Earth revolves around the Sun in a complete orbit. Seasons are caused due to the Earth’s tilt. While the Earth is revolving
around the Sun, the Earth’s axis is tilted and always pointing toward the North Star. The Sun is the main source of energy on
Earth. The Earth has direct and indirect light hitting it, depending on where it is when revolving around the Sun. As the Earth
revolves around the Sun, it is also rotating on its axis. The rotation of the Earth’s axis takes 24 hours, or one day, to
complete. This causes day and night. The force of gravity causes the moon to revolve around Earth. The moon’s gravity also
pulls on Earth, thus creating tides. Four tides occur daily, two high and tow low. The Earth’s centripetal force causes the high
tide opposite to the other high tide. The moon does not produce its own light; the light we see from Earth is the Sun’s
reflection. The moon reflects light from the Sun which allows us to see the moon from Earth. As the moon revolves around
the Sun, we view the moon phases that occur due to the movement of the moon and the reflection of the Sun. The moon
and Earth have similar physical characteristics. For example, they both have mountains and gravity. The moon and Earth also
have different physical characteristics. For example, the Earth has more gravity than the moon and the Earth has an
atmosphere, while the moon does not.
Be able to answer the following:
What causes day and night?
What does axis mean?
How many hours are in a day? How many complete rotations would the Earth have to make to equal to one day?
Why can we predict sunset or a sunrise?
What causes Seasons?
If it is summer in the northern hemisphere, what season is it in the southern hemisphere?
Why would it be warmer in the middle of Earth (equator) compared to the North and South Pole?
In what hemisphere is Texas located?
What force caused the Earth’s water to shift and create tides?
Why are the patterns of tides predictable?
What other predictable patterns does the moon provide us with?
Why is it that you cannot see a lighted portion o the new moon?
What part of the moon is reflecting light from the Sun?
What part of the moon is not reflecting light from the Sun?
Is the whole moon totally dark (not reflecting any light from the Sun) during the new moon phase?
What side of the moon appears to change?
What causes different weather patterns or seasons to occur each year?
A. Revolution of the earth around the sun
B. the moon orbiting the earth
C. Revolving patterns of other planets in our solar system
D. the heating of the North and South Poles at different times of the year
What direct effect does the moon have on oceans?
A. Temperature of the water
B. Weather
C. Climate
D. Tides
What happens on the shores of oceans as a result of tides?
A. Hurricanes B. Erosion C. Tropical storms D. Cyclones
In early times few scientists believed the earth rotated around the sun. The popular theory was the sun rotated around the
earth. Which of the following could scientists who believed the earth rotated around the sun have used to prove their
theory?
A. Observe the paths of planets in our solar system B. Show planets in our solar system to everyone
C. Print their theories in books
D. Agree with other scientist
Ocean waves create a problem each time they roll in on a beach. What is this problem?
A. Tidal flow
B. Shark attacks
C. Erosion
D. Tidal deposits
How is the water in rivers or streams that flow directly into an ocean affected by the tide?
A. The tide does not affect the waters of rivers and streams.
B. The waters of rivers and streams mix with the ocean’s water.
C. The saltwater flows downstream in rivers and streams.
D. The water in rivers and streams becomes muddy.
Which of the following is a true statement?
A. There are seven major oceans on Earth.
B. There is no process to remove the salt from oceans’ waters.
C. Over 90 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with oceans.
D. Water evaporated from oceans contributes to Earth’s water cycle.
The moon is responsible for making the water level of oceans rise and fall. This occurrence is known as ____
A. water current
B. Gulf Stream C. water depth
D. tide
If it takes Earth one day to make a complete rotation on is axis, how long does it take Earth to orbit the sun?
A. one week
B. one month
C. one year
D. 24 hours
How long does it take the moon to complete its path around Earth?
A. Sixteen days
B. One year C. One month
D. Six months
Which of the following is a true statement?
