Earth/Moon
Why does the moon have phases?
As the moon orbits the earth and the earth orbits the sun, half of the moon is always lit by the sun. The side of the moon that is lit is not always facing earth. The phases occur when different amounts of the lit side of the moon are visible from earth.
What is at the center of our solar system?
The sun
Why does earth have a moon?
At some point in earth's formation, a rock collided and broke off and the gravitational pull kept it nearby utilizing the momentum/motion of the collision.
What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
the energy that can travel in the form of waves.
What is the difference between rotation and revolution?
Rotation is when a planet spins on its axis and revolution is when it orbits the sun.
What is an eclipse?
When one body in space blocks the sun (casts a shadow) onto another body in space.
What is the sun-centered model of the solar system called AND before this model was proven, what is the previous model called?
heliocentric and geocentric
What are the two ingredients that determine the force of gravity?
Mass (how big something is) and distance (how far away two objects are from one another).
How does a telescope work?
its a tool that collects and focus light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. They make distant objects appear larger and brighter.
What are the 8 moon phases?
New Moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent.
During which two moon phases can eclipses occur?
new moon and full moon
What are layers or the structure of the sun?
Corona, Chromosphere, Photosphere
What are the two forces that keep planets orbiting the sun and how do they keep them from flying off into space?
Gravity attracts the planets toward the sun and inertia keeps the planets in motion.
Which planets have humans been to?
earth
What shape do planets orbit the sun in?
Ellipse.
What's the difference between a meteor and a comet?
A meteor is the streak of light made when an object burns up as it enters Earth's atmosphere and a comet is a ball of ice and dust that orbits the sun and when it gets close to the sun starts to vaporize and leave a bright white tail.
How do we organize and classify stars?
Using the H-R diagram: by color, temperature, and brightness.
What is an astronomical unit and why do we use this unit?
An AU is the equivalent distance of 149,000,000 kilometers. We use AUs because it is easier to navigate distances with smaller numbers.
what is a satellite?
anything that orbits a planet
Explain how we have seasons on Earth.
Earth rotates on an axis tilted at 23.5 degrees meaning as it orbits the sun, there are times in its revolution where the north pole is facing the sun and when the south pole is facing the sun (during their summers). The further away from the equator, the more extreme the seasonal changes.
What is the difference between a spring tide and a neap tide?
Spring tide occur when the sun, moon, and earth are all in line (full and new moon), this is when high and low tides are the most extreme. Neap tides occur when the moon is at a right angle to the Earth and sun (during first and third quarters) and when tidal differences are the least extreme.
How do sun spots prove that the sun rotates?
what is an equinox?
When night and day are both 12 hours long
when did humans first land on the moon?
Apollo 11 brought Buzz aldrin and neil armstrong to the moon in 1969
What's the theory of the big bang?
That the universe started is a tiny dot that exploded outwards. Scientists have observed the universe continues to expand as billions of galaxies continue to move away from each other.