Show:
S6E1A&B: Nature of Science
S6E1C: Compare & Contrast
S6E1D: Motion of Objects
S6E1E: Gravity
S6E1F: Comets, Asteroids, & Meteors
100
Which event in the life cycle of a star causes it to begin to glow? A. The particles making up the star repel each other. B. The temperature of the star mass increases. C. The matter making up the star condenses. D. The neutrons in the star begin to spin.
What is B) The temperature of the star mass increases.
100
Venus has the highest surface temperature of all the planets in our solar system. Which is the best explanation for this? A. Venus rotates on its axis very slowly. B. Venus is very close to the Sun. C. Venus revolves around the Sun relatively quickly. D. Venus's atmosphere has thick clouds and carbon dioxide.
What is D) Venus's atmosphere has thick clouds and carbon dioxide.
100
Artificial satellites are grouped into all of the following categories except A. commercial. B. meteor. C. scientific. D. secret military.
What is B) meteor.
100
The reason that a student does not feel the gravitational pull of the Sun is because A. the Sun has no gravitational pull. B. the mass of the Sun is very small. C. the Sun is very far away. D. Earth is so much smaller than the Sun.
What is C) the Sun is very far away.
100
When a star like the Sun runs out of hydrogen in its center, it evolves into a A. red giant. B. blue straggler. C. supernova. D. yellow dwarf.
What is A) red giant.
200
What characteristics do scientists measure to determine the temperature and composition of stars? A. the positions of the stars in the galaxy B. the light radiated from the stars C. the proximity of the stars to each other D. the speed at which stars are moving
What is B) the light radiated from the stars
200
Astronomers usually measure the distance from Earth to the Moon in A. meters. B. kilometers. C. light-years. D. fathoms.
What is B) kilometers.
200
Each year, Earth moves once around A. Mars. B. Venus. C. the Sun. D. the Moon.
What is C) the Sun.
200
How does the gravity on the Moon compare to the gravity on Earth? A. Gravity is the same wherever you are. B. There is less gravity on the Moon. C. There is more gravity on the Moon. D. Gravity depends on each person.
What is B) There is less gravity on the Moon.
200
The asteroid belt can be found between A. Earth and the Sun. B. Earth and the Moon. C. Neptune and Pluto. D. Mars and Jupiter.
What is D) Mars and Jupiter.
300
Many scientists used to accept the model that all objects in the universe revolved around the Sun. What did they learn that made them change this model? A. Stars do not revolve around the Sun. B. Planets do not revolve around the Sun. C. Comets do not revolve around the Sun. D. Asteroids do not revolve around the Sun.
What is A) Stars do not revolve around the Sun.
300
Which planet is closest to the Sun? A. Jupiter B. Mars C. Venus D. Mercury
What is D) Mercury
300
Why is Venus always near the Sun when viewed from Earth? A. Venus orbits Earth, which orbits the Sun. B. Venus orbits the Sun, which orbits Earth. C. Venus's orbit is closer to the Sun than Earth's orbit. D. Venus is visible only when its orbit gets close to the Sun.
What is C) Venus's orbit is closer to the Sun than Earth's orbit.
300
Why does the Moon orbit Earth instead of the Sun? A. Gravity depends on distance and the Moon is closer to Earth. B. Only large objects orbit around the Sun and the Moon is too small. C. The Moon used to be part of Earth so it must orbit Earth. D. The Moon is moving too fast and cannot change its orbit.
What is A) Gravity depends on distance and the Moon is closer to Earth.
300
Which is made primarily of pieces of rock or iron that enter Earth's atmosphere? A. asteroids B. comets C. solar flares D. meteorites
What is D) meteorites
400
Below is a summary of three historical scientific theories that model and explain our Solar System. The geocentric solar system places the Earth at the center of the Universe with all other heavenly bodies orbiting the Earth. The heliocentric solar system places the Sun at the center of the Solar System with all planets orbiting the Earth. The Big Bang theory suggests the Universe was created with a single cosmic explosion. The Universe continues to expand at an increasing rate as a result of this explosion. Which action could prove the heliocentric model over the geocentric model? A. Calculate the precise length of a lunar cycle. B. Calculate the total energy remaining after the Big Bang. C. Mathematically measure and map the precise orbits of the planets in our Solar System. D. Calculate and compare the lengths of the planet's days based on the rise and set of the Sun.
What is C) Mathematically measure and map the precise orbits of the planets in our Solar System.
400
Which planet do scientists think once had surface water or flowing rivers? A. Mercury B. Venus C. Mars D. Jupiter
What is C) Mars
400
During winter months observed from Northern latitudes, the constellation Orion will rise in the East, travel across the night sky, and set in the West. Which BEST explains this observation? A. The constellation Orion is orbiting the Sun. B. The constellation Orion is orbiting the Earth. C. The constellation Orion appears to move across the sky as a result of the Earth's tilt. D. The constellation Orion appears to move across the sky as a result of the Earth's rotation.
What is D) The constellation Orion appears to move across the sky as a result of the Earth's rotation.
400
The Sun's gravity holds each planet in its orbit. Pluto is farther away from the Sun than Earth is. How does the effect of the Sun's gravity on Pluto compare with the effect of the Sun's gravity on Earth? A. The Sun has the same gravitational pull on all planets that are in orbit. B. The Sun has more gravitational pull on Pluto because it is smaller. C. The Sun has less gravitational pull on Earth because it is closer. D. The Sun has less gravitational pull on Pluto because it is farther away.
What is D) The Sun has less gravitational pull on Pluto because it is farther away.
400
Imagine you are an astronomer who just observed a huge burst of light from an exploding star. What did you most likely observe? A. a pulsar B. a black hole C. a supernova D. a meteor
What is C) a supernova
500
We can be sure that the Milky Way galaxy we live in is a spiral galaxy rather than an elliptical galaxy because A. it has curved arms. B. it does not show any rotation. C. its stars are all about the same age. D. new stars are no longer forming.
What is A) it has curved arms.
500
Life on Earth is protected from the Sun's ultraviolet radiation by A. the cloud cover. B. dust particles. C. water vapor. D. the ozone layer.
What is D) the ozone layer.
500
Middle school science students in Georgia recorded the Sun's location in the sky every day at noon during September and February. Which of these MOST LIKELY describes what the students observed? A. The size of the Sun changed. B. The color of the Sun changed. C. The force of gravity from the Sun changed. D. The position of the Sun in the sky changed.
What is D) The position of the Sun in the sky changed.
500
The force that keeps a communications satellite in orbit around Earth is A. gravity. B. friction. C. magnetism. D. electricity.
What is A) gravity.
500
Paris was learning about an object in the Solar System that is made of frozen gases and solid rock. Which of these objects was he learning about? A. a star B. a comet C. a meteor D. an asteroid
What is B) a comet