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WorksheetsEarth-Sun-Moon System Test Review Quizizz
Total questions: 84
Worksheet time: 4hrs 12mins
Polaris is another name for the:
North Pole.
North Star.
South Pole.
South Star.
Which of the following statements does NOT describe the behavior of a celestial object?
A comet travels through space.
The North Star never appears to move.
The sun appears to move across the sky every day.
A communications satellite revolves around Earth.
What is Earth's axis?
the direction in which Earth spins
a metal pole that protrudes from the center of Earth
the imaginary point or line that Earth rotates around
the point at which Earth completes one full rotation
Earth's rotation is a process that causes
the sun to appear to rise and set.
stars to appear to move across the sky.
celestial objects in space appear to move daily in circular patterns.
all of the above.
Our ability to observe the sun travel across the sky because we are standing on a moving object is an example of
star trails.
seasons.
the sun’s path.
a cause and effect relationship.
The overall pattern of the sun rising toward the east and setting toward the west
never changes.
changes in the summer and winter months.
changes depending on your location.
changes depending on the direction of the sun's rotation.
Earth rotates on its axis approximately once every
365 days.
30 days.
24 hours.
2 weeks.
Earth completes one full revolution over the course of one
year.
day.
month.
decade.
Why are seasonal stars only visible during certain times of the year?
Their visibility depends on their own orbit around the sun.
Their visibility depends on Earth’s position relative to the sun.
Their visibility depends on their position relative to each other.
Their visibility depends on their position relative to Polaris.
Which of these most closely describes the shape of an ellipse?
a thin oval
a straight line
a short spiral
a thin crescent
Around which object(s) does Earth revolve?
Polaris
seasonal stars
the sun
circumpolar stars
Why is the constellation Scorpius not visible in January?
The sun and Scorpius are in opposite directions from Earth.
The sun and Scorpius are in the same direction from Earth.
Polaris and Scorpius are in the same direction from Earth.
Orion and Scorpius are in opposite directions from Earth.
Which of the following accurately describes Earth’s orbital plane?
It only extends as far as the distance between Earth and the sun.
Its flat surface stretches past Earth’s orbit and continues forever.
Its circular shape allows us to trace Earth’s revolution around the sun.
It can determine the distance between Earth and any star.
What is one reason circumpolar stars are visible all year round?
They revolve around the sun.
They reside on Earth’s orbital plane
They reside high above or below Earth’s orbital plane
They are located in the opposite direction of the sun.
Why are circumpolar stars that reside below the South Pole not visible in Earth’s northern hemisphere?
They are blocked by Earth.
They are blocked by the sun.
They have their own orbital plane.
There are no circumpolar stars located there.
Which of these celestial objects would not lie on or near Earth’s orbital plane?
the sun
Polaris
Scorpius
Orion
What might be an example of a constraint faced by engineers trying to design an app that calculates the positions of stars?
We have an unlimited amount of computing power.
People can only use the app at certain times.
People will only use the app if it loads quickly.
The celestial sphere model is too complicated for an app to load.
The requirements that must be met for an engineering solution to be considered successful are called
applications.
calculations.
criteria.
resolutions.
The system that astronomers use to locate stars, called the celestial sphere, is similar to the way
a sundial is used to tell time.
a camera is used to record and capture motion.
sonar is used to detect objects in the water.
the latitude and longitude system is used to make maps.
What is one way that a celestial sphere model meets an engineer’s requirements?
The celestial sphere model stretches along Earth’s orbital plane.
It is really easy to build a celestial sphere and record the location of all of the stars.
The locations of celestial objects stay the same no matter what time of the day.
All of the above.
BONUS: Which would be the best month to view Orion in the night sky?
April
February
July
September
Which month marks the start of winter in the southern hemisphere?
August
February
December
June
Which of the following does your location on Earth determine?
the times of the year you experience seasons
how long the sun stays in the sky during summer
the direction of the sunrise during winter
all of the above
Which of these describes the behavior of the sun during winter?
It rises earlier in the morning and sets earlier in the evening.
