Orbits & Motion
Phases & Eclipses
Gravity & Forces
Seasons & Tilt
Scale & Structure
Tides
100

What path does the Earth follow around the Sun?

Orbit (or revolution)

100

 Phase when the Moon is fully lit as seen from Earth.

Full Moon

100

The attractive force between two masses.

Gravity

100

Angle feature of Earth that causes seasons (one word).

Tilt (or axial tilt)

100

 The star at the center of our solar system.

Sun

100

The regular rise and fall of sea level is called what?

Tides

200

The Moon completes one orbit around Earth in about how many days?

~27.3 days (acceptable: 27–29 days or ~28 days)

200

200 — Name for when Earth's shadow falls on the Moon.

Lunar eclipse

200

200 — What happens to gravitational force when distance between objects increases? (increase or decrease)

.
Decrease

200

200 — The hemisphere tilted toward the Sun experiences what season?

Summer

200

200 — Small bodies that orbit planets are called _____.

Moons (or natural satellites)

200

200 — Which two bodies mainly cause tides on Earth? (two words)

Moon and Sun (or "Moon and Sun; primarily Moon")

300

300 — Term for Earth's motion spinning on its axis once.

Rotation

300

300 — Phase halfway between new and full Moon (half-moon).

First quarter (or third quarter acceptable if intended the other half)

300

300 Isaac who described universal gravitation (last name).

Newton

300

300 — The date around June 21 is known as the ____ solstice.

Summer (June solstice = summer solstice in Northern Hemisphere)

300

300 — Our solar system is part of which galaxy? (candy bar)

Milky Way

300

300 — Name for especially high and low tides that occur when Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned.

Spring tides

400

400 — The shape of planetary orbits (circle or ellipse)?

Ellipse

400

400 — Type of eclipse when the Moon blocks the Sun for part of Earth.

Solar eclipse

400

400 — If mass of one object doubles, gravitational force between two objects — what happens? (increase, decrease, or same)

Increase

400

400 — Why do seasons occur? (short phrase)

Earth's axial tilt changes the angle and intensity of sunlight over the year

400

400 — Term for objects held in orbit .

Satellite

400

400 — What phase of the Moon is associated with neap tides? (one or two words)

First quarter or third quarter (neap tides occur at quarter phases)

500

500 — Force that keeps planets in orbit around the Sun.


Gravity

500

500 — Cause of the sequence of lunar phases (one short phrase).


Changing relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon

500

500 — Two factors that determine gravitational force between objects (two short words).


Mass and distance

500

500 — During equinoxes, day and night lengths are approximately how many hours? (number)


12 hours

500

500 — Order from Sun outward: Mercury, Venus, Earth, ____ (name the next planet).


Mars

500

500 — Short phrase: why do coastal areas experience two high tides each day? (one short phrase)


Earth's rotation causes coastal areas to pass through tidal bulges (or "Earth's rotation and two tidal bulges")