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The Movement of Shadows

Total questions: 49

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What causes a shadow to form?

a)

A source of light and an opaque object

b)

A source of light and a transparent object

c)

A source of light and a reflective object

d)

A source of light and a translucent object

2.

Why do shadows change position during the day?

a)

Because the Earth rotates

b)

Because the sun moves around the Earth

c)

Because the moon blocks the sun

d)

Because the stars change position

3.

What happens to your shadow when you walk away from a street light?

a)

It appears in front of you

b)

It disappears completely

c)

It stays behind you

d)

It gets shorter

4.

What happens to the shadow of a lawn chair when the sun is directly overhead at noon?

a)

The shadow becomes longer and moves to the side.

b)

The shadow disappears completely.

c)

The shadow becomes smaller and appears below the chair.

d)

The shadow becomes larger and covers the entire lawn.

5.

What is a sundial used for?

a)

Measuring temperature

b)

Telling time using shadows

c)

Predicting weather

d)

Navigating directions

6.

What is the gnomon on a sundial?

a)

A type of clock

b)

A shadow-casting piece

c)

A type of star

d)

A planet

7.

Who were the scientists that noticed planets move differently from stars?

a)

Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein

b)

Galileo and Nicholas Copernicus

c)

Marie Curie and Louis Pasteur

d)

Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel

8.

This is a large sundial located near Tower Bridge in London, England. As the Earth rotates on its axis, the sun appears to move across the sky. The center part in the sundial will then create a shadow from the sun. That shadow can be used to tell time. The circular part of the sundial is set up like the clocks that we’re familiar with. This one has round dots engraved along the border.

a)

A large clock tower

b)

A digital clock

c)

A large sundial

d)

A solar panel

9.

What is the meaning of the word "shadow"?

a)

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface

b)

A bright light that illuminates an area

c)

A type of weather condition

d)

A loud noise

10.

What does the word "source" refer to?

a)

The beginning or origin of something

b)

A type of fruit

c)

A kind of animal

d)

A musical instrument

11.

What does "position" mean?

a)

The location or arrangement of something

b)

A type of food

c)

A type of clothing

d)

A type of vehicle

12.

What does the word "perspective" mean?

a)

A way of looking at something

b)

A type of drawing

c)

A mathematical tool

d)

A type of measurement

13.

What is an "angle"?

a)

A type of fruit

b)

A measure of turn between two lines

c)

A kind of animal

d)

A musical instrument

14.

What is a "sundial" used for?

a)

Telling time using the position of the sun

b)

Measuring temperature

c)

Observing stars

d)

Calculating distance

15.

What does "orbiting" mean?

a)

Moving in a circular path around something

b)

Jumping up and down

c)

Running in a straight line

d)

Digging underground

16.

Throughout the day, you may see many different _______.

a)

colors

b)

shadows

c)

animals

d)

clouds

17.

Shadows are made when there is something _______ a light source.

a)

beside

b)

under

c)

blocking

d)

above

18.

The _______ of the sun affects the position of a shadow.

a)

color

b)

size

c)

shape

d)

position

19.

The higher the sun is in the sky, the _______ the shadows it will create.

a)

longer

b)

shorter

c)

darker

d)

lighter

20.

We can use a _______ to help us tell time using shadows.

a)

clock

b)

sundial

c)

watch

d)

calendar

21.

Moving shadows are just one clue that shows us how the Earth _______.

a)

spins

b)

floats

c)

orbits

d)

rotates

22.

Shadows seem to move _______ on where the sun is in the sky.

a)

depending

b)

regardless

c)

opposite

d)

similarly

23.

Shadows will change _______ as you walk past a light source, such as a street lamp.

a)

color

b)

size

c)

shape

d)

direction

24.

The lower the sun is, the _______ the shadows it will create.

a)

longer

b)

shorter

c)

darker

d)

lighter

25.

_______ itself is a shadow.

a)

Night

b)

Day

c)

Noon

d)

Evening

26.

