Science: Earth's Cycles, shadows, and vocab terms. TEST THIS FRIDAY

Question 1

What is rotation?

Answer 1

When the Earth spins on it’s axis causing day and night

Question 2

What is a revolution?

Answer 2

When the Earth revolves around the sun for 365 days. Revolution causes seasons.

Question 3

Which planets are referred to as the gas giants?

Answer 3

The outer planets are often referred to as the phrase “gas giants” these planets include; Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 4

Which planets are referred to as the Inner Planets?

Answer 4

The inner planets include; Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Question 5

What does Orbit mean?

Answer 5

Orbit means the path a planet takes as it revolves.

Question 6

What is an axis?

Answer 6

The axis is an imaginary line on which an object rotates on. The Earth, Sun, and Moon all have axes.

Question 7

What are all the planets in order? And what is a mnemonic device to remember it?

Answer 7

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
A mnemonic device is My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.

Question 8

Do the moon and sun have axes?

Answer 8

Yes, they do.

Question 9

Why do day and night happen?

Answer 9

Because when the Earth rotates on it’s axis one side is facing away from the sun while the other is facing toward the sun.

Question 10

Why does the sun appear to move across the sky?

Answer 10

Because the Earth revolves around it making it appear to move across the sky while actually we are the one’s who are moving.

Question 11

How long does the Earth’s Rotation and Revolution take?

Answer 11

Rotation= 23 hours, 56 minutes (24 hrs if rounded.) 
Revolution= 365 days and five hours (365 days if rounded.)

Question 12

Where do shadows appear?

From here on all the questions will be about shadows.

Answer 12

Shadow’s appear at the opposite side of the sun.

Question 13

When are shadows longest? Why?

Answer 13

Shadows are longest and Sunrise and Sunset, because the object is blocking the sun’s rays

Question 14

When are shadows shortest? Why?

Answer 14

Shadows are shortest at noon, because only part of the object is blocking the sun’s rays.

Question 15

A shadows size___________ from morning to noon. (Fill in the blank.)

Answer 15

A shadows size decreases from morning to noon.

Question 16

Then at noon it is the ________________ .

Answer 16

Then at noon it is the shortest .

Question 17

Then it ___________ again.

Answer 17

Then it increases again.

Question 18

You must always ask yourself where the sun rises. If you are facing north the east will be on the left. Always ask yourself where is the __________ on your diagram.

Answer 18

You must always ask yourself where the sun rises. If you are facing north the east will be on the left. Always ask yourself where is the east (sunrise) on your diagram.

Question 19

Just some fun mnemonic devices!

Answer 19

The sun rises in the east that is where we feast!

The sun sets in the west that’s when we rest!

Question 20

List the basic times for shadows.

This is the last question on shadows.

Answer 20

6 A.M : Shadow long on the west
9 A.M: Sunlight comes at a 45 degree angle
12 P.M: Shadow short, because sun is overhead. (zenith)
3 P.M: And the sun is in the west, therefore the shadow is in the east
6 P.M : Shadow long on the east

Question 21

Characteristics on the Sun, Earth and Moon.

Answer 21

Sun:
1. Star made of hydrogen and helium
2. It is a ball of gas
3. It has no W.E.D
Earth:
1. Rotates on it’s axis for 23 hrs and 56 mins
2. Axis tilt causes seasons
3. Revolution around the sun causes seasons
4. It takes 365 days to revolve around the sun
5. Has life and can support it
Moon:
1. It is the smallest out of the Earth, Sun, and itself
2. Orbits Earth
3. It is the coldest out of the Sun , Earth and itself
4. It has no atmosphere