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Earth, Moon, and Sun

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

About how long does Earth take to rotate once on its axis?

a)

365 days

b)

6 months

c)

24 hours

d)

1 month

2.

What causes the seasons?

a)

The distance between Earth and the sun

b)

The tilt of Earth's axis

c)

Length of time until the solstice

d)

Location on Earth relative to the equator

3.

An equinox occurs when

a)

neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun.

b)

the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

c)

the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.

d)

Earth’s axis is parallel to the sun’s rays.

4.

At which location in Earth's rotation is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

a)

SS

b)

VE

c)

WS

d)

AE

5.

From new moon phase to full moon phase, you see

a)

an increasing amount of the lit side of the moon.

b)

a decreasing amount of the lit side of the moon.

c)

the same amount of the lit side of the moon.

d)

more of the lit side, then less of the lit side of the moon.

6.

For a solar eclipse to occur,

a)

the sun must be directly between Earth and the moon.

b)

the moon must be directly between Earth and the sun.

c)

the moon must be directly behind Earth.

d)

Earth must be directly between the sun and the moon.

7.

You are less likely to see a total solar eclipse than a total lunar eclipse because

a)

the moon’s shadow covers all of Earth during a solar eclipse.

b)

new moon phases occur less often than full moon phases.

c)

only people on the daytime side of Earth can see a solar eclipse.

d)

the moon’s umbra only covers a small area on Earth’s surface.

8.

During a total lunar eclipse the moon is in Earth’s

a)

corona.

b)

penumbra.

c)

umbra.

d)

orbit.

9.

What are the phases of the moon?

a)

The repeating pattern of night and day

b)

The monthly pattern of lunar and solar eclipses

c)

The sequence of seasons the moon causes on Earth

d)

The different shapes of the moon as seen from Earth

10.

Tides are caused mainly by

a)

Earth’s rotation on its axis, which causes water to move.

b)

differences in how much the sun pulls on different parts of Earth.

c)

strong winds blowing water onto coasts.

d)

differences in how much the moon and the sun pull on different parts of Earth.

11.

Most coastal areas have __________ high tides and __________ low tides each day.

a)

four; four

b)

two; two

c)

two; four

d)

four; two

12.

One complete revolution of Earth around the sun takes about

a)

24 hours.

b)

250 days

c)

365 days

d)

6 months.

13.

What motion causes day and night?

a)

Earth's revolution

b)

Earth's rotation

c)

Earth's axis

d)

Earth's tilt

14.

Why does the area around the equator stay about the same temperature all year?

a)

The equator rotates slower than the poles.

b)

The equator always receives direct sunlight.

c)

The equator remains the same distance from the sun.

d)

The equator has 18 hour days.

15.

Because the moon rotates once for each revolution around Earth,

a)

you see some phases more than others.

b)

a different side of the moon faces Earth each day.

c)

you never see the far side of the moon from Earth.

d)

the far side of the moon is visible only during the full moon phase.

16.

During what phase of the moon can a lunar eclipse occur?

a)

new moon

b)

first quarter

c)

waxing gibbous

d)

full moon

17.

A total solar eclipse is visible from

a)

all over Earth.

b)

only within the moon’s umbra.

c)

only within the moon’s penumbra.

d)

only the dark side of Earth.

18.

When are tides highest?

a)

during the moon’s first quarter phase

b)

when the sun, Earth, and the moon are nearly in a line

c)

during the moon’s third quarter phase

d)

when the moon is at a right angle to the sun

19.

When do neap tides occur?

a)

at new moon

b)

when the sun’s pull is in the same direction as the moon’s pull

c)

when the sun’s pull is at right angles to the moon’s pull

d)

at full moon

20.

When does a spring tide happen?

a)

When the moon is in the first quarter

b)

When the sun’s rays are most intense

c)

When the sun, moon, and Earth are all lined up

d)

When the sun and moon form a right angle with Earth

21.

How does the position of the moon affect ocean tides?

a)

The side of Earth facing the moon and the opposite side have the highest tides.

b)

The highest tides always occur when the moon is in its first quarter and third quarter phases.

c)

The side that is furthest away from the moon experiences the least gravitational pull and has the lowest tides.

d)

The tides correspond to the angles of Earth and the moon so the highest tides are when they are at 90°.

22.

Which kind of tide is shown?

a)

a new tide

b)

a spring tide

c)

a neap tide

d)

a full tide

23.

When the moon is getting smaller, this is described as ___________________.

a)

waxing

b)

waning

c)

rotating

d)

revolving

24.


Where does the moon get its light?

a)

The moon generates its light from its core.

b)

The moon is illuminated by the neighboring stars.

c)

The moon is illuminated by the light from the earth.

d)

The moon is illuminated by the sun's rays.

25.

When it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, what season is it in the Northern Hemisphere?

a)

spring

b)

fall

c)

winter