EARTH & BEYOND L6
1.
Our solar system consists of planets orbiting the Sun. Some of these planets have
moons.
(a)
Complete the four statements by drawing lines to join the boxes.
the average distance
from Mercury to
the Sun is
150 million km
the average distance
from Pluto to
the Sun is
0.38 million km
the average distance
from the Earth to
the Moon is
5900 million km
the average distance
from the Earth to
the Sun is
58 million km
4 marks
(b)
Give the name of the star in our solar system.
.....................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 5 marks
2.
The diagram shows the orbits of the Earth, Venus and Jupiter around the Sun. They are not
to scale.
Sun
Earth
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orbit of
Venus
orbit of
Earth
orbit of
Jupiter
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(a)
Where is the orbit of Mars?
Tick the correct box.
It is between the Sun and the orbit of Venus.
It is between the orbit of Venus and the orbit of Earth.
It is between the orbit of Earth and the orbit of Jupiter.
It is outside the orbit of Jupiter.
1 mark
Venus and Jupiter can be seen from the Earth.
(b)
Sometimes Venus appears to be larger than at other times.
(i)
On the diagram, draw the position of Venus where it appears to be largest. Label
it V.
1 mark
(ii)
Why does the size of Venus appear to change?
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
1 mark
(c)
Even on clear nights, Jupiter sometimes appears to be slightly brighter than at other
times.
(i)
On the diagram, draw the position of Jupiter where it appears to be brightest.
Label it J.
1 mark
(ii)
Why does the brightness of Jupiter appear to change?
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
1 mark
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(d)
Give two reasons why less light is reflected from Jupiter to the Earth than from Venus
to the Earth.
1. ..................................................................................................................
2. ..................................................................................................................
2 marks
Maximum 7 marks
3.
The diagram shows the orbits of the Earth, Mars and Venus.
The position of the Earth is shown.
Sun
Earth
orbit of Venus
orbit of the Earth
orbit of Mars
not to scale
A person on the Earth observes Mars and Venus.
(a)
(i)
On the diagram above, draw two more dots to show the positions of Mars
and Venus when they are closest to the Earth.
Label the dot for Mars with a letter M and the dot for Venus with a letter V.
1 mark
(ii)
Why is it easiest to see Mars when it is closest to the Earth?
……………..……………………………….…………………..……….……
……………..……………………………….…………………..……….……
1 mark
(b)
What force keeps the Earth in its orbit and stops it flying off into space?
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
1 mark
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(c)
From the Earth, the Moon always looks approximately the same size.
What can you conclude from this about the orbit of the Moon around the Earth?
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
1 mark
(d)
The diagram shows the Earth in its orbit around the Sun.
N
Britain
Sun
S
not to scale
What season is it in Britain? Explain your answer.
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
……………..……………………………….…………………..……………………
2 marks
Maximum 6 marks
4.
The table shows the time taken for the Earth, Mars and Venus to orbit the Sun.
planet
time taken to orbit the
Sun, in Earth years
Earth
1.0
Mars
1.9
Venus
0.6
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The diagram shows the orbits of the Earth, Mars and Venus round the Sun, at one particular
time. The arrows show the direction in which the planets move.
Sun
Venus
Earth
Mars
not to scale
At the time shown in the diagram, the three planets were lined up with the Sun.
(a)
Show the position of the Earth three months after the planets were lined up, by marking
a point on the Earth’s orbit.
Label the point E.
1 mark
(b)
(i)
Show the approximate position of Mars three Earth months after the planets were
lined up, by marking a point on Mars’s orbit.
Label the point M.
1 mark
(ii)
Explain why Mars is in this position.
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
1 mark
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(c)
(i)
Show the approximate position of Venus three Earth months after the planets
were lined up, by marking a point on Venus’s orbit.
Label the point V.
1 mark
(ii)
Explain why Venus is in this position.
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 5 marks
5.
The diagram below shows the orbits of Neptune, Pluto and the Earth.
At two points, A and B, the orbits of Neptune and Pluto cross over each other.
A
Sun
B
Earth
Neptune
Pluto
not to scale
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(a)
What force keeps planets in orbit around the Sun?
...................................................................
1 mark
(b)
Give two reasons why it takes Pluto more time than Neptune to orbit the Sun.
1. ................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................
2. ................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................
2 marks
(c)
(i)
Tom can see the Sun because it is a light source. It gives out its own light.
Neptune and Pluto are not light sources but Tom can see them when he looks
through his telescope.
Explain why Tom can see Neptune and Pluto even though they are not light
sources.
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
2 marks
(ii)
Between points A and B, Pluto is nearer than Neptune to the Earth.
