Mass and Gravity
What has the largest mass in the solar system and the most gravitational pull?
Sun
How many moon phases are there?
8
What has the biggest effect on tides?
moon
Which planet is closest to Earth?
Venus
How would you compare the size of the Sun, Mars, and Phobos?
Beach ball, golf ball, marble
As the distance between Earth and the moon increases over time, how will that affect Earth's gravitational pull on the moon?
The gravitational pull will decrease.
What happens during a solar eclipse?
The moon gets between the earth and the sun.
What would not occur if earth was not tilted on its axis?
seasons
Which planet has the shortest orbital year?
Mercury
What is a characteristic shared by different galaxies in the universe?
They are all formed because of gravity.
What would happen if the suns gravitational pull decreased?
The earth would be farther from the sun, increasing its orbit.
How would the moon and earth be affected if the mass of earth was doubled?
the distance would decrease
How do you explain the occurrence of high and low tides on Earth?
the gravitational pull of the Moon causes earth and its water to bulge out the side
Which planet has the highest gravity?
Jupiter
What two things affect how strongly the sun pulls on an object in space?
mass and distance
What would happen to an asteroid moving into the center of our solar system?
Its path would change because of the gravitational pull of planets in the solar system.
Why don't solar eclipses occur every new moon?
The Earth's orbit around the sun is not on the same plane as the Moon's orbit around the Earth, so they only line up occasionally.
What is a spring tide?
when there is the biggest difference between high and low tides
Which planet would you weigh the least?
Mercury
What happens in a revolution? Must use Earth, Sun, and how long it takes to complete in your answer.
The earth travels around the sun once a year.
How would you compare the gravitational force between Phobos and Mars to the gravitational force between Phobos and the Sun? (Which gravitational force is greater?)
The gravitational force between Mars and its moon Phobos is greater than the gravitational force between Phobos and the Sun because Phobos and Mars are closer together.
Name all the phases of the moon, in order, starting at New Moon.
new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent
During the summer solstice, the sun's direct rays will pass over which line?
Tropic of Cancer
Which planet is most likely to be made of rock and dirt like Earth?
Mars
How many hours of daylight does the northern hemisphere receive on March 21?
12