The Solar System & Moon

Evidence that Earth revolves around the Sun is provided by the 

• apparent rising and setting of the sun during one day
• apparent rising and setting of Polaris during one day
• seasonal changes in the apparent positions of constellations
• hourly changes in the apparent direction of the swing of a Foucault pendulum 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which statement best compares the intensity and angle of insolation at noon on March 21 and June 21?

• The intensity and angle of insolation are greatest on March 21.
• The intensity and angle of insolation are greatest on June 21
• The intensity of insolation is greatest on June 21 and the angle of insolation is greatest on March 21.
• The intensity of insolation is greatest on March 21 and the angle of insolation is greatest on June 21.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Seasonal changes on Earth are primarily caused by the

• parallelism of the Sun's axis as the Sun revolves around Earth
• changes in distance between Earth and the Sun
• elliptical shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun
• tilt of Earth's axis as Earth revolves around the Sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

If Earth's rate of rotation increases, the length of one Earth day will be

• shorter than 24 hours
• longers than 24 hours
• 24 hours, with a shorter nighttime period
• 24 hours, with a longer nighttime period

The constellation Pisces changes position during a night, as shown in the diagram below. Which motion is mainly responsible for this change in position?

• revolution of Earth around the Sun
• rotation of Earth on its axis
• rotation of Pisces on its axis
• revolution of Pisces around the Sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

In which type of model are the Sun, other stars, and the Moon in orbit around the Earth?

• heliocentric model
• tetrahedral model
• concentric model
• geocentric model

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which motion causes some constellations to be visible in New York State only during winter nights and other constellations to be visible only during summer nights?

• Stars in constellations revolve around Earth.
• Stars in constellations revolve around the Sun
• Earth revolves around the Sun
• Earth rotates on its axis.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which planet has an orbit with an eccentricity most similar to the eccentricity of the Moon’s orbit around Earth?

• Earth
• Jupiter
• Pluto
• Saturn

Which planet’s orbit around the Sun is most nearly circular?

• Mercury
• Neptune
• Pluto
• Venus

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Which object is located near the foci of the elliptical orbit of Mars?

• the Sun
• Betelgeuse 
• Earth
• Jupiter

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4