WorksheetsObjective 1 review
Total questions: 28
Worksheet time: 1hrs 13mins
What is the shape of Earth's orbit?
ellipse
circular
irregular
perfect sphere
What motion of Earth causes Earth to have a greater circumference at the equator than at the poles?
revolution
rotation
precession
nutation
Which best describes how energy from the sun helps to maintain life on Earth?
It forms the ocean’s water and the oxygen in the atmosphere that organisms need for life functions.
It heats Earth’s atmosphere and surface, which helps stabilize temperatures on Earth and creates environments more favorable for life to exist.
It prevents the destruction of the magnetic field around Earth that protects all life forms.
It is absorbed by Earth’s mantle, which drives plate tectonics to form new land masses for organisms to live.
The Sun transforms matter into energy through nuclear fusion. What can be inferred about the Sun from this fact?
The Sun is losing volume and hydrogen.
The Sun is losing mass and hydrogen.
The Sun is losing mass and helium.
The Sun is losing volume and helium
During the year, the angle at which the path of the Sun appears in the sky varies. In the Northern Hemisphere, the path of the Sun appears higher on the horizon during the summer and lower on the horizon during the winter. Which factor most contributes to the variation in the path of the Sun across the sky?
the rotation of Earth
the flattening of Earth at the poles
the tilted axis of Earth
the elliptical shape of the orbit of Earth
Classification of galaxies is based on which characteristic?
the shape of the galaxy
the color of the galaxy
how many stars make up the galaxy
how many planets make up the galaxy
One theory states that by the year 14000, the axis of Earth will point toward the star Vega. This is due to the very slow wobble of the axis of Earth. Which change is most likely to occur because of the movement of the axis?
Seasons will become more severe.
Winter and summer months will reverse.
Glacial coverage will expand near the poles.
More daylight will increase temperatures.
In some years, the month of February has 29 days instead of 28 days. Why is it necessary to sometimes add a day to the calendar?
The speed at which Earth orbits the Sun varies.
It takes the Moon about 27 days to revolve around Earth.
It takes Earth about 365.24 days to revolve around the Sun.
The Moon can complete more than one full cycle in some months.
How does the energy produced by the sun travel to Earth?
by the magnetic fields between the sun and Earth
by the convection of heat through particles in space
by the radiation of electromagnetic waves through space
by the process of conduction of heat between the sun and Earth
What is most likely to occur when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned in a relatively straight line?
a decrease in global wind patterns
an increase in temperature near the equator
more earthquakes near the equator and fewer at the poles
a larger-than-normal height difference between low tide and high tide
What would be the most likely result if the angle of the axis of Earth decreased to zero?
There would be no occurrence of different seasons.
Intensity of sunlight would be the same in all places.
Days would be longer than nights all through the year.
There would be no changing of the phases of the moon.
The temperate zones of the United States experience changing of seasons from winter to summer. Which is the reason for this annual change of seasons?
the rotation of Earth on its axis
the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
the distance of Earth from the Sun
the size and orbit of the Moon around Earth
Which fact best supports the importance of sunlight to life on Earth?
Few organisms live in the hottest parts of the Sahara.
Few organisms live in the center of the continent of Antarctica.
Few organisms live in the high peaks of the Himalayas.
Few organisms live in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park.
Which of these statements best explains the shape of Earth?
Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian.
Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the Prime Meridian than around the equator.
Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian.
Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the Prime Meridian than around the equator.
At the equator, Earth spins at a rate of about 1670 kilometers per hour. The circumference of Earth at the equator is about 40,000 kilometers. About how long does it take Earth to make one complete rotation on its axis at the equator?
12 hours
24 hours
29.5 days
365 days
The Sun and other stars are powered by nuclear fusion. Which of these statements correctly describes one of the processes that occur during nuclear fusion in stars?
Four hydrogen nuclei split to become a helium nucleus, absorbing energy.
Four helium nuclei combine then split to become a hydrogen nucleus, releasing energy.
Four hydrogen nuclei combine to become a helium nucleus, releasing energy.
Just as biologists classify living things, astronomers classify galaxies. What feature is used to classify galaxies?
shape
size
color
brightness
The rotation of Earth on its axis is gradually slowing. This change in rotation rate will most likely cause the
phases of the moon to change more slowly.
length of the orbit around the Sun to become shorter.
length of days on Earth to become longer.
changing of seasons on Earth to occur more quickly.
On a clear night away from city lights, a band of light is easily observed in the night sky. Which statement best identifies this band of light?
It is the Milky Way galaxy as seen from the inside.
It is a nearby galaxy known as the Andromeda galaxy.
It is the shift of light made as stars move away from the Sun.
It is a cloud of gas left over from the formation of the Sun.
When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Which statement explains this fact?
The Sun gives off more heat in the summer and less heat in the winter.
Earth is farther from the Sun in winter and closer to the Sun in summer.
With more clouds in the winter, less sunlight can reach the surface of Earth.
Since Earth is tilted on its axis, heat from the Sun gets distributed unequally.
A scientist is searching for areas where new solar systems might form. What feature is the scientist looking for?
a star similar to the Sun
a cloud of dust and gas
an oxygen-rich atmosphere
a gravitational acceleration of 9.8 m/sec 2
A new planet is discovered orbiting a single star. The planet has one moon. According to Kepler’s first law, what do scientists know about the orbit of the planet around the star?
The orbit is circular with the star at the center of the circle.
The planet takes 12 times longer to orbit the star than the moon takes to orbit the planet.
The orbit is elliptical with the star at one focus of the ellipse.
The planet orbits the star in a direction opposite to the direction of the moon’s orbit of the planet.
The length of time between night and day on Earth varies throughout the year. This time variance is explained primarily by
the position of the Sun.
the position of the Moon.
Earth’s angle of tilt
Earth’s distance from the Sun
Structures in the universe are grouped into large systems, each of which are made up of smaller systems. Which of the following is the largest system of which Earth is only a very small part?
Jovian planets
Halley’s comet
Milky Way galaxy
Orion’s belt
What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?
elliptical
spiral
oval
irregular
Which is true about the way sunlight changes from winter to summer?
Sunlight travels faster in summer.
Sunlight has higher wavelengths in summer.
Sunlight is more intense in summer.
Sunlight has greater frequencies in summer.
Which number is closest to the estimated number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy?
200 thousand
200 million
200 billion
200 trillion
Some constellations are more prominent in the night sky of North Carolina in winter, while other constellations are more prominent in the night sky in summer. Which best explains why this occurs?
because of Earth’s rotation on its axis
because of stars revolving around Earth
because of Earth revolving around the sun
because of the change in the barycenter of Earth
