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Unit 2: Sun, Moon & Earth

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Aristotle concluded that Earth was round because ____.

a)

it always casts a curved shadow during a

lunar eclipse

b)

he sailed around the world

c)

he calculated Earth’s circumference

d)

it exhibited retrograde motion

2.

The geocentric model of the universe stated that ____.

a)

Earth revolved around the celestial sphere

b)

the sun was the center of the universe

c)

Earth was a “wanderer”

d)

Earth was the center of the universe

3.

One astronomical unit (AU) averages about ____.

a)

39 million kilometers

b)

93 million kilometers

c)

150 million kilometers

d)

210 million kilometers

4.

The first early astronomer to propose a sun-centered solar system was ____.

a)

Galileo

b)

Newton

c)

Copernicus

d)

Brahe

5.

What is the shape of a planet’s orbit?

a)

elliptical

b)

circular

c)

irregular

d)

parabolic

6.

Which scientist determined the nature of the forces that keep the planets in their orbits?

a)

Copernicus

b)

Galileo

c)

Brahe

d)

Newton

7.

Which scientist was the first to use the telescope in astronomy?

a)

Newton

b)

Galileo

c)

Copernicus

d)

Kepler

8.

The true shape of planetary orbits was discovered by ____.

a)

Newton

b)

Galileo

c)

Brahe

d)

Kepler

9.

Which astronomer spent 20 years plotting the positions of the planets?

a)

Newton

b)

Galileo

c)

Brahe

d)

Kepler

10.

Patterns or configurations of stars named in honor of mythological characters are called _____.

a)

formations

b)

retrograde

c)

inertias

d)

constellations

11.

How are constellations used in modern astronomy?

a)

A constellation represents a faraway solar system.

b)

They are used to group stars of the same exact brightness together.

c)

They are used as a record of human history.

d)

They are used to divide the sky into regions.

12.

How many constellations are currently recognized?

a)

850

b)

88

c)

The number of constellations that are recognized increases every year.

d)

The number of constellations that are recognized decreases every year.

13.

Earth is closest to the sun at a point called ____.

a)

perihelion

b)

aphelion

c)

apogee

d)

precession

14.

The turning or spinning of a body on its axis is known as ____.

a)

rotation

b)

revolution

c)

precession

d)

apogee

15.

Seasons are caused by ____.

a)

Earth’s rotation

b)

precession

c)

Earth’s tilted axis

d)

Earth’s distance from the sun

16.

The moon is closest to Earth at ____.

a)

perigee

b)

apogee

c)

perihelion

d)

aphelion

17.

Our timekeeping system is based on the ____.

a)

sidereal day

b)

solar day

c)

phases of the moon

d)

Earth's tilt

18.

During the period that the moon’s phases are changing from new to full, the moon is ____.

a)

waning

b)

approaching Earth

c)

waxing

d)

exhibiting retrograde motion

19.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 5.

a)

New Moon

b)

Full Moon

c)

1st Quarter

d)

Waxing Crescent

20.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 7.

a)

New Moon

b)

Third Quarter

c)

1st Quarter

d)

Waxing Crescent

21.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 1.

a)

New Moon

b)

Third Quarter

c)

1st Quarter

d)

Waxing Crescent

22.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 2.

a)

New Moon

b)

Third Quarter

c)

1st Quarter

d)

Waxing Crescent

23.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 3.

a)

New Moon

b)

Third Quarter

c)

1st Quarter

d)

Waxing Crescent

24.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 4.

a)

Gibbous Waxing

b)

Gibbous Waning

c)

Crescent Waning

d)

Full Moon

25.

According to the attached picture, the Moon is in the __________ phase at position 6.

a)

Gibbous Waxing

b)

Gibbous Waning

c)

Crescent Waning

d)

Full Moon

26.

At the time indicated in this diagram, what season is it in the Southern hemisphere?

a)

spring

b)

summer

c)

fall

d)

winter

27.

In the northern hemisphere, what day is represented by this diagram?

a)

winter solstice

b)

summer solstice

c)

autumnal equinox

d)

vernal equinox

28.

People who see a partial solar eclipse are located in the ____ portion of the Moon's shadow.

a)

umbra

b)

perigee

c)

apogee

d)

penumbra

29.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through Earth's ____.

a)

atmosphere

b)

orbit

c)

shadow

d)

umbra

30.

What type of eclipse is shown in the picture?

a)

solar eclipse

b)

lunar eclipse

c)

total eclipse

d)

partial eclipse

31.

According to the picture, at which point would an observer see a total eclipse?

a)

Point A

b)

Point B

c)

Point C

d)

None are correct

32.

What is labeled at Point B in the picture?

a)

Umbra

b)

Penumbra

c)

Path of eclipse

d)

Sun

33.

What is labeled at Point C in the picture?

a)

Umbra

b)

Penumbra

c)

Path of eclipse

d)

Sun

34.

Which of the following are you most likely to experience?

a)

total solar eclipse

b)

total lunar eclipse

c)

partial lunar eclipse

d)

full moon

35.

Round depressions on the moon’s surface are called ____.

a)

highlands

b)

maria

c)

craters

d)

meteorites

36.

The oldest features on the moon are ____.

a)

highlands

b)

maria

c)

craters

d)

regolith

37.

How did the lunar Maria most likely originate?

a)

Huge impact basisn were nearly filled with basaltic lava flows.

b)

Huge impact craters filled with frozen carbon dioxide and dark-colored salt and dust.

c)

Massive, basaltic comets melted when they hit the lunar surface.

d)

The solar winderoded very wide, shallow basins that filled with lunar dust.

38.

Lunar dust is called _____.

a)

ejecta

b)

regolith

c)

soot

d)

granular remains

39.

The most popular theory for the origin of the Moon today is _____.

a)

The Moon and Earth coalesced from an eddy in the solar nebulae, forming a binary planet system.

b)

The Moon formed when Mars and a comparable size planet collided, and then the Moon was ejected toward Earth and captured.

c)

The early Earth and a planet the size of Mars collided, and the ejected material coalesced to form Earth’s Moon.

d)

Earth captured a small planet, which is our Moon.

40.

Most of the Moon’s craters were produced by _____.

a)

faulting

b)

radial implosions

c)

volcanic eruptions

d)

the impact of meteoroids