Lunar Phases
Solar Scale
Charts/graphs
Gravity
Explain
100
Why does the moon appear to change shape over a month?
As the moon rotates the Earth, more or less sunlight reflects off of it depending on its position in the lunar phase.
100
Why do scientists use scaled models of the planets rather than accurate models?
Scaled models shrink the data down enough to study whereas accurate models would be way too big.
100
According to the image, what is the "force" pulling Earth in a circular orbit?
Gravity
100
What is gravity?
The invisible force that pulls objects toward larger objects (like the sun's pull on the planets=gravity)
100
What are two differences between planets closer to the sun and those farther away from the sun?
1. Rocky
2. Smaller
3. Closer together
4. Fewer moons
200
If the moon is not visible in the sky, which lunar phase is it?
New moon
200
Which type of planet has more density--rocky or gaseous?
Rocky
200
According to the data table, how many moons does Saturn have?
62
200
What two things determine the strength of a gravitational pull?
Mass and distance
200
How does a Solar eclipse happen?
The moon moves directly in line between the sun and Earth, blocking the light for certain parts of the Earth for a short time.
300
If the light is growing from the right side, what is this called?
Waxing
300
According to the chart, between which two planets is the biggest jump in distance?
Between Uranus and Neptune (about 11 AU)
300
According to the data table, how long does it take Neptune to revolve around the Sun?
60,193 Earth days
300
According to the chart, what happens to gravity as distance increases?
Gravity decreases.
300
If a teacher were swinging a ball around her head for a gravity demonstration, and she let go of the ball, where would it go? Explain why.
Flying off in a straight line because the line (or gravity) would no longer be pulling it in a circle, and the inertia of the ball would make it keep moving, but away in a straight line.
400
What number(s) would be a waning crescent?
23-27
400
According to the chart, which two gas planets have a similar radius?
Uranus (25,559) and Neptune (24,764)
400
According to the image, which position would be winter for the Northern Hemisphere?
C- Tilted away from the sun.
400
If Earth was suddenly twice as far from the Sun, describe what would happen to the force of gravity on Earth and briefly describe why that would happen.
The force of gravity would lower because the gravitational pull decreases as distance increases.
400
Why don't we experience a lunar eclipse every month and only occasionally?
The moon's tilt makes it very rare that they will line up exactly, and this only happens on the rare occasion that the Earth passes directly in line with the moon, blocking the light from the sun (bonus info--the light from the sun bouncing through Earth's atmosphere creates a red haze over the moon aka blood moon)
500
If it is a full moon tonight, about how many days until the next full moon?
about 29.5 or one month.
500
If I wanted to scale 12 inches up four times, what would I get?
48 inches (12x4=48)
500
According to the graph, what type of atmosphere creates a very hot surface temperature?
Very thick
500
If the Sun suddenly lost its gravitational pull, what would happen to the solar system?
The planets and all objects in our solar system would go flying off straight into space.
500
Why do we have seasons in Kentucky?
The Earth is tilted on its axis while it travels around the Sun. When the top half of the Earth, which is where Kentucky is, is tilted toward the Sun, we get more direct sunlight, and it becomes summer. As the Earth travels around the sun and the top is tilted away from the sun, we receive less direct sunlight, and it becomes winter. When the Earth is not fully tilted toward or away, we milder sunlight exposure and get the seasons of Spring and Fall which are not quite hot or cold.