Universe and Solar System
What is a galaxy?
A cluster of mostly stars in space held together by gravity
Order from smallest to largest: Earth, Solar System, Universe, Earth's Moon, Galaxy, Sun
Moon, Earth, Sun, Solar System, Galaxy, Universe
Atmosphere
Which sphere of Earth contains ice? Also, name two things in that sphere
Cryosphere
Answers will vary
Hail, glaciers, icebergs, frost, etc
What is the formula for density?
Mass / Volume
What is the name and shape of our galaxy?
The Milky Way
Spiral Shaped
A unit of distance equal to how far light travels in a year = 5.9 trillion miles or 9.5 trillion kilometers
What is the difference between an open and closed system?
An open system allows for matter exchange but a closed system does not.
Which sphere of Earth deals with man-made objects and the human impact on the planet? Also, name two things in that sphere.
Anthroposphere
Answers will vary
Buildings, streets, cars, pencils, furniture, etc
What is the name of the rock that makes up most of Central Park?
Manhattan Schist
How old is our solar system and how old is the universe?
Solar System is about 4.6 billion years old and universe is about 14 billion years old
What is the diameter of the Earth?
7918 miles or 12742 kilometers
What sphere contains Earth's hard parts? Also, name two things in that sphere.
Geosphere
Answers will vary
Rocks, minerals, sand, gravel, etc.
Give an example of how the geosphere and atmosphere interact
Answers will vary
E.g. Volcanoes release CO2 into the atmosphere
How far have scientists drilled into the Earth?
40,230 ft, 7.6 miles, 12.26km
What is our universe mostly made of?
Dark Matter
How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to the Earth?
About 8 minutes
What kind of system is Earth and why?
Mostly a closed system because not much matter is exchanged with outer space. Gravity holds most matter on Earth.
Give an example of how the hydrosphere and anthroposphere interact.
Answers will vary
e.g. man-made garbage entering rivers and oceans
How do we measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object such as a rock?
Water displacement
What are the order of the planets from closest to farthest to the Sun?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What is the size of the observable universe?
93 billion light years
List all 6 spheres of the Earth
Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Atmosphere, Cryosphere, and Anthropsphere
Give an example of how the biosphere and cryosphere can interact
Answers will vary
e.g. polar bears rely on sea ice
Give an example of how 3 of Earth's sphere can all interact with each other
E.g. Planets (biosphere) exchange CO2 and O2 with the atmosphere and rely on water from the hydrosphere.