8.7A Day/Night & Revolution

The Southern Hemisphere experiences the coldest seasonal weather during what portion of the Earth’s orbit?

• When the orbital speed of the Earth is the fastest.

• During the time when the Earth passes Jupiter.

• When the South Pole tilts away from the Sun.

• During the time when both hemispheres have a full moon.

The period of daylight experienced each day on every part of Earth would be shorter if which one of the following changes occurred?

• Earth had a greater diameter.

• The mass of the Sun was greater.

• Earth rotated more quickly on its axis.

• The Sun was farther away from Earth.

An illustration is provided showing the the relative motions of Earth and the Sun.

Seasonal variations on Earth would be significantly changed if which of the following were changed?

• The speed of rotation of Earth.

• The direction of orbit of Earth.

• The speed of rotation of the Sun.

• The angle of tilt of Earth’s axis.

The speed of the rotation of Earth has the greatest effect on which of the following?

• Length of day and night

• Path of the Moon’s orbit

• Length of a year

• Path of orbit around the Sun

Which of the following would cause the seasons on Earth to change more gradually?

• Increasing the amount of time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun.

• Increasing the number of times Earth rotates on its axis per year.

• Decreasing the speed of the Moon’s orbit around Earth.

• Decreasing the amount of energy the Sun emits per year.

The Sun appears to rise and set because of which of the following?

• The Sun is much larger than the Earth.

• The Earth rotates on is axis.

• The Sun’s gravity is very strong.

• The axis of the Earth is tilted.

The seasons on the Earth are the result of –

• the orbit of the moon around the Earth.

• the Sun having a large gravitational pull.

• the continual rotation of Earth on its tilted axis.

• the tilt of the Earth and its orbit around the Sun.

Students are modeling the Earth, the Sun, and their relative motions. A basketball is used to represent the Sun, and a tennis ball is used to represent Earth.

In order to accurately model the cause of day and night on the Earth, the students must –

• lift the tennis ball off the table.

• rotate the tennis ball on an axis.

• rotate the basketball on an axis.

• move the tennis ball around the basketball.

All of the following affect the seasonal variation in weather on the Earth EXCEPT -

• the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun.

• the varying amounts of daylight during the year.

• the tilt of the Earth on its axis of rotation.

• the distance between the moon and the Earth.

6 If Earth’s orbital path were to change so that it would take more time to revolve around the sun, Earth would –

• have a greater tilt on its axis.

• have longer days and nights.

• have seasons that last longer.

• rotate on its axis at a faster rate.