Solar System Review

Many people know that scientists have discovered a famous red spot on Jupiter, and that this spot is actually a giant storm that moves around the planet. This storm can be seen by telescopes from earth and also by probes that have flown past Jupiter. What question could you ask that would help you determine which of those two tools was used to discover Jupiter’s red storm for the first time?

• How many miles is Jupiter from Earth?

• Has a human ever landed on Jupiter?

• Was the storm discovered from the surface of Jupiter, or from space?

• Was the storm first seen from earth or from an image sent from space?

A group of astronomers is studying objects that are very distant from our solar system. They are trying to decide if a new device is useful for their research. Which question would most help them decide if the device is useful for their research?

• Is the device larger than other devices?

• Will the device use more electricity than other devices?

• Does this device take longer to build than other devices?

• Can the device gather data from further distances than other devices?

The United States has landed a device on Mars. Using this device, which question can now be answered that could not be answered before?

• What is the shape and color of Mars?

• How many moons does Mars have?

• What is the soil like on Mars?

• How far away is Mars?

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Which of the following questions could be asked to understand how technology has affected observations made about space overtime?

• How are the sizes of technology different from many years ago compared to today’s technology?

• How does the information collected today compare to information collected many years ago?

• Is the technology used today more complex than they were in ancient times?

• When were other galaxies discovered?

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-3

Use the chart below, Would you predict that Rigel or Betelgeuse would appear brighter from earth?

• Rigel because it is larger and closer to Earth

• Betelgeuse because it is larger and closer to Earth

• Rigel because blue supergiants appear brighter than red supergiants

• Betelgeuse because red supergiants appear brighter than blue supergiant

Kate and Sam are outside on a perfectly clear night, looking up at the stars. They are discussing what they learned about stars in science class today. Kate says she is still confused as to why some stars are brighter than others. She asks Sam if he could explain. Which argument is the best to explain why some stars appear to be larger and brighter than others.

• If one star is closer to the earth than another, then it will appear larger and brighter. If two stars are the same distance from the earth, the larger star will appear brighter.

• When a person on earth looks at the stars in the night sky, if one star is further away from the earth than another, then it will appear larger and brighter. If two stars are the same distance from the earth, the larger star will appear brighter.

• When a person on earth looks at the stars in the night sky, if one star is closer to the earth than another, then it will appear larger and brighter. If two stars are the same distance from the earth, the smaller star will appear brighter.

• When a person on earth looks at the stars in the night sky, if one star is further away from the earth than another, then it will appear smaller and brighter. If two stars are the same distance from the earth, the smaller star will appear brighter.

During recess, Tony and Josephine were talking about the sun and stars. Tony told Josephine that the sun is really a star. Josephine asked why it was so big and bright. If the sun is a star why is it so big and bright?

• The sun is not really a star. It is a sun and that’s why it is so big and bright.

• Since the sun is the closest star to the earth, it appears bigger and brighter than the other stars.

• The sun is brighter than all the other stars in the sky, so it looks bigger from the earth even though it is really farther away than most stars.

• The sun is a star, but it is made up of gasses that are much different from the other stars and this makes it appear bigger and brighter than the other stars.

Two fourth grade boys are looking at the night sky with a telescope and notice some stars are brighter and bigger than other stars. Which statement BEST explains why some stars are brighter and bigger?

• The stars are bigger than other stars because they are physically bigger.

• The stars are brighter than other stars because they are physically brighter

• The stars appear bigger and brighter because of their closeness to the Earth.

• The stars appear bigger and brighter because of their closeness to surrounding stars..

Tags

NGSS.5-ESS1-1

A student completes research and organizes it in the chart below. The teacher observes the notes and asks the student to give Label A and Label B the correct headings. Which of the following would the student fill in and why?

• Label A is a star because stars constantly twinkle since they always give off light. Label B is a planet because planets are either made out of gases or rocks.

• Label A is a star because stars constantly twinkle since they always give off light. Label B is a planet because planets do not give off their own light.

• Label A is a planet because it is made out of hot helium. Label B is a run because all suns are made out of hot rocks.

• Label A is a planet because it gives off light. Label B is a star because all stars reflect light and twinkle in the night.

A student is completing research about how stars are different from planets. Which of the following descriptions could the student conclude from the research?

• Stars are evenly spread out in the sky because of their orbits.

• Stars are made out of gases and give off a light.

• Stars orbit around planets that they are close to

• Stars each have one moon that orbits around it.