Earth's Patterns

The table shows the portion of the visible moon illuminated on several different dates for 2012. Which of the following is the most reasonable prediction for the portion of the visible moon that will be illuminated on July 16?

• 23%

• 16%

• 13%

• 9%

The San Jacinto Monument is 173 meters tall, but the shadow it casts at noon changes throughout the year. Which of the following is the most reasonable prediction for the length of the shadow of the monument for the month of November?

• 226 meters

• 85 meters

• 66 meters

• 54 meters

Shown here is a series of images that show the appearance of the moon over a two week period. Which of the following shows the missing data for the appearance of the moon for May 28?

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The table shows the times of sunrise for several different dates for 2013. Which of the following is the most reasonable prediction for the time of sunrise on December 31?

• 7:18

• 7:20

• 7:27

• 7:30

A student placed a stick in the ground and then recorded the position of its shadow at different times of the day as the sun moved across the sky. Which outline in the student’s recorded observations represents the position of the stick’s shadow at 10:00 a.m.?

• A

• B

• C

• D

The illustrations shows the location of the Sun in the sky at noon on December 21 and on June 21. Based on this information, predict which labeled dot in the illustration shows the location of the Sun at noon on September 21.

• A

• B

• C

• D

A student collected data on how the Moon appeared in the night sky.

What will it look like on May 17th?

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Why do shadows change in appearance during the day?

• The change in how the air moves during the day

• The place we stand when we look at the shadows

• The way the Sun seems to move through the sky

• The way things grow when they are warmed by the Sun

This table displays the sunrise and sunset data for Houston, Texas. Which of the following are the most reasonable predictions for sunrise and sunset on Day 20?

• Sunrise: 6:48 a.m., Sunset: 8:00 p.m.

• Sunrise: 6:50 a.m., Sunset: 8:03 p.m.

• Sunrise: 6:52 a.m., Sunset: 7:59 p.m.

• Sunrise: 6:55 a.m., Sunset: 8:10 p.m.

Students recorded the appearance of the Moon one day and then again a week later. What is the most reasonable prediction for the appearance of the Moon one week after that, on July 4?

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