Moon
Ocean Tides
Seasons
Shadows
Vocabulary
100
How much of the Moon is lit by the Sun? Explain why this is true.
Half of the Moon is always lit. The side of the Moon facing the Sun is lit, while the side of the Moon facing away from the Sun is dark.
100
What causes the ocean's tides?
The gravitational pull between Earth and the Sun and the Moon.
100
What causes Seasons?
The tilt of the Earth.
100
What direction does a shadow move during the day?
West to East (opposite from the Sun)
100
What is one day on Earth?
The Earth takes 24 hours to rotate around its axis.
200
What causes the phases of the moon?
the Moon's orbit (revolution) around the Earth.
200
How many high tides and low tides occur each day?
2 high tides and 2 low tides occur each day.
200
How do the Sun's position in the sky and the length of daylight relate to the seasons of the year? Consider Summer, Winter, and Spring/Fall.
The Sun is highest in the sky and the daylight is longest at the beginning of summer. The opposite is true at the beginning of winter. In spring and fall, the days are around 12 hours long and the Sun is at a middle point in the sky.
200
What do you think is causing the changes in the direction of the shadow from early to late in the day?
The Sun rises in the East and moves across the sky to set in the West.
200
What does waxing and waning mean?
A waxing moon means the moon's lit part is getting larger in size. A waning moon means the moon's lit part is getting smaller in size.
300
If today (November 10th) is a first quarter moon, when will the full moon occur?
About one week or seven days later, November 17th.
300
How is an extreme tide different then a regular tide?
An extreme tide occurs when the Sun and Moon are aligned causing there to be a greater gravitational pull on the oceans.
300
In Australia, it is winter in June and summer in December. Explain why this is.
In June, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun resulting in winter. In December, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun resulting in summer.
300
What do you think causes the changes in the length of the shadow from early to late in the day?
Early in the mornng and late in the afternoon the Sun is lower in the sky and nearer the horizon, the low angle of the Sun causes a longer shadow at these times. During Midday the Sun is at its highest angle for the day causing a shorter shadow.
300
What is the difference between a Gibbous moon and a Crescent moon.
A Gibbous moon appears to us in the sky as over half full. A crescent moon appears as a sliver, or under half full.
400
Draw the position of the Moon during a quarter Moon.
The Moon should be drawn either above or below Earth.
400
How often do extreme tides occur?
Extreme high tides occur twice a month.
400
What happens to the North Pole in the winter? What happens to the North Pole in the summer?
In the winter, the angle of the Sun is very low and there is almost no daylight. In the summer, the angle of the Sun is very high and there is almost 24 hours of daylight.
400
You decide to read a book under the shade of a tree. While you are sitting under the tree, the shade from the tree gets smaller and smaller. Why time of day is it and Why did the shade get smaller at that time of day?
It is morning. The Sun is getting higher in the sky, so there is less of an angle and the shadow of the tree gets smaller.
400
What does Photoperiod refer to?
This is the total amount of daylight hours and minutes for a certain place.
500
Explain what happens in a lunar and solar eclipse. Tell me why they occur and what phases of the Moon they occur in.
A Lunar Eclipse is when the Earth's shadow gets in the way, blocking the Sun from the moon. This occurs in the Full Moon phase. A Solar Eclipse is when the moon blocks out the Sun from the Earth for a short time. This occurs in the New Moon phase.
500
What is the connection between extreme tides and the phases of the Moon?
Extreme tides occur during both new moon and full moon phases.
500
What causes hot summers in the United States? In your answer include both a diagram of the sunlight hitting Earth's surface and an explanation.
Diagram: Show the Earth tilted towards the Sun and the Sun's rays at a more direct angle. Response: In summer, when Earth is tilted towards the Sun, the Sun's rays are more direct and the days are longer. The more direct rays are hotter and the longer photoperiod allow more heat to build up over the day.
500
It's the last day of school, Carl and Mike decide to listen to music outside under the shade of a tree. When Carl and Mike arrive to the tree, they are surprised to find that the shady spot is much smaller than they expected it to be at that time of day. Why is this?
During summer, the length of the shadow will be shorter than it is during spring because as Earth moves from its position in spring towards its position in summer, the Sun moves higher and higher in the sky causing the shadow to get shorter.
500
Explain the difference between rotation and revolution. Physically demonstrate both of these.
Rotation means to spin in place, like Earth does on its axis. Revolution means to travel around an object, like Earth around Sun.
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