Units 5 & 6: The Universe, Sun, Earth, & Moon

Units 5 & 6:

Sun, Earth, Moon & the Universe

• 8.7A

• 8.7B

• 8.7C ​

• 8.8A

• 8.8B

• 8.8C

TEKS:

​TEK TAGS	Students will be able to...	In other words...
​8.8 C	​Identify how different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum such as visible light and radio waves are used to gain information about components in the universe.	​You will learn that there are differing kinds of light that have different characterisitcs.These different kinds of light let us know about the various objects found in space.
8.8 A​	​Describe components of the universe, including stars, nebulae, and galaxies, and use models such as the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for classification.	The star closes to our planet is the sun. You will earn how big the Sun is compared to the other stars and where it is located in space.
8.8 B​	​Recognize that the Sun is a medium-sized star located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy and that the Sun is many thousands of times closer to Earth than any other star.	​Outer space is made up of many idfferent kinds of objects including stars, nebulae, and galaxies. You will describe these different objects and use scientific diagrams to identify them.

How Scary Is Space? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

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​On a cloudless night...

​Far from city lights, you can look at the sky and see many points of light-- these are objects in outer space. Most are too far for people ever to travel to. Instead, you can learn about these objects from the kinds of light they give off.

Not all light is the same. Light can appear in different colors. The light that makes up a rainbow is light humans can see-- visible light. there are also kinds of light that you cannot see. All of the differnt kinds of light together make up the electromagnetic spectrum, or EM Spectrum.

Did you know?

When we say light we usually mean visible light. but light also includes the non-visible parts of the EM spectrum.

​Light travels as EM waves (or electromagnetic waves)

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​8.8 C

​Light also can have different wavelengths (distance from one high point to the next)

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​One Wavelength (one high point to the next)

​8.8 C

​Light is arranged by different wavelengths carrying different amounts of energy

​8.8 C

Dropdown

In what ways is visible light different from ultraviolet light?

-Visible light has ​​

Select answer

than ultraviolet light.

-Visible light has ​​

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than ultraviolet light.

-You

Select answer

see visible light, but you​

Select answer

see ultraviolet light.

So, if you want to gather data from some lights (like x-rays), devices used to gather this data must fly above earth's atmosphere.

​Not all wavelengths of light move through matter in the same way.

​For example, only certain wavelengths of light pass through the atmosphere (the layer of air that surrounds Earth).

The atmosphere blocks some kinds of light.

Multiple Choice

Certain telescopes detect x-rays that come from faraway objects in space. Why must x-ray telescopes operate in space instead of on earth's surface?

• A.

  X-rays that come from earth's surface can interfere with telescope

• B.

  X-rays that come from faraway objects can harm people on earth

• C.

  X-rays cannot move through empty space like other kinds of waves can.

• D.

  X-rays cannot travel through Earth's thick atmosphere like visible light can.

​Explanation

​Certain telescopes detect x-rays that come from faraway objects in space. Why must x-ray telescopes operate in space instead of on earth's surface?

Relay: A Laser-Based Space Communications Game | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

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Open Ended

Watch the video and explain, "What is a light year?"

​All of outer space and the matter and objects within it make up the universe

​

Universe

No one knows for sure just how big the universe is, but scientists have taken pictures of objects that are nearly 14 billion light years away. That means the universe reaches at least that far in all directions, and maybe farther.

So, what kind of objects are out there?

Scattered throughout the universe are billions of galaxies

A galaxy is a system of stars, dust, and gas held together by gravity. Each galaxy contain billions of stars.