It rises later in the morning and sets earlier in the evening.
It rises later in the morning and sets later in the evening.
It rises earlier in the morning and sets later in the evening.
Which of these best describes a seasonal pattern?
leaves falling off trees in autumn for 10 years
the sun rising and setting in the same directions for 1 week
a cold storm in the middle of summer once in 100 years
the sun staying longer in the sky during summer compared to winter for 1 year
If you were to shine a flashlight on a piece of paper, at which angle would you expect to have a more concentrated amount of light?
90°
100°
120°
135°
How does Earth’s shape affect the way that sunlight hits it?
Sunlight never hits Earth at different angles.
Sunlight always hits Earth at the same angle.
Sunlight only touches some parts of Earth and not others.
Sunlight always hits different parts of Earth at different angles.
What happens when sunlight hits Earth’s surface near the equator?
Sunlight transfers a small amount of energy to each spot it hits.
Sunlight transfers a large amount of energy to each spot it hits.
Sunlight transfers a large amount of energy in some places it hits and a small amount in others.
Sunlight transfers a larger amount of energy slightly above the equator and a smaller amount below.
In this image, at which location(s) does light hit the Earth’s surface at a non-perpendicular angle?
What is a system?
A tool to predict seasonal patterns
A set of connected parts that form a complex whole
A method for detecting the amount of energy projected by the sun
A map that tracks the sun’s movement through the sky
During which month is the sun more likely to directly hit one of the tropics?
February
December
May
September
Earth’s axis is not perpendicular to its orbital plane, which means that
northern latitudes receive more sunlight throughout the year.
southern latitudes receive more sunlight throughout the year.
The same latitudes receive the same amounts of sunlight throughout the year.
different latitudes receive different amounts of sunlight throughout the year
At which latitude north and south are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn located?
20°
23.5°
45.2°
90°
Which of these marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere and the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere?
March Equinox
September Equinox
Capricorn Equinox
Cancer Equinox
Which of these statements is NOT true regarding an equinox?
The equator receives the most energy from the sun.
Places on the equator experience sunlight at a 23.5° angle.
The North and South Poles are an equal distance from the sun.
The sun is directly overhead at the equator during noon.
Which statement is true regarding the December Solstice?
The South Pole is tilted away from the sun.
Sunlight hits the Tropic of Cancer at a 90° angle.
The equator is experiencing sunlight perpendicularly.
The southern hemisphere is experiencing summer.
Which statement is NOT true regarding the September Equinox?
Sunlight hits the equator at a 90° angle.
The weather is cooling in the northern hemisphere.
Sunlight hits the Tropic of Capricorn at a perpendicular angle.
Neither the North Pole nor the South Pole is tilted toward the sun.
What change(s) might occur in the sun with the changes in seasons?
the length of time the sun stays in the sky
the place where the sun rises and sets
the height of the sun traveling through the sky
all of the above
In which month in the northern hemisphere might you expect to see the sun arc high in the sky and remain there for about 15 hours?
April
January
June
November
How did people in some ancient civilizations keep track of the seasons?
They used knotted ropes to keep track of time.
They painted monthly calendars on the inside of caves.
They built large structures that tracked the motion of the sun.
They etched marks on small stones to count the number and length of days.
What clues give us information about how Stonehenge was most likely used?
Modern civilizations still use Stonehenge today.
The people who built it left very detailed records on how to use it.
Stories have been passed down through generations through legends.
The alignment of rocks frames the sun during the June and December solstices.
What is one consequence of Earth’s axis having a tilt of about 23.5°?
Earth’s axis is perpendicular to its orbital plane.
The North and South Poles experience winter all year round.
Earth’s rotation causes its axis to always point to a different place in space.
Different seasons occur as different latitudes receive more or less sunlight.
Which of these accurately describes the moon’s behavior in the Northern Hemisphere?
It appears to grow from the left then shrink to the right.
It appears to shrink from the right then grow to the left.
It appears to grow from the right then shrink to the left.
It appears to shrink from the left then grow to the right.
