constellations
motion of
Earth
Earth
Picture Q's
Kepler’s
laws/Space
Q's
laws/Space
Q's
Random
100
Some constellations are more prominent in the night sky of North Carolina in winter, while other constellations are more prominent in the night sky in summer. Which best explains why this occurs?
A.because of Earth’s rotation on its axis
B.because of stars revolving around Earth
C.because of Earth revolving around the sun D.because of the change in the barycenter of Earth
C.because of Earth revolving around the sun
100
If the fission theory of moon formation is true, what is also true about the motion of Earth in its formative stages?
A.Early Earth rotated on its axis much more slowly than it does today.
B.Early Earth rotated on its axis much more quickly than it does today.
C.Early Earth revolved around the Sun much more slowly than it does today.
D.Early Earth revolved around the Sun much more quickly than it does today.
B.Early Earth rotated on its axis much more quickly than it does today.
100
The figure shows the path of a planet orbiting the Sun. The three areas shaded in gray have equal areas. According to Kepler’s second law, which conclusion is supported by the data? 
A.The time intervals from A to B, C to D, and E to F are all equal.
B.The time interval from A to B is twice the interval from E to F.
C.The time intervals from A to B, C to D, and E to F combine to be equal to one half of a full orbit.
D.The time intervals from C to D and from E to F combine to be equal to the time interval from A to B.
A.The time intervals from A to B, C to D, and E to F are all equal.
100
A new planet is discovered orbiting a single star. The planet has one moon. According to Kepler’s first law, what do scientists know about the orbit of the planet around the star?
A.The orbit is circular with the star at the center of the circle.
B.The orbit is elliptical with the star at one focus of the ellipse.
C.The planet takes 12 times longer to orbit the star than the moon takes to orbit the planet.
D.The planet orbits the star in a direction opposite to the direction of the moon’s orbit of the planet
B.The orbit is elliptical with the star at one focus of the ellipse.
100
What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?
A.spiral
B.elliptical
C.irregular
D.oval
A.spiral
200
This illustration shows the sky in an undeveloped area on a clear, dark night. What is the central glowing region that is brighter than the area around it?
A.the gas giant planets
B.the asteroid belt
C.the Milky Way galaxy
D.the Orion nebula
C.the Milky Way galaxy
200
Which of these statements best explains the shape of Earth?
A.Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian.
B.Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian.
C.Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the Prime Meridian than around the equator.
D.Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the Prime Meridian than around the equator.
A.Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian.
200
A direct alignment of bodies in the solar system can occur.
A.low tides
B.full moon
C,solar eclipse
D.winter season
C,solar eclipse
200
Planets further from the sun have an orbit that lasts MUCH longer than planets that are close to the sun. Pluto's orbit lasts over over 90,000 days. Mercury's orbit lasts 88 days.
A.Kepler's 1st Law
B.Kepler's 2nd Law
C.Kepler's 3rd Law
D.Nutration
C.Kepler's 3rd Law
200
In 2004 the Hubble space telescope captured images of distant star clusters, each containing about a million stars. These star clusters were MOST likely part of which structure?
A.a black hole
B.a galaxy
C.a nebula
D.a solar system
B.a galaxy
300
Which number is closest to the estimated number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy?
A.200 thousand
B.200 million
C.200 billion
D.200 trillion
C.200 billion
300
What is most likely to occur when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned in a relatively straight line?
A.a decrease in global wind patterns
B.an increase in temperature near the equator
C.more earthquakes near the equator and fewer at the poles
D.a larger-than normal height difference between low between low tide and high tide
D.a larger-than normal height difference between low between low tide and high tide
300
Which illustration BEST represents the shape of the galaxy that includes the Sun?
A
B
C
D
C
300
When Earth orbits around the sun, it slows down when it is close to the sun. It speeds up its orbit when it is further from the sun. This is because the sun's gravity is stronger when you are closer to it.
A.Kepler's 1st Law
B.Kepler's 2nd Law
C.Kepler's 3rd Law
D.Nutration
C.Kepler's 3rd Law
300
The temperate zones of the United States experience changing of seasons from winter to summer. Which is the reason for this annual change of seasons?
