SE #6: How can the Sun help us explore other planets?

Who is your homeroom teacher?

• Worthington

• Skillman

• Ruff

• McCurdy

• Walker

What is your name? (First and Last)

You go on a camping trip with two friends named, Imani and Charlie. You give each of them a flashlight so they won't get lost in the dark. Both flashlights are the exact same size and are equally bright. But as you sit in the dark, you see two lights. Imani’s flashlight appears much, much brighter than Charlie’s flashlight. You know that their flashlights are exactly the same. What could explain this?

• Imani is closer to you than Charlie is. Light appears dimmer the farther away you are from it, so because Imani’s flashlight appears brighter, it must be closer.
• Charlie is closer to you than Imani is. Light appears brighter the farther away you are from it, so because Imani’s flashlight appears brighter, it must be the farther away.
• Imani and Charlie are equally far away from you. Distance has no effect on how bright a light appears, so there must be some other explanation.

The Sun will appear brighter when viewed from Earth than when viewed from Saturn because Earth is closer to the Sun.

• True
• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The Sun will appear equally bright when viewed from Jupiter and when viewed from Neptune because distance does not affect brightness.

• True
• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The Sun will appear like a small, dim star when viewed from Neptune because it is so far away.

• True
• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The Sun will always appear the same because distance does not change how bright the Sun appears.

• True
• False

3. Imagine someone says to you, “The Sun is just a star, even though it looks way bigger and brighter than all the other stars!” Do you agree or disagree? Support your answer with reasoning. You can use evidence from the other questions to support your answer!

• I disagree, I think the Sun appears to be brighter because it is a big star.

• No, our Sun is not a star, it's the Sun.

• Yes, I agree the Sun is a star. Lights appear brighter the closer you are to them. The Sun is just very close to Earth. If we traveled outside our solar system and looked at the Sun from very far away, it would look like a star in the night sky.

• Yes, I agree that the Sun is a star. Lights appear brighter the closer you are to them. The Sun is just very close to Earth.

• All stars change sizes, so it's bright just because.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1