Science Chapter 9 Patterns in the Sky
Describe the makeup of the sun?
hot glowing gases; mostly helium and hydrogen; 1.391 million km in diameter; about 4.6 billion yrs old
How long does it take the Earth to spin one full rotation on its axis?
1 day
How many high and low tides happen each day?
2 low and 2 high
How long does it take for the earth to rotate?
24 hours or 1 day
What is the imaginary line that Earth turns around on?
Axis
What keeps the moon in its orbit around the Earth?
Earth's Gravity
What is the earth divided into?
Hemispheres; southern and northern
What is a constellation?
It is a group of stars that appear to form a pattern or picture in the sky.
During the new moon phase, where is the moon?
It is between the Earth and the Sun; which means we can't see it at all.
What causes the tide to rise and fall?
It is caused by the "pull" of the sun and moon on earth's oceans.
What is an orbit?
It is the path that an object takes around another object in space.
Why does the same side of the moon always face Earth?
It spins on its axis in precisely the same amount of time that it revolves around the Earth.; the moon's revolution and rotation are about the same length.
What does the earth rotate on?
It's axis from west to east; as a result the sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west.
What scientist first described the orbits of the planets as elliptical?
Johannes Kepler
How do we see the moon on Earth?
Light from the sun reflects from it and back to earth.
What is the path that one object takes around another in space?
Orbit
When things turn like a top, they?
Rotate
What season is it in the Northern Hemisphere if it is fall in the Southern Hemisphere?
Spring
What did the discovery of moons around Jupiter prove?
That all objects in space do not revolve around the Earth.
Why is it hotter in August than in January in the USA?
The Earth's axis (or North Pole) is tilted towards the Sun in the summer and away in the winter.
What causes a change in the pattern of shadows on Earth as the sun moves across the sky?
The Earth's rotation
What causes Earth's seasons?
They are caused by the Earth's revolution and the tilt of its axis. The closer Earth is tilted to the sun, the warmer it will be.
What is the change in the appearance of the moon's shape called?
The moon phase
Where does the Earth's axis run from?
The north pole to the south pole
What happens during winter in the Northern Hemisphere?
There are few hours of daylight and it is cooler.
What happens to constellations as the Earth rotates?
They move across the night sky from east to west; except the stars above the North Pole which appear to travel in a circle.
What is the rise and fall of the water level of the ocean called?
Tide
What is the phase of the moon directly after the new moon?
Waning Crescent
What is a group of stars that seem to form a pattern in the night called?
constellation
What does Earth's rotation cause?
night and day
Describe the makeup of the Earth?
rocky surface with large oceans; thick atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen; life forms; 12,756 km in diameter; about 4.5 billion yrs old
Describe the makeup of the moon?
rocky surface; no atmosphere or water; 3,475 km in diameter; at least 4.5 billion yrs old
What causes us to see different constellations in the night sky during different seasons?
the Earth's revolution