Click here to learn more about galaxies

​A star is a giant ball of burning gases (mostly hydrogen and helium) that gives off light

Reorder

Reorder the following in term of smallest (1) to biggest (4)

• Planet

• Galaxy

• Solar System

• Universe

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

​(Our galaxy shape)

​Our galaxy from Earth

Match

Match the term with its definition

• All of space and the matter and objects within it

• A measurement equal to the distance that light travels in a year

• A giant ball of burning gases that gives off light

• A very loose mass of cosmic dust and gases

• System of stars, dust, and gas held together by gravity

Nebula

Galaxy

Universe

Star

Light year

• Nebula

• Galaxy

• Universe

• Star

• Light year

Overview | Our Solar System – NASA Solar System Exploration

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Galaxies are filled with stars, but where do stars come from? Stars are "born" in giant cloud-like objects called nebula that are formed from exploding stars.

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A nebulae is a very loose mass of cosmic dust and gases.

​The Birth of a Star

Gravity, a force that pulls objects with mass together

When enough dust and gas pulls together within a nebula, the matter collapses in on itself and forms a dense core...

So, the force of gravity between the particles within a nebula can eventually cause areas of the nebula to condense, or come together.

​There is so much heat and pressure that the matter in this core starts to undergo nuclear fusion, which causes atoms to combine and give off huge amounts of heat and light energy. That is how a star is born.

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Nuclear Fusion

​They can differ in mass, brightness, color, temperature, and age.

Not all stars are alike...

​The mass of a star is determined in part by how much matter came together to form, and also by it's age.

Luminosity

The unit of temperature called the kelvin (K) is named for Lord William Thomson Kelvin. In the 1800s, he calculated that the coldest temperature possible is -273.15°C, which is equal to 0 K (zero kelvin).

How bright is a star compared to our sun?

The dimmer, the less than 1/100 the brightness of our sun.

The brightest is 10,000X brighter.

• based on brightness (or luminosity)

• based on surface temperature

Classifying stars...

Comparing brightness...

​A Hertzsprung-Russel diagram, or H-R diagram, uses circles to represent stars and their sizes. it plots the surface temperatures and brightness of different classes of stars.

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Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

The largest giants and supergiants are much cooler than some of the tiniest white dwarfs.

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Notice...

​Main sequence stars tend to have a surface temperature that is higher for brighter stars and lower for dimmer stars.

Drag and Drop

-Each cirle in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram represents​ ​a ​

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.

-A star that is shown next to the label "10,000 Suns" is​

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times as bright as Earth's Sun.

-The largest stars are

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(temperature) and

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(luminosity) than the smallest stars.

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star

10,000

cooler

brighter

less bright

hotter

Multiple Choice

Which class of star is about as bright as our Sun and has a surface temperature of 25,000 K?

• F.

  Giant

• G.

  Main Sequence

• H.

  Supergiant

• J.

  White Dwarf

​The Sun

​The Sun

• Closest star to Earth

• White in Color

• Classified as a main sequence star

• 149,600,00 kilometers (8.3 light minutes) away from earth

• Largest object in Earth's neighborhood, but only medium sized compared to other stars.

Draw

Circle the words that correctly describe our Sun.

Multiple Choice

Which characteristic correctly describes Earth's Sun?

• A.

  Red in Color

• B.

  Medium in Size

• C.

  Hotter than most stars

• D.

  At the center of our galaxy

Earth, Sun, and Moon

​TEK TAGS	Students will be able to...	In other words...
​8.8 C	​Model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves around the sun causing changes in seasons.	​Earth Spins at an angle and moves around the Sun. You will show how this motion causes each place on Earth to be dark at night and light during the day. You will also show how this motion causes some months to be colder than others.
8.8 A​	​Demonstrate and predict the sequence of events in the lunar cycle.	The moon looks different each day from Earth. The shape of the part that you see form Earth changes in a pattern that repeats about once a month. You will show how this pattern works and make predictions about how the moon will look based on it.
8.8 B​	​Relate the positions of the moon and sun to their effect on ocean tides.	​The ocean water level in a particular area changes in a pattern over time. You will explain how this pattern is based on where the moon and Sun are in relation to Earth.

