Gravity
What force keeps the planets orbiting around the Sun?
Gravity
What causes the change in seasons on Earth?
The tilt of Earth’s axis and its orbit around the Sun
What phase of the Moon occurs when it is completely dark from Earth?
New Moon
What force is primarily responsible for causing tides on Earth?
The gravitational pull of the Moon
What type of eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun?
Solar Eclipse
What happens to an object’s weight when it moves from Earth to the Moon?
It decreases because the Moon has less gravity than Earth.
During which season in the Northern Hemisphere does the North Pole tilt toward the Sun?
Summer
What causes the different phases of the Moon?
The Moon’s position relative to Earth and the Sun
How often do most coastal areas experience high and low tides in one day?
2 high tides and 2 low tides per day
What type of eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon?
Lunar Eclipse
How does gravity affect the motion of a ball thrown into the air?
Gravity pulls the ball back down to Earth.
What is the term for the day when daylight and nighttime hours are approximately equal?
Equinox
What is the phase called when more than half of the Moon is illuminated but not yet full?
Gibbous
What are the high and low water levels of the ocean called?
High tide and low tide
During a solar eclipse, what part of the Moon’s shadow creates the total eclipse effect?
The umbra
Who formulated the law of universal gravitation?
Sir Isaac Newton
Why is it warmer in the summer than in the winter?
Because the Sun's rays hit the Earth more directly in the summer
What is the term for the phase when the Moon is getting smaller?
Waning
What phase(s) of the Moon cause a neap tide?
1st quarter and 3rd quarter
What is it called when only a portion of the Sun is covered by the Moon?
Partial solar eclipse
What two factors determine the strength of gravity between two objects?
Mass of the objects and the distance between them
What is the angle of Earth’s axial tilt?
Approximately 23.5 degrees
How many days does it take for the Moon to complete a full cycle of phases?
About 29.5 days
What is a spring tide?
A tide with the greatest difference between high and low water levels
Why don’t eclipses happen every month?
Because the Moon’s orbit is tilted relative to Earth’s orbit around the Sun