Earth and Space

A group of students observes the position of the sun throughout the day.  What causes the Sun to appear to move across the sky? 

• The Sun rising in the East and setting in the West
• Earth's revolution around the Sun
• The pull of gravity from the Moon and Sun
• Earth's rotation on it's axis

A day and night cycle occurs on Earth once every 24 hours.  This diagram shows how part of the Earth is in darkness while the other part is in daylight.  The arrows show how Earth spins on its axis (rotation) and moves in a path around the Sun (revolution).  What accounts for Earth's day-night cycle?

• It's rotation only
• It's revolution only
• Both its rotation and it's revolution
• Neither it's rotation or it's revolution

A student constructs a chart to organize characteristics of the Sun,Earth and Moon.  The student creates a list of characteristics to add to the chart.  Which characteristics could ONLY be added to the Earth column?
1. Planet
2. Satellite
3. Star
4. Revolves
5. Has layers
6. Supports life
7. Has landforms
8. Has precipitation
9. Has a magnetic field
10. Has gravity

• 1,5,6,7,8,9
• 1,4,5,6,9,10
• 1.6,8,10
• 1,6,8

The rotation of Earth on it's axis best explains the following?

• The formation of clouds
• The change of seasons
• The erosion of mountains
• The formation of shadows

A student observed and recorded the position of the sun in the sky at different times of the day.  Which of the following best explains the different location of the Sun in these observations?

• The heating of the air by the sun
• The direction the house is facing
• The movement of clouds in the sky
• The rotation of the Earth on it's axis

Which statement describes WEATHER, rather than climate? 

• The weather is usually hot and humid year round
• The destination has hot summers and cold winters
• The summer tempertures average between 29 and 35 degrees
• The humidity level on Tuesday was 30 %

Why are there far more craters on the Moon than on Earth?

• The Earth's atmosphere protects the surface from meteors
• The Moon's atmosphere protects the surface from meteors
• The Sun's atmosphere protects the surface from meteors
• Both the Earth and Moon have the same amount of craters

Why does the Sun affect the ocean near the equator the most? 

• The Sun shines more directly on the equator, heating this water more slowly and causing it to evaporate more slowly
• The Sun does not shine on the equator, which does not allow the water to heat and evaporate
• The Sun shines more directly on the equator, heating this water more quickly and causing it to evaporate more quickly
• None of the above

The water cycle involves an interaction between the Sun and the oceans.  This diagram illustrates how the Sun and oceans interact.  Notice the Sun is numbered 1.  Which number represents the process that is directly caused by the Sun and that serves as the major source of energy for the water cycle?

• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

This table lists the approximate length of a planetary day for four planets, including Earth. What determines the values shown in this table?

• The time it takes each planet to complete one rotation
• The time it takes each planet to complete one revolution
• The distance that each planet is from the Sun
• The distance that each planet is from Earth