Drag and Drop

The brightest object you see in the daytime sky is the​

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. It seems to move in an arc across the sky from ​

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to ​

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as if it is circling around our planet. But the Sun ​

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circle around Earth. Instead, Earth

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around the Sun.

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sun

east

west

does not

orbits

does

moon

Drag and Drop

In fact, the Sun is the​

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of our solar system. The ​

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includes the Sun, its​

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planets, and other ​

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objects that circle the sun.

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center

solar system

eight

smaller

larger

similar

two

milkyway

galaxy

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Home

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​The Sun and Gravity

​The Sun and Gravity

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Drag and Drop

Each object circling the Sun travels along an ​

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-shaped path called an orbit. This path is cause by ​

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. Gravity is the attractive force, or pull, between objects that have ​

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. The ​

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an object's mass, the greater its graviational pull. Also, the closer objects are to one another, the ​

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gravity's pull is between them.

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ellipse

gravity

mass

greater

stronger

circular

Multiple Choice

Which force helps keep Earth in its orbit around the Sun?

• F.

  A repulsion between Earth and the Sun due to their masses

• G.

  An attraction between Earth and the Sun due to their masses

• H.

  A repulsion between Earth and the Sun due to their magnetic fields

• J.

  An attraction between Earth and the Sun due to their magnetic fields

​The Planets and Other Objects in the Solar System

Dropdown

The Sun's mass is so great that its ​

Select answer

keeps the planets in our solar system in orbit.

Seasons and Ecliptic Simulator - Basic Coordinates and Seasons - NAAP

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Dropdown

The Earth rotates ​

Select answer

in 48 hours.

Drag and Drop

Earth's tilted ​

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causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth recieve the Sun's most direct ​

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. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it's ​

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in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it's ​

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in the Northern Hemisphere.

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axis

rays

summer

winter

Draw

Draw the Earth with it's correct tilt position for each season of the year

Drag and Drop

Australia is in the southern hemisphere. Label the diagram to show what season it is in Australia when earth is in each position.

A is ​

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​​

B is ​​

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C is ​​

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D is ​​

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Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Fall/Autumn

Summer

Spring

Winter

Dropdown

Australia is in the Southern hemisphere. Label the diagram to show what season it is in Australia when Earth is in each position.

In positon A, Australia is in ​

Select answer

.

In Position B, Australia is in ​

Select answer

.

In Position C, Australia is in ​

Select answer

.

In Position D, Australia is in ​

Select answer

.

Multiple Choice

A student models Earth's motion in space using a globe and a lamp. Which action would best model the motion that causes day and night on Earth's surface?

• A.

  Spinning the globe on its axis near the lamp

• B.

  Holding the axis of the globe at a tilted angle

• C.

  Walking the globe in a large circle around the lamp

• D.

  Walking the globe in a small circle around the globe

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Time Zone Map

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Lunar Cycle (Moon Phases)

Why does the moon sometimes look different at night?

​View from Earth

​View from Space

​Take a moment to line up the two...

​SUN

Draw

When the moon is in the position shown, how much of the moon's lit side can we see from Earth?

Shade in the circle to show what the moon looks like.

Dropdown

This phase of the moon is called a ​

Select answer

Multiple Choice

Which image shows the phase of the moon that occurs approximately 14 or 15 days after a new moon?

Ocean Tides

Changes in ocean water level are called tides.

​Neap Tides

Drag and Drop

The best time to sail your boat through a narrow channel is when the water is highest. This means you should sail during

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. At this time, the Sun, Earth, and moon are arranged in ​

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.

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spring high tide

a straight line

an L-shape

neap high tide

neap low tide

spring low tide

Multiple Choice

The diagram below shows the positions of the Earth, Sun, and moon.

What kind of tide will occur at point A during this time?

• A.

  A higher than average low tide, called neap low tide

• B.

  A lower than average high tide, called neap high tide

• C.

  A lower than average low tide, called spring low tide

• D.

  A higher than average high tide, called spring high tide

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