[8th] Space NGSSS Standards Exam

People get confused about the organization of space. 

Place these in order from largest to smallest:

-galaxy
-solar system
-Sun
-universe

• universe - solar system - galaxy - Sun

• Sun - universe - galaxy - solar system

• universe - galaxy - solar system - Sun

• galaxy - universe - solar system - Sun

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Earth is just one of the planets that revolve around the Sun in the Solar System, and the Sun is just one of billions of stars within the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is one of thirty galaxies in a cluster of galaxies called the Local Group. The local group is just one cluster within a super-cluster called the Virgo Super-Cluster. And finally the Virgo Super-Cluster is just a tiny part of the entire Universe.

Galaxies are systems of stars, gases, and dust that exist in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The simplest classification scheme devised by Edwin Hubble recognizes four basic types of galaxies; elliptical, spiral, barred spiral, and irregular. 

Identify the shape of Earth’s galaxy.

• Irregular
• Barred spiral
• Spiral
• Elliptical

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What is the name of the galaxy where Earth is located?

• Andromeda
• Triangulum
• Whirlpool
• Milky Way

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It is safe for us to look at all stars except the Sun. When seen from Earth, why does the Sun appear so large and bright that we must never look directly at it?

• The Sun is larger than all other stars in the universe.
• The Sun's brightness is due to its unique color spectrum.
• The Sun is a black hole that emits light due to gravitational forces.
• The Sun appears so large and bright because it is much closer to Earth than other stars, making it more intense and potentially harmful to our eyes.

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In science we use very big and very small numbers. Scientists have developed units of measurement which make the numbers easier to manage. For example, instead of saying that the Sun is 93 million miles from the Earth, it is easier to say the Sun is one ___________ from the Earth. 

In science that is the unit of measure for the distance from the Sun to the Earth.

• light year
• parsec
• kilometer
• astronomical unit (AU)

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How is the Sun similar to the stars that can be seen at night?

• The Sun takes light energy from other objects in space.

• The Sun warms the Earth with its light.

• The Sun makes light energy.

• The Sun reflects light from the planets.

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Which of these stars is the OLDEST?

• nearly 50% hydrogen

• nearly 0% hydrogen

• nearly 100% hydrogen

• nearly 0% iron

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Our solar system is said to be a Heliocentric model. What is at the center of our solar system?

• An exploding star called a Supernova

• A star composed of hydrogen and helium

• A star composed of nitrogen and helium

• A black hole where a massive star collapsed

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________________ are temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun that appear as dark spots compared to surrounding regions. They are caused by intense magnetic activity.

• Solar flares
• Prominences
• Sunspots
• Coronal mass ejections

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A ____________________ is a sudden eruption of magnetic energy released on or near the surface of the Sun, usually associated with sunspots and accompanied by bursts of electromagnetic radiation and particles.

• solar flare
• prominence

• photosphere

• solar storm

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