Movin' Through Space
Mr. Sandino is teaching his Science class about the solar system. He shines a flashlight (which covers half of the globe) as the globe is spinning on its axis. Which of the following best describes what Mr. Sandino's model demonstrates?
Day and night are caused by the rotation of Earth on its axis.
The seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis.
The phases of the moon are caused by Earth’s orbit around the moon.
The length of the year is caused by Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
1. Day and night are caused by the rotation of Earth on its axis.
How many times does Earth complete a full rotation on its axis in one week?
one
three
seven
ten
3. seven
The Milky Way is our home galaxy. Which of the following are the main components of a galaxy?
Ice, meteoroids, and minerals
Orbits, cores, and eclipses
Gas, dust, and stars
Gravity, sedimentary rocks, and water
3. Gas, dust, and stars
Dannell and his family are outside viewing the night sky. The night is dark and thousands of stars are visible. Dannell's little sister asks him, “What is a star?” What is the best answer Dannell could give his sister?
Stars are small glowing particles trapped in Earth’s atmosphere.
A Star is a large ball of burning gases.
Stars are rocky asteroids that orbit the Sun.
Stars are distant planets that reflect the light of the Sun.
2. A Star is a large ball of burning gases.
The eight planets in our solar system are different in many ways. What is one thing that all planets in our solar system have in common?
They all have the same temperature.
They all have oceans of liquid water.
They all are the same size.
They all orbit the Sun.
4. They all orbit the Sun.
Earth moves around the Sun at more than 60,000 miles per hour. How long does it take Earth to go all the way around the Sun once?
1 day
7 days
29.5 days
365 days
4. 365 days
Vittorio notices that on different nights, the shape of the Moon looks different. He decides to collect data on the phases of the Moon to find out how the Moon changes from night to night. If Vittorio writes down the phases of the Moon every night for 6 months, what will he find?
There are more new moons than any other phase of the Moon.
There are more full moons that any other phase of the Moon.
The new moon always happens 29 days after a full moon.
The phases of the Moon always occur in the same order.
4. The phases of the Moon always occur in the same order.
Which of the following planetary bodies is most like the Sun?
Jupiter
The North Star
Mercury
The Moon
2. The North Star
During the day, only one star is visible form Earth: the Sun. At night, we can see thousands of stars. Most of the stars that are visible at night are located in which of the following?
In the same solar system as the Sun.
In a different constellation than the Sun.
In a different universe that the Sun.
In the same galaxy as the Sun.
4. In the same galaxy as the Sun.
Juan and his cousin are outside looking at the Moon. Juan wonders about the moons orbiting other planets in the solar system. Which statement best describes what is known about moons orbiting the other planets in the solar system?
Little is known about the moons orbiting other planets.
All the planets have one moon like Earth’s moon.
Some planets have dozens of moons.
No other planets have moons.
3. Some planets have dozens of moons.
Charme was watching her cat playing in the shadows as the Sun set. She wondered why we have day and night. Why does the Earth experience day and night?
The Moon rotates on its own axis.
Earth rotates on its own axis.
Earth revolves around the Sun.
The Moon revolves around Earth.
2. Earth rotates on its own axis.
Earth rotates on its axis at close to 1,000 miles per hour at the equator. How long does it take Earth to make a full rotation on its axis?
12 hours
24 hours
29.5 days
365 days
2. 24 hours
Simone likes to look at the stars at night. He wonders why he can’t see the stars in the daytime. Which of the following best explains why the stars are not visible during the day?
The stars do not reflect any of the Sun’s light during the day.
The Sun positions itself directly between Earth and the stars during the day.
The stars are so far away from Earth that their light is too dim to see while the Sun is shining.
The light from the stars is traveling away from Earth, not towards it.
3. The stars are so far away from Earth that their light is too dim to see while the Sun is shining.
Earth is the third planet from the Sun in our solar system. What is one difference between Earth and the other planets in our solar system.
Only Earth has a moon.
Only Earth has an atmosphere.
Only Earth has a 365-day orbit.
Only Earth orbits the Sun.
3. Only Earth has a 365-day orbit.
The four planets in the solar system closest to the Sun are all small and rocky. What is the truth about the four outer planets?
They are also rocky and small.
They are small and made of ice.
They are large and made of gases.
They are large and covered in volcanoes.
3. They are large and made of gases.
What must happen in order for the Moon to appear full?
The Sun must be between the Moon and Earth.
The Moon must be between Earth and the Sun.
Earth must be orbiting the Moon.
Earth must be between the Moon and the Sun.
4. Earth must be between the Moon and the Sun.
Jennifer and her mother are outside looking at the stars on a dark night. Where is Jennifer located in relation to the Sun at night?
At the closest point to the Sun in Earth’s orbit.
At the furthest point from the Sun in Earth’s orbit.
On the side of Earth that has rotated away from the Sun.
On the side of Earth that is rotated toward the Sun.
3. On the side of Earth that has rotated away from the Sun.
Gina has been wondering about planets outside the solar system. How far would Gina likely have to travel to locate another system containing planets?
To a star in another galaxy.
To an asteroid in our galaxy.
To a star in another universe.
To a star in our galaxy.
4. To a star in our galaxy.
All the planets in the solar system revolve around the Sun. Which planet revolves around the Sun the fastest?
Jupiter
Neptune
Mercury
Venus
3. Mercury
Light from the Sun provides Earth with most of its energy. At night, the light from thousands of other stars is visible. Earth receives much more light from the Sun than from all the other stars combined. Why is the light of the Sun so much stronger than the light from other stars?
The Sun is much closer to Earth than other stars.
The Sun is much bigger than other stars.
The sun is much hotter than other stars.
The sun gives off much more light than other stars.
1. The Sun is much closer to Earth than other stars.
What must happen for a new moon to occur?
Earth must be between the Moon and the Sun.
Earth must be orbiting the Moon.
The Moon must be between Earth and the Sun.
The Sun must be between the Moon and Earth.
3. The Moon must be between Earth and the Sun.
Chloe likes to look at the stars with her telescope at night. She can see the stars best when the Moon is new. At this time, the Moon is at its dimmest. There is a first quarter moon in the sky tonight. How long will Chloe have to wait until the next new moon?
One week
Three weeks
Between one and thirty days
Between one and sixty days
2. Three weeks
Naomi and Khadija were playing in the yard at night with flashlights. Each of them observed that as they walked away from each other, the other’s flashlight looked dimmer. When they walked toward each other, the other’s flashlight started looking brighter again. When they held their flashlights up side by side, they looked like they were the same brightness. What would be the best conclusion for them to draw based on their flashlight model.
All stars are the same size, but do not give off equal amounts of light.
Two similar-sized stars may vary in brightness when viewed from Earth.
All stars are the same brightness, but their distance from the Earth varies.
Two stars of different sizes may be of equal brightness.
2. Two similar-sized stars may vary in brightness when viewed from Earth.
Many of the planets in the Solar System can be seen from Earth in the night sky. What is true of these planets?
They provide Earth with heat and light.
They are in orbit around Earth.
They are in another galaxy.
They do not produce any light.
4. They do not produce any light.
Davinci is writing a report about the Solar System. Which of his statements best describes the differences between the inner planets and the outer planets?
The inner planets are collections of frozen gas and rocky particles, and the outer planets are fragments of rock.
The inner planets are all the same size, and the outer planets vary in size.
The inner planets have thick, poisonous atmospheres, and the outer planets lack atmospheres.
The inner planets are small and solid, and the outer planets are large and gaseous.
4. The inner planets are small and solid, and the outer planets are large and gaseous.