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Sun, Earth, Moon

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How long would it take the Earth to complete four orbits around the Sun?

a)

A 1461 days

b)

1460 days

c)

366 days

d)

365 days

2.

Which statement describes the motion of the Earth as related to the Sun?

a)

The Sun rotates around the Earth.

b)

The Sun revolves around the Earth.

c)

The Earth rotates around the Sun.

d)

The Earth revolves around the Sun

3.

Why is it necessary to add a day to the calendar every four years?

a)

The rotation of the Earth is actually 24 hours and 6 seconds.

b)

The revolution of the Earth is actually 365.25 days not 365 days.

c)

The Earth's orbit is elliptical and not circular.

d)

The Earth's axis is tilted and slows its rotation.

4.

What causes the apparent rising and setting of the Sun as seen from Earth?

a)

rotation of the Sun

b)

revolution of the Sun

c)

rotation of the Earth

d)

revolution of the Earth

5.

Approximately how many degrees does the Earth rotate on its axis in 2 hours?

a)

15°

b)

30°

c)

60°

d)

90°

6.

What would happen if the Earth's rate of rotation were to decrease?

a)

The day would get longer.

b)

The year would get longer.

c)

The day would get shorter.

d)

The year would get shorter.

7.

The diagram shows the Earth as viewed looking down on the North Pole (NP). Points A and B are locations on the Earth's surface. At location A, the time is 12 noon. What time is it at location B?

a)

6 a.m.

b)

3 p.m.

c)

6 p.m.

d)

12 midnight

8.

f the last full moon was on May 1, when will the full moon be seen again?

a)

May 29

b)

May 27

c)

May 15

d)

May 8

9.

Examine the diagram of the Earth. What motion is represented by the diagram?

a)

gravity

b)

inertia

c)

revolution

d)

rotation

10.

If a new moon occurs on September 1, when will the next full moon be?

a)

September 2

b)

September 8

c)

September 15

d)

September 29

11.

Which statement best describes the rotation of the Earth?

a)

The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east.

b)

The Earth rotates on its axis from east to west.

c)

The Earth takes about 365¼ days to rotate on its axis.

d)

The Earth rotates clockwise on its axis.

12.

Study the diagram of the Earth, Sun, and Moon. When the Moon is in the position shown, how does it appear from Earth?

a)

crescent phase

b)

first quarter phase

c)

full moon phase

d)

gibbous phase

13.

Study the diagram. What type of tide would be experienced by people living in the area marked with the X?

a)

high tide

b)

low tide

c)

neap tide

d)

spring tide

14.

The diagram shows two positions (X and Y) of the Moon around the Sun and Earth. What happens when the Moon is in complete positional alignment (both vertically and horizontally) with Earth and the Sun at positions X and Y?

a)

lunar eclipse at position X; solar eclipse at position Y

b)

solar eclipse at position X; lunar eclipse at position Y

c)

solar eclipse at position X; third quarter Moon at position Y

d)

lunar eclipse at position X; first quarter Moon at position Y

15.

A student wants to make a model to represent the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth when the Moon appears to an observer on Earth as in the image. Which model should the student make to represent the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

16.

If the Moon were directly between the Sun and the Earth, what type of phenomenon would occur?

a)

low tide

b)

lunar eclipse

c)

neap tide

d)

solar eclipse

17.

The diagram shows the arrangement of the Moon and Earth around the Sun. What change in the diagram is required to show a solar eclipse?

a)

The Moon needs to be aligned at a right angle with respect to the Sun and Earth.

b)

The Earth needs to be aligned at a right angle with respect to the Sun and the Moon.

c)

The Sun needs to be aligned in a straight line between the Moon and Earth.

d)

The Moon needs to be aligned in a straight line between the Sun and Earth.

18.

A day on Earth is 24 hours long, and a year is made up of 365 days. Which motion represents a year on Earth?

a)
b)
c)
d)
19.

The illustration shows the positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun during the new Moon phase. Position A shows a new Moon phase seen from Earth, and position B shows the next new Moon phase seen from Earth. What is the timespan between the two positions of the Moon?

a)

27.0 Earth days

b)

29.5 Earth days

c)

12.0 Earth hours

d)

23.5 Earth hours

20.

Tides on Earth are caused in part by the position of the Moon in relation to the Earth. Assuming that four observers on different beaches on Earth are at positions J, K, L, and M, at what position will the observer experience a low tide?

a)

position J

b)

position K

c)

position L

d)

position M

21.

student watched the night sky to study the phases of the Moon. He summarized how the Moon’s appearance changed over the course of four nights. What are possible phases of the Moon that the student observed?

a)

He saw the first quarter, then a waxing gibbous.

b)

He saw the waning gibbous, then a first quarter.

c)

He saw the third quarter, then a waning gibbous.

d)

He saw the waning gibbous, then a third quarter.

22.

Sam is trying to model a total solar eclipse. He uses three spheres to represent the Sun, Moon, and Earth. What should be the correct positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth during the eclipse?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

23.

A student creates an image positioning the Sun, Earth, and Moon as shown. What type of phenomenon is represented by the student’s image?

a)

crescent Moon

b)

lunar eclipse

c)

new Moon

d)

solar eclipse

24.

The image shows a diagram of the Moon orbiting around Earth. An observer on Earth currently sees the phase of the Moon at X. What phase of the Moon is visible following phase X?

a)

waning crescent

b)

waning gibbous

c)

waxing crescent

d)

waxing gibbous

25.

The phases of the Moon shown in the diagram are not in their correct order. What is the correct sequence of the phases of the Moon, beginning with a new Moon?

a)

X, Z, V, W, Y

b)

Y, W, V, Z, X

c)

V, Z, W, Y, X

d)

X, W, V, Z, Y