The moon seems to change from a full moon to crescent shapes back to a full moon over the course of
one year.
two weeks.
about a month.
a single season.
What are two patterns that the moon seems to have that most other celestial objects do not?
Which of these describes one purpose of scientific models?
They create new patterns.
They complicate existing patterns.
They make less important objects appear relevant.
They make important aspects easier to observe.
Why is the moon visible from Earth?
The moon reflects light from Earth’s surface.
Sunlight that hits the moon is reflected off its surface.
The moon produces its own illumination when heated by the sun.
The moon produces light similar to the sun’s light, but not as strong.
At any moment, the sun shines on how much of the moon?
all of the moon
half of the moon
a quarter of the moon
three-quarters of the moon
What would be one simple way to model the pattern of how the moon changes in the Earth-sun-moon system?
Rotate around a bare light bulb while holding a ball in front of your body.
Stand outside and track the movement of the moon using a video camera.
Paint several spheres with all the moon phases, and line them up in a row.
Create a monodial that is similar to sundials used by some ancient people.
What determines how the different moon phases appear from Earth?
sudden changes in the path of the moon’s orbit
the amount of light that the moon receives from the sun
the tilt of Earth’s axis relative to the moon’s position in space
the relative positions of the celestial objects in the Earth-sun-moon system
Why are consistent patterns useful to scientists who study the movement of celestial bodies?
Consistent patterns are easily modeled.
Consistent patterns make simple systems appear to be more complex.
Consistent patterns help scientists predict when a pattern will change.
Consistent patterns make it easy to spot when a planet’s orbital plane changes.
What is a lunar phase?
the shape of the lit area of the moon as seen from Earth
the entire area of the moon that receives light from the sun
the path that the moon takes when it revolves around Earth
the ratio of light received by the dark side of the moon compared to what is lit
Which of these statements is NOT true of lunar phases?
They always follow the same pattern.
They change with the seasons.
Each cycle lasts for about a month.
Different amounts of the lit part of the moon become visible as the moon revolves around Earth.
Where is the moon located during a new moon?
high above Earth’s orbital plane
perpendicular to Earth’s axis
directly between Earth and the sun
on the side opposite of Earth from the sun
The four main phases of the moon each take place over the course of about
one month.
seven days.
fourteen days.
twenty-one days.
What is a crescent moon?
when the moon is in the process of waning
when the moon’s shape is exactly a third quarter moon
when the moon’s shape is larger than a semicircle, but not a full circle
when the moon’s shape is smaller than a semicircle, but not completely dark
The phase between a full moon and a third quarter moon is called a
waning gibbous moon.
waxing gibbous moon.
waning crescent moon.
waxing crescent moon.
The first time a human walked on the surface of another celestial body was when Commander Neil Armstrong
led the Apollo 10 mission and landed on Mars.
explored the dark side of the moon.
stepped onto the surface of the moon.
gave his crew the order to step onto the surface of the moon.
What were the two main criteria that the Apollo 11 astronauts had for their moon mission?
to land on the moon and safely return to Earth
to plant the American flag and collect moon rocks
to explore the dark side of the moon and record their findings
to establish a scientific base and take pictures of the moon’s surface
Which of the following was NOT a constraint faced by the Apollo 11 mission?
The day of the month they could launch was limited.
They needed to launch from Florida.
Their launch window was restricted to a few hours a day
Which of the following was one of the criteria for the Apollo 11 moon landing?
They needed to land next to a hill.
They needed to land far from the moon’s equator.
They needed to land during a waning gibbous phase of the moon.
They needed sunlight to hit the moon at a very specific angle.
What is one reason the success of the Apollo 11 mission was so important?
The entire world was watching the outcome.
This was the first time that a spacecraft would land on the moon.
It was the first time several countries worked together to get to the moon.
In order for NASA to continue to receive funding, the mission had to be successful.
Which phase of the moon takes place between a new moon and a first quarter moon?
waxing crescent
waxing gibbous
waning gibbous
waning crescent
Which of these accurately describes an umbra?
An umbra only forms on flat surfaces.
An umbra is only visible during nighttime.