Tom noticed that Pluto is not as bright as Neptune, even when Pluto is closer
than Neptune to the Earth.
Give one reason why Pluto is not as bright as Neptune.
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 6 marks
1.
(a)
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Mercury-Sun
150 million km
Pluto-Sun
0.38 million km
Earth-Moon
5900 million km
Earth-Sun
58 million km
award a mark for each correct line
if more than four lines are drawn deduct
one mark for each extra line
(b)
the Sun
1
[5]
2.
(a)
It is between the orbit of Earth and the orbit of Jupiter
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark
accept the orbit drawn on the diagram
provided that is clearly labelled
1
(b)
(i)
1
an indication of any point within the limits shown
V
the mid-point of the planet must lie within the
limits shown
(ii)
because the distance between Venus and the Earth changes
accept ‘it gets closer’ or ‘it gets further away’
or ‘it is at different distances
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(c)
(i)
an indication of any point within the limits shown
1
J
the mid-point of the planet must lie within the
limits shown
(ii)
(d)
because the distance between Jupiter and the earth changes
accept ‘because of the angle which Jupiter is
seen from’ or ‘it gets closer’ or ‘it gets further
away’ or ‘it is at different distances
do not accept ‘because of the weather or air
pollution
1
any two from
 Jupiter is further from the Sun or Venus is closer to the Sun
accept ‘Jupiter is further away’ or ‘Venus is
nearer’
 Jupiter is further from the Earth or Venus is closer to the Earth
do not accept ‘it is closer or further away’
 Jupiter’s clouds are less reflective or Venus’s clouds are more reflective
accept ‘Jupiter absorbs more light’
or ‘Venus has a higher albedo’
2
[7]
3.(a) (i)
the dots for Mars, the Earth and Venus should be in a straight line, the
shortest possible distance apart
1
Sun
V
Earth
M
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(ii)
any one from
 it is brightest
accept ‘it is brighter’
 it looks biggest or bigger accept ‘it is bigger’
accept ‘you can see it at night’
1
(b)
gravity
1
(c)
any one from
 it is circular
 it is always the same distance from the Earth
1
(d)
winter
1
any one from
 the Northern hemisphere is tilted away from
do not accept ‘the Earth is tilted the Sun
away from the Sun’
 Britain is in the part of the Earth which is tilted away from the Sun
 the Sun’s rays hit the Earth at more of an angle
accept ‘the Sun appears lower in the sky’
angle
accept ‘night is longer than day’
1
[6]
4.
(a)
a letter E to show that the Earth has travelled through 90° of its orbit
1
V
Sun
E
Venus
Earth
M
Mars
the letter E must be on the Earth’s orbit
(b)
(i)
a letter M to show that Mars has travelled through
less than 90° of its orbit
the letter M must be on the orbit of Mars
(ii)
any one from
 outer planets move more slowly
 it moves more slowly
 outer planets take longer to orbit
 Mars has a longer year accept ‘the orbit of Mars is longer’
or ‘the outer planets have further to go’ accept
‘because Mars takes 1.9 Earth years to orbit
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the Sun’
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(c)
(i)
a letter V to show that Venus has travelled through more than 90°
of its orbit and less than 180°
the letter V must be on the orbit of Venus
(ii)
any one from
 inner planets move more quickly
 it moves more quickly
 inner planets take less time to orbit
 Venus has a shorter year
accept ‘the orbit of Venus is shorter’ or ‘the
inner planets have less far to go’
accept ‘because Venus takes 0.6 Earth years
to orbit the Sun’
1
[5]
5.
(a)
gravitational pull of the Sun
ac
1
cept ‘gravity’
or the Sun’s gravity
ac
cept ‘weight’
(b)
any two from
 its average speed is lower
 for most of its orbit the Sun’s
gravity is less
 its orbit is longer
 for most of its orbit it is further
from the Sun
(c)
(i)
2
accept ‘its speed is slower’
or ‘it travels more slowly’
accept ‘the pull of the Sun is weaker’
or ‘gravity is less’
accept ‘it travels further’ or ‘the orbit is bigger’
accept ‘it is further from the Sun’
or ‘further away’
light from the Sun
1
reflects off Pluto and Neptune or the planets or them
accept for two marks ‘sunlight reflects off them’
award the second mark only for ‘the Sun
reflects off the planets’
(ii)
any one from
 it is smaller
 it reflects less light
 it absorbs more light
1
1
accept ‘it is small’
accept ‘it is darker and smaller’
do not accept ‘it is further away ( from the
Earth) ‘or ‘it is further from the Sun’
do not accept ‘it is darker’
[6]
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