The Earth, Moon, and Sun Review

What is a neap tide? When can they occur?

A neap tide is the tide with the least difference between consecutive low and high tides. They occur during the first and third quarter when the Sun's gravity works against the moon's gravity.

What is a spring tide? When can they occur?

A spring tide is the tide with the greatest difference between consecutive low and high tides. They occur during the full and new moon when the Sun's gravity combines with the moon's.

Explain the position of the Earth during summer and winter in the Northern hemisphere.

Earth is tilted towards the sun during summer, and away from the sun during winter.

Explain what causes high tides and low tides.

High tides occur due to the moon pulling on the side closest to it, and the moon pulling Earth leaving the water behind on the side opposite it. Low tides occur due to the fact water moves to the high tidal areas.

List and describe the two forces that keep the Earth and moon in orbit?

Inertia, the tendency of an object to resist a change in motion, and gravity, a force that attracts objects towards each other, keep Earth and moon in orbit.

List and describe the features of the moon.

It has maria, dark, flat areas caused by ancient lava flows, phases, craters, round pits caused by meteoroid impacts, rays, light streaks extending out from craters, and highlands, lighter colored areas of higher elevation.

Why does Earth have seasons?

It is tilted on its axis, the sunlight hits Earth at different angles and each hemisphere is tilted toward the sun for part of the year, summer, and away from the sun, winter.

What is an equinox? What is true about the amount of daylight versus darkness?

It occurs two days of the year on which neither hemisphere is tilted towards or away from the sun. What is true is that both day and night are both 12 hours long.

List 8 phases of the moon.

New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent

What are phases?

Phases are one of the different apparent shapes of the moon as seen on Earth.

List and describe the two ways Earth moves in space. How long does each take?

Rotation and revolution. Earth spins on its axis during rotation, causing day and night, lasting 24 hours. Earth travels around the sun and orbits it, and lasts 365 and one fourth days except for leap years.

Define and describe the position of the Earth, Moon, and