An umbra is the darker, center part of a shadow.
An umbra is the part of a shadow that allows some light from a given light source.
Why is the penumbra of a shadow lighter than its umbra?
A penumbra receives light from multiple sources.
A penumbra receives some light from a given light source.
A penumbra directly receives all the light from a light source.
A penumbra only appears to be lighter depending on your orientation to the light source.
What is an eclipse?
an event in which two penumbras overlap and create their own umbra
an event in which the shadow of one celestial object falls on another celestial object
an event in which the length of Earth’s umbra causes all light to be blocked from reaching the moon
an event in which the umbra from one celestial object merges with the umbra of another celestial object
Due to Earth’s spherical shape, its umbra casts a shadow in the shape of a
circle.
cone.
cylinder.
triangle.
When is a lunar eclipse likely to occur?
during the new moon lunar phase
during the third quarter lunar phase
What event is said to occur when the moon moves completely into Earth’s umbra?
a total lunar eclipse
a total solar eclipse
a partial lunar eclipse
a partial solar eclipse
What is one effect that a partial lunar eclipse has on the appearance of the moon?
Half of the moon always remains visible.
The moon appears to take on a blue color.
It looks like the moon is a waning gibbous moon.
The part of the moon that is not in the umbra remains bright.
Which of these statements does NOT accurately describe a solar eclipse?
The moon blocks light from the sun.
The moon’s light is visible from Earth.
The sun may disappear from view before returning to normal.
The sun grows darker and seems to change shape.
Where or when can viewers on Earth experience a partial solar eclipse?
near the equator
near one of the poles
when they are in the moon’s umbra
when they are in the moon’s penumbra
What is a corona?
the moon’s penumbra during a solar eclipse
the point at which the solar eclipse finally ends
the sun’s glowing ring caused by the moon during a solar eclipse
the point at which the moon appears to be a dark disk during a solar eclipse
About how long does a total solar eclipse last?
5 minutes
1 hour
12 hours
24 hours
During which phase of the moon are solar eclipses visible?
new moon phase
full moon phase
first quarter moon phase
third quarter moon phase
How often does the moon’s orbit intersect Earth’s orbital plane?
Which of these statements is accurate about the moon’s orbit?
It never crosses Earth’s orbital plane.
It is tilted compared to Earth’s orbital plane.
It never intersects with Earth’s orbital plane during a full moon.
It always intersects with Earth’s orbital plane during a new moon.
Which of these statements does NOT accurately describe what happens during a lunar eclipse?
Earth’s shadow covers the moon.
A full moon passes through Earth’s orbital plane.
A new moon passes through Earth’s orbital plane.
The moon appears again after passing through Earth’s penumbra.
How often is an eclipse likely to occur?
about four times a year
about twelve times a year
once every four years
once every twelve years
During which of the following is an eclipse likely to occur?
when the sun hits Earth at a perpendicular angle
when the moon is slightly above Earth’s orbital plane
when Earth, the sun, and the moon all lie on the same plane
when the moon’s orbit is perpendicular to Earth’s orbital plane
What is one reason the sun and the moon appear to be the same size when viewed from Earth?
They are actually the same size.
The sun is smaller in size than the moon, but closer to Earth.
The moon is larger in size than the sun, but farther away from Earth.
The sun is larger in size than the moon, but farther away from Earth.
How many times larger or smaller is the sun’s diameter compared to the moon’s diameter?
100 times smaller
400 times larger
1,000 times smaller
4,000 times larger
What is one reason a total solar eclipse does not last very long?
The sun is too large to be completely blocked by the moon.
The sun is too bright to be blocked by the moon for very long.
The moon reflects too much sunlight to cast a shadow over the sun.
The perfect size match of the sun and the moon means the sun is only blocked for a short time.
Why do some people refer to the moon during a lunar eclipse as a “blood moon”?
The name refers to ancient myths about the moon.
It is considered to be the correct scientific term for an eclipse.
The moon will sometimes appear to be red during a lunar eclipse.
Red light from the moon’s atmosphere is only visible during lunar eclipses.
