The Earth in Space

Question 1

Revolution

Answer 1

Revolution: movement around an orbit

Question 2

Orbit

Answer 2

Orbit: the curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft about a star or planet, for example the path of the Earth around the sun or the moon around the Earth

Question 3

Full moon

Answer 3

Full moon: the view of the moon seen from Earth when the whole of its near side is in sunlight. The shape seen is circular

Question 4

Phases

Answer 4

Phases: shapes observed in a repeated pattern of changes

Question 5

Waxing

Answer 5

Waxing: the change in the moon’s appearance between a new moon and the following full moon

Question 6

Waning

Answer 6

Waning: the change in the moon’s appearance between a full moon and the following new moon

Question 7

Universe

Answer 7

Universe: all of space and the matter and energy contained in it

Question 8

Tides

Answer 8

Tides: the regular rise and fall of water level of the ocean, in a cycle close to twelve and a half hours

Question 9

Spring tides

Answer 9

Spring tides: very high tide that occurs when there is a new or full moon. At such times, the Earth experiences the combined gravitational attraction of the sun and the moon because all three bodies are in a straight line

Question 10

Neap tides

Answer 10

Neap tides: a weaker high and low tide that occurs when the sun and moon are not in the same line as the Earth. At such times, the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon work against each other

Question 11

Lunar eclipse

Answer 11

Lunar eclipse: occurs when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon so that some or all of the moon’s surface does not receive light from the sun and cannot be seen

Question 12

Solar eclipse

Answer 12

Solar eclipse: occurs when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun and prevents some or all of the sun’s light reaching a place on Earth. The part of the sun from which no light is received is not visible

Question 13

Total solar eclipse

Answer 13

Total solar eclipse: occurs when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun so that all of the sun’s light to a place on Earth is blocked by the moon

Question 14

Partial solar eclipses

Answer 14

Partial solar eclipses: occurs when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun and prevents some of the sun’s light reaching a place on Earth. The part of the sun from which no light is received is not visible

Question 15

Annular solar eclipses

Answer 15

Annular solar eclipses: occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the Earth. Because it is smaller, it blocks only the light from the central part of the sun, so that a ring of sunlight is seen

Question 16

Rotation

Answer 16

Rotation: the turning of the Earth about its own axis (between the North and South Poles). It takes 24 hours to complete one rotation

Question 17

Lunar

Answer 17

Describes the Moon

Question 18

Solar

Answer 18

Describes the Sun

Question 19

Umbra

Answer 19

Shadow of another planet blocking most light in a certain area

Question 20

Penumbra

Answer 20

The outer parts of an umbra. It has more light than the umbra area.