Earth & Space Systems

The diagram shows the orbit of the moon around Earth. At which point in the moon’s orbit will a person standing on Earth see a waxing crescent moon?

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Earth’s land areas, oceans, and atmosphere maintain fairly constant average temperatures. What is the best explanation for these constant average temperatures?

• Earth’s Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere have opposite seasons.
• Earth is tilted and rotates daily on its axis.
• The continuous motion of air and water distributes the sun’s energy.
• Global weather systems generally move from west to east.

Which word best describes the changes in the Moon’s appearance during the sequence above?

• Gibbous
• Waning
• Crescent
• Waxing 

Approximately how long does it take for the Moon to go from new moon to full moon?

• 1 day
• 6–8 days
• About 2 weeks
• About 1 month

At which position in the Moon’s orbit would a full moon occur?

• Position 1
• Position 2
• Position 3
• Position 4

Which of the following would astronomers most likely measure in light-years?

• Distance between stars
• Distance between Earth and the Moon
• Time it takes to travel to Jupiter
• Time it takes sunlight to reach Earth

Which of these best explains why the oceans have a greater impact on the weather than areas over the continents?

• Ocean waves move more easily than continental rock.
• The oceans contain a wider variety of organisms than the continents.
• The oceans store and transfer more heat than the continents.
• Ocean water contains more salt than most continental lake water

The diagram shows how the ocean floor is spreading. The new ocean floor made of molten rock is being formed at a mid-ocean ridge. Which best describes where the molten rock comes from?

• The crust
• Volcanoes under the ocean floor
• Masses of land to either side of the ocean
• The mantle just beneath Earth’s crust

Which of these features is formed by the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates?

• Ice cave
• Rift valley
• Deep trench
• Flat plateau

The images show how the Moon appears on eight different days of a month from the same position on Earth. Which statement best explains why the Moon appears to change as seen from Earth?

• The Moon only revolves around Earth and does not rotate.
• Earth casts a shadow on the Moon as it moves through the lunar cycle.
• The amount of light produced by the Moon varies throughout the month.
• The Moon, or part of the Moon, is unlit as seen from Earth.