A. Earth’s Moon is visible during the day.
C. Earth’s moon is larger than Earth.
B. Earth’s moon does not spin on its own axis.
D. Earth’s moon has an atmosphere similar to Earth
What causes the phases of the Moon?
A. The orbit of Earth around the Moon
B. As the Moon circles Earth, more or less of the Moon’s surface that is lit by the Sun is seen.
C. The reflection of other planets on the surface of the Moon.
D. The sunspots on the Sun
How many phases are in a lunar cycle?
A. 6 B. 7
C. 4
D. 8
What occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line and the Moon is in the Earth’s shadow?
A. Solar eclipse
B. Earth eclipse
C. Lunar eclipse
D. Total eclipse
What happens when the Moon is directly between Earth and the Sun?
A. Solar eclipse
B. Earth eclipse
C. Lunar eclipse
D. Total eclipse
What would happen in a solar exlipse?
A. the earth’s surface would be very hot. B. Earth would block the Sun’s light from the Moon.
C. The Sun goes through 4 phases.
D. The Moon blocks the Sun’s light from the earth.
A new moon is only visible _____.
A. during solar eclipse
B. once a month
C. 4 times a year
D. during the summer
As the Moon orbits around the earth, different amounts of the Moon are visible from Earth. These are called___
A. The man in the Moon B. Moon waves. C. phases of the Moon D. lunars of the Moon
As the Moon orbits around the earth, the Sun shines on the Moon giving it a different appearance each night. What is the
first phase of the Moon after the New Moon appears?
A. Waxing crescent B. Waning crescent C. Waning gibbons D. Waxing gibbons
When the entire face of the Moon is visible, this is a _____.
A. New Moon B. Half Moon
C. Full Moon
D. Crescent Moon
Which statement is true about the Moon?
A. Only one side of the Moon is visible from Earth.
B. the Moon orbits completely around the earth in 365 days.
C. The Sun orbits around the Moon.
D. The phases of the Moon cause seasons to occur on Earth.
Each year Earth makes one orbit around the Sun. This is called ___
A. a lunar cycle
B. a phase
C. an ellipse
D. a year
Earth has four seasons that repeat each year because ____
A. humans have divided time into years
B. Earth is tilted on its axis and revolves around the Sun each year
C. Earth spins on its axis
D. The Moon rotates around the Sun
Which of the following happens every 24 hours?
A. Earth makes one complete rotation around the Sun.
B. The Moon makes one complete orbit around Earth.
C. Earth makes one complete rotation on its axis in a counterclockwise manner from west to east.
D. The Sun makes one complete orbit around the Moon.
Which of the following causes an eclipse of the Moon?
A. Earth’s orbit
B. Earth’s rotation
C. The sun’s orbit
D. The rotation o the Moon’s dark side
There are four seasons every 365 days on Earth. What causes the seasons to occur at the same time each year?
A. The temperatures change four times a year.
B. A different half of Earth is tilted toward the Sun because Earth is tilted on its axis.
C. The Moon’s revolutions around Earth are longer.
D. The Sun moves farther away from Earth.
If it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, what season is occurring in the Southern Hemisphere?
A. Summer
B. Fall
C. Winter
D. Spring
What changes occur with the tidal flow of oceans during seasonal changes?
A. The tides are higher in the summer and spring.
B. The tides are lower in winter.
C. There are fewer tides in the winter and fall.
D. The tides are not affected by seasonal changes.
Which season is represented by X in the drawing?
A. Summer B. Winter C. Spring
D. Fall
Which of the following represents the last quarter before a full Moon? B
If the earth’s orbit around the Sun, represented by B in the drawing below, is 365 days, how long does it take the Moon,
represented by A in the drawing below, to orbit around Earth?
A. 365 days B. 180 days C. 24 hours D. 29 ½ days
During the Moon’s orbit around the earth, the Moon casts a shadow on Earth’s surface because the Moon is blocking the
Sun’s light. What is this occurrence?
A. Lunar cycle B. Solar eclipse C. Lunar ellipse D. Solar ellipse