We experience night when we face _______ from the sun.

a)

away

b)

towards

c)

above

d)

below

27.

_______ also appear to move across the sky, proving that Earth is orbiting the sun.

a)

Stars

b)

Clouds

c)

Shadows

d)

Birds

28.

How are shadows created?

a)

By blocking light

b)

By reflecting light

c)

By absorbing light

d)

By emitting light

29.

Why do shadows appear to move?

a)

Because the shadow itself moves

b)

Because the light source moves

c)

Because the object moves

d)

Because the ground moves

30.

What causes shadows to change shape throughout the day?

a)

The shape of the object changes

b)

The position of the light source changes

c)

The color of the object changes

d)

The size of the object changes

31.

What are sundials?

a)

Devices that tell time using water

b)

Devices that tell time using the sun

c)

Devices that tell time using sand

d)

Devices that tell time using stars

32.

What clues help us understand how Earth moves?

a)

The movement of the stars

b)

The movement of the sun

c)

The movement of the moon

d)

The movement of the clouds

33.

What does the length of a shadow tell us about the time of day?

a)

It is always the same length.

b)

Shadows are longest at noon.

c)

Shadows are shortest at noon.

d)

Shadows do not change length.

34.

What causes the direction of a shadow to change?

a)

The color of the object.

b)

The position of the Sun.

c)

The size of the object.

d)

The temperature of the day.

35.

What can you use to determine the location of the sun in the sky?

a)

The length of the object

b)

The color of the object

c)

The direction of the shadow

d)

The size of the object

36.

On page 1, how did you decide where to draw the sun?

a)

By guessing

b)

By using a compass

c)

By observing shadows

d)

By asking a friend

37.

On page 1, did you have enough information to figure out the location of the sun?

a)

Yes, there was enough information

b)

No, there was not enough information

c)

Yes, but it was confusing

d)

No, it was too difficult

38.

Using the image of the girl to the left, What shadow kind of would see at noon?

a)

A long shadow to the east

b)

A short shadow directly below

c)

A long shadow to the west

d)

No shadow at all

39.

Using the image of the girl to the left, what shadow would you see if she had a lamp post shining from the left side of the picture?

a)

A shadow to the right

b)

A shadow to the left

c)

A shadow above her

d)

No shadow

40.

What is the length of the shadow at 12 pm according to the graph?

a)

0 ft

b)

5 ft

c)

10 ft

d)

7 ft

41.

At what time is the shadow 10 feet long?

a)

6 am

b)

9 am

c)

3 pm

d)

12 pm

42.

How long is the shadow at 3 pm?

a)

5 ft

b)

10 ft

c)

0 ft

d)

7 ft

43.

What does the data on page 1 tell you about the shadows created by the tree?

a)

They are longest at noon.

b)

They are shortest in the morning.

c)

They change direction throughout the day.

d)

They disappear in the afternoon.

44.

If the sun was in the east at 6 am, where was it at noon?

a)

North

b)

South

c)

West

d)

Directly overhead

45.

Why should you look at the same objects a few different times throughout the day?

a)

To see if they change color

b)

To take note of any changes in shadows

c)

To see if they disappear

d)

To count how many there are

46.

Is night a shadow?

a)

Yes, night is a shadow.

b)

No, night is not a shadow.

c)

Night is a type of light.

d)

Night is a reflection.

47.

What causes night and day on Earth?

a)

The Earth's revolution around the sun.

b)

The Earth's rotation on its axis.

c)

The moon's phases.

d)

The Earth's distance from the sun.

48.

Can shadows move because of the wind?

a)

Yes, shadows can move because of the wind.

b)

No, shadows cannot move because of the wind.

c)

Shadows move because of the sun.

d)

Shadows move because of the moon.

49.

When are shadows the longest during the day?

a)

In the middle of the night.

b)

At noon.

c)

In the early morning and late afternoon.

d)

Shadows are always the same length.