Sun, Earth, Moon
What force keeps the moon in orbit around earth?
Gravity
What movement of Earth causes day and night?
Rotation
During which phase is the Moon between Earth and the Sun?
New Moon
What causes most of Earth's tides?
The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury
What object provides most of the energy that reaches Earth?
The Sun
How long does it take Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun?
About 365 days (one year)
During which phase do we see the entire lighted side of the Moon from Earth?
Full Moon
When the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned, what type of tide occurs?
Spring tide
What are the four terrestrial planets?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
What causes the Moon to remain in orbit around Earth rather than traveling away into space?
Earth's gravitational pull
What two factors are most responsible for Earth's seasonal pattern?
Earth's axial tilt and its revolution around the Sun
What causes the Moon's phases?
The changing positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun change how much of the Moon's sunlit side we can see from Earth.
When the Sun, Earth, and Moon form a right angle, what type of tide occurs?
Neap tide
What is the main characteristic of terrestrial planets?
They are small, rocky planets located in the inner solar system.
The Sun, Earth, and Moon all interact through what force?
Gravity
Why does one hemisphere receive more direct sunlight during its summer?
Its tilt causes sunlight to strike the surface at a more direct angle.
Is a Waxing Crescent getting larger or smaller?
Larger
Which type of tide has the greater tidal range: spring or neap?
Spring tide
Which planets are considered the gas/ice giants and are located in the outer solar system?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Earth and the Moon orbit around a common center of mass. What is this point called?
The barycenter
Name two ways that summer differs from winter in the amount of solar energy received.
Summer has more direct sunlight and longer daylight hours, causing more solar energy to be received.
Put these phases in order beginning with the New Moon: Full Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous.
New Moon → Waxing Crescent → First Quarter → Waxing Gibbous → Full Moon
During which two Moon phases do spring tides occur?
New Moon and Full Moon
What is one major difference between terrestrial planets and the outer planets?
Terrestrial planets are smaller and rocky, while the outer planets are much larger and primarily made of gases and/or ices.