Earth Science: Astronomy and Celestial Phenomena

Base your answers to the following questions on the diagram below, which shows positions of the Moon in its orbit and phases of the Moon as viewed from New York State. What is the eccentricity of the Moon’s orbit?

• 0.017

• 0.055

• 0.386

• 0.723

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Compared to the luminosity and surface temperature of red main sequence stars, blue supergiants are

• less luminous and have a lower surface temperature

• less luminous and have a higher surface temperature

• more luminous and have a lower surface temperature

• more luminous and have a higher surface temperature

The direction of swing of a Foucault pendulum appears to change due to Earth’s

• revolution

• rotation

• spherical shape

• elliptical orbit

Base your answers to the following questions on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents the inferred changes to the luminosity and color of the Sun throughout its life cycle. The diagonal dashed line represents the main sequence stars. The numbers 1 through 5 represent stages in the life cycle of the Sun. For other stars in our galaxy that go through a similar life cycle to our Sun, which star is currently in the late stage of its life cycle?

• Alpha Centauri

• Procyon B

• Barnard’s Star

• Polaris

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

Which planet has the least distance between the two foci of its elliptical orbit?

• Venus

• Earth

• Mars

• Jupiter

Which process produces the energy radiated by the star when it becomes a main sequence star?

• radioactive decay

• nuclear fusion

• conduction

• convection

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

Base your answers to the following questions on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents the orbital paths of the four Jovian planets and Halley's comet around the Sun. Halley's comet has a revolution period of 76 years. In 1986, Halley's comet was at perihelion, its closest point to the Sun. Letters A, B, C, and D represent locations of Halley's comet in its orbit. Location D represents Halley's comet at aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun. The comet's tail is shown at perihelion and at locations B and C. This diagram of our solar system represents a

• geocentric model with the Sun near the center

• geocentric model with Earth near the center

• heliocentric model with the Sun near the center

• heliocentric model with Earth near the center

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Which two characteristics do all Jovian planets have in common?

• small diameters and low densities

• small diameters and high densities

• large diameters and low densities

• large diameters and high densities

A comparison of the age of Earth obtained from radioactive dating and the age of the universe based on galactic Doppler shifts suggests that

• Earth is about the same age as the universe

• the universe is much younger than Earth

• the solar system and Earth formed billions of years after the universe began

• the two dating methods contradict one another

Which statement best describes Earth's approximate rates of rotation and revolution?

• Earth's rotation revolution rate is 15°/hour and its revolution rate is 1°/day.

• Earth's rotation revolution rate is 1°/hour and its revolution rate is 15°/day.

• Earth's rotation revolution rate is 24°/hour and its revolution rate is 360°/day.

• Earth's rotation revolution rate is 360°/hour and its revolution rate is 24°/day.