A.he rotation of Earth on its axis
B.the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
C.the distance of Earth from the Sun
D.the size and orbit of the Moon around Earth
B.the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
400
The Sun and other stars are powered by nuclear fusion. Which of these statements correctly describes one of the processes that occur during nuclear fusion in stars?
A.Four hydrogen nuclei combine to become a helium nucleus, absorbing energy.
B.Four helium nuclei combine to become a hydrogen nucleus, releasing energy.
C.Four hydrogen nuclei combine to become a helium nucleus, releasing energy.
D.Four helium nuclei combine to become a hydrogen nucleus, absorbing energy.
C.Four hydrogen nuclei combine to become a helium nucleus, releasing energy.
400
Every day, the Moon rises a little more than a half an hour later than it rose the day before. Which statement BEST explains this phenomenon?
A.Earth rotates on its axis as it revolves around the Sun.
B.The Moon rotates and revolves around Earth at the same rate
C.One Earth rotation is faster than one Moon revolution around Earth.
D.One Moon rotation is slower than one Moon revolution around Earth.
C.One Earth rotation is faster than one Moon revolution around Earth.
400
The diagram shows the difference in sunlight reaching Earth at Points 1 and 2.
Based on the diagram, what is another difference between Points 1 and 2?
A.Tides will be higher at Point 2 than at Point 1. B.The pull from gravity will be greater at Point 2 than at Point 1.
C.Each day is slightly longer than 24 hours at Point 1 and slightly shorter at Point 2.
D.The region at Point 1 is experiencing summer while the region at Point 2 is experiencing winter.
D.The region at Point 1 is experiencing summer while the region at Point 2 is experiencing winter.
400
Which statement is the best description of the Milky Way galaxy?
A.collection of gases held together by inertia
B.a group of planets revolving around a single star
C.a collection of stars and gases with the Sun as its center
D.a group of stars, dust, and planets held together by gravity
D.a group of stars, dust, and planets held together by gravity
400
How does the energy produced by the sun travel to Earth?
A.by the magnetic fields between the sun and Earth B.by the convection of heat through particles in space
C.by the radiation of electromagnetic waves through space
D.by the process of conduction of heat between the sun and Earth
C.by the radiation of electromagnetic waves through space
500
What keeps stars such as the Sun from collapsing from their own self-gravity?
A.the centrifugal force created by rapid rotation B.the electrical repulsion of nuclei in the plasma C.the gravitational pull created by orbiting planets D.the outward pressure created by nuclear fusion
D.the outward pressure created by nuclear fusion
500
The Moon goes through phases as it revolves around Earth. During which phase of the moon would it be possible for a solar eclipse to occur?
A.new moon
B.full moon
C.waning crescent
D.waxing gibbous
A.new moon
500
Earth’s spherical shape results in an uneven distribution of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface.
This uneven distribution is MOST directly responsible for differences in which climatic variable at different latitudes on Earth’s surface?
A.wind speed
B.temperature
C.annual rainfall
D.average humidity
B.temperature
500
Earth travels in an elliptical orbit around the Sun. When Earth is at the point labeled on the diagram, it moves most quickly in its orbit. Which BEST explains this more rapid motion of Earth?
A.The amount of solar heat reaching Earth is greatest at this point.
B.The Sun’s gravitational pull on Earth is strongest at this point.
C.Earth is closest to the Sun’s magnetic field at this point.
D.Earth is closest to the Sun’s radioactivity at this point.
B.The Sun’s gravitational pull on Earth is strongest at this point.
500
The planet below is orbiting the Sun. The two sweeps are on opposite sides of the Sun and are labeled t. Though the orbital distance covered in each sweep is different, the time interval for each sweep is the same. Areas A and B are bounded by the arcs of the planet’s sweep in time, t, and the lines between the endpoints of the arc and the center of the Sun.
What is the relationship between Area A and Area B?
A.Area A is 50% larger than Area B.
B.Area A is 50% smaller than Area B.
C.Area A is the same size as Area B.
D.Area A is twice as big as Area B.
C.Area A is the same size as Area B.