Ay [T1] - Planet Earth

Question 1

What are the 4 layers of the Earth?

Answer 1

The crust, the mantle, the outer core and the inner core

Question 2

What is the mean diameter of the Earth?

Answer 2

13,000km

Question 3

What is the mean radius of the Earth?

Answer 3

6,500km

Question 4

Which layer of the Earth is responsible for the Earth’s magnetic field?

Answer 4

The outer core

Question 5

What is the mean radius of the Mantle?

Answer 5

3,500km

Question 6

What is the inner core made of?

Answer 6

Solid iron and nickel

Question 7

What is the outer core made of?

Answer 7

Liquid iron and nickel

Question 8

Which layer of the earth makes up 80% of earth’s volume?

Answer 8

Mantle

Question 9

What shape is the earth?

Answer 9

Oblate spheroid

Question 10

What is the equation for the circumference (of the earth)?

Answer 10

Circumference = 2 π r

Question 11

What is the equation for the volume (of the earth)?

Answer 11

V = 4/3 π r³

Question 12

Which directions does latitude measure?

Answer 12

North (which is positive) and South (which is negative)

Question 13

Which directions does longitude measure?

Answer 13

East (which is positive) and West (which is negative)

Question 14

Define the equator

Answer 14

The zero point of latitude, north and south are measured from here

Question 15

Define the Prime Meridian

Answer 15

The zero point of longitude, east and west are measured from here.

The Prime Meridian passes through the Observatory of Greenwich

Question 16

Define the Arctic Circle

Answer 16

The most southerly point in the northern hemisphere where there is a period of 24 hour sunlight

Question 17

Define the Antarctic Circle

Answer 17

The most northerly point in the southern hemisphere where there is a period of 24 hour sunlight

Question 18

Why do stars twinkle?

Answer 18

Different densities of air in the Earth’s atmosphere result in the refraction of light as it passes through these layers

Question 19

Define skyglow

Answer 19

Extra brightness in the night sky

Question 20

Why is the sky blue?

Answer 20

Light is made up of different sized wavelengths (therefore different colours).

The longer wavelengths for red, orange, yellow and green will pass straight through the atmosphere, whereas the shorter wavelengths for blue, indigo and violet get absorbed by gas molecules.

Rayleigh scattering then occurs, meaning everywhere we look, the blue light hits our eyes and makes the sky appear blue.

Question 21

What do you need to include when writing locations in latitude and longitude?

Answer 21

One of the 4 Cardinal Points (N, E, S, W)

Question 22

What latitude is the Tropic of Cancer at?

Answer 22

23.5°N

Question 23

What latitude is the Tropic of Capricorn at?

Answer 23

23.5°S

Question 24

What is the definition of the Tropic of Cancer?

Answer 24

Most northerly point on the Earth where the Sun will be directly overhead on the summer solstice

Question 25

What is the definition of the Tropic of Capricorn?

Answer 25

Most southerly point on the Earth where the Sun will be directly overhead on the winter solstice