Unit 1 (Orbit and tides)

Question 1

Describe earth’s rotation

Answer 1

Earth’s rotation is when it spins on it axis (24 hours)

Question 2

Describe Earth’s Revolution

Answer 2

Earth’s revolution is when it takes about 1 year (the motion around one object around another object)

Question 3

Describe Earth’s orbit

Answer 3

Earth moves around the Sun almost in a circular motion (ellipse, elongated circle

Question 4

Why does Earth revolve around the Sun?

Answer 4

Because the sun’s gravitational pull

Question 5

Describe Earth’s rotation axis

Answer 5

Earth’s axis is slightly tilted, imaginary line in the middle of the earth

Question 6

Earth has seasons because…

Answer 6

The earth’s axis is slightly tilted and as it rotates around the sun, different parts of the earth get more or less sun, causing the seasons

Question 7

When the North end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the Sun, what are the days and nights like?

Answer 7

The days are longer and the nights are shorter

Question 8

What do waxing phases mean and which moon phases are considered waxing?

Answer 8

Waxing phases is when the moon is seeming to be getting bigger, the waxing crescent, first quarter and waxing gibbous are the waxing phases

Question 9

What do waning phases mean and which moon phases are considered waning?

Answer 9

Waning means to be getting smaller, Waning crescent, Waning gibbous and third quarter are waning phases

Question 10

The phase of the moon you see depends on…

Answer 10

Where the sunlight from the sun, The different phases are caused when the moon rotates around the earth and the moon reflects sunlight from different parts

Question 11

What must happen for a solar eclipse to occur…

Answer 11

It must be a new moon and the Moon has to be perfectly in line with the sun and earth, and the moon seems to be covering the sun

Question 12

Explain the difference between a penumbra and umbra.

Answer 12

The umbra is the central, darker part of the shadow where light it totally blocked. The penumbra is the lighter part of the shadow where light it kinda blocked

Question 13

If you experience a total solar eclipse.. Would you be in the umbra or penumbra? Why?

Answer 13

The Penumbra, because we didn’t see totally

Question 14

If you experience a partial solar eclipse.. Would you be in the umbra or penumbra? Why?

Answer 14

Penumbra, because we are the lighter part of the moon’s shadow so it wasn’t totally dark where we were

Question 15

The ________________ is the imaginary line that splits the Earth into hemispheres.

Answer 15

Equator

Question 16

What must happen for a lunar eclipse to occur…

Answer 16

It must be a full moon and the moon is in the earth’s shadow

Question 17

Describe the three main terms covering the moon’s surface…
Highlands -
Maria -
Crater -

Answer 17

Highlands - The light colored highlands are too high for the lava that formed the maria to reach, They are older then the craters and the maria
Maria - The large, dark, flat areas on the moon
Crater - the moon’s craters were formed when objects from space crashed into the moon

Question 18

An equinox occurs when…

Answer 18

The northern and southern hemisphere receive the same amount of sunlight

Question 19

A solstice occurs when…

Answer 19

When earth’s rotation axis is the most toward or away from the sun, june september

Question 20

Day and night are caused by Earth’s ___________ on its axis.

Answer 20

Rotating

Question 21

How can the moon be seen from Earth?

Answer 21

It reflects sunlight

Question 22

List the phases of the moon in the order they occur, beginning with the new moon.

Answer 22

Waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent

Question 23

Approximately how much time passes between a full moon and new moon?

Answer 23

Half a month

Question 24

Approximately how much time passes during the entire lunar cycle?

Answer 24

30 days 29.5

Question 25

Explain how a lunar eclipse differs from a solar eclipse.

Answer 25

The earth’s shadow is on the moon when it’s a lunar eclipse and the moon puts a shadow on the earth during a solar eclipse

Question 26

What causes tides on Earth?

Answer 26

The moon’s gravitational pull and the sun
Bigger effect (moon)  because it's closer

Question 27

Why do we see the same side of the moon?

Answer 27

Because the moon and earth rotate at the same pace