. Cards are generated from the exam board's own specification for "Red-shift", and every card links back to the page it came from. Separate science only. Specification © AQA — used with attribution.
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What is red-shift?
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The observed increase in the wavelength of light from most distant galaxies.
How does a galaxy's distance relate to its recession speed?
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The further away a galaxy is, the faster it is moving away from us.
How does a galaxy's distance affect its observed red-shift?
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The further away the galaxy, the bigger the observed increase in wavelength (larger red-shift).
What does the observed red-shift of galaxies provide evidence for?
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That space itself (the universe) is expanding, which supports the Big Bang theory.
According to the Big Bang theory, how did the universe begin?
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From a very small region that was extremely hot and dense.
Since 1998, observations of ? suggest distant galaxies are receding ever faster.
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supernovae
What did supernova observations from 1998 onwards suggest about distant galaxies?
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That they are receding ever faster — the expansion of the universe is accelerating.
Why is the change of each galaxy's speed with distance evidence for an expanding universe?
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If all galaxies recede faster the further away they are, space between them must be stretching everywhere, not just objects moving through it.
Name two aspects of the universe that are still not understood.
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Dark mass (dark matter) and dark energy.
In physics, what concept is key to analysing electrical, magnetic and gravitational effects?
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The field — related to the phenomenon of 'action at a distance'.
Give an example of proportionality used as a model in physics.
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Weight is proportional to mass; or force is proportional to extension in a spring.
What is the overall weighting of AO3 in AQA GCSE Physics (8463)?
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Approximately 20% (AO1 and AO2 are 40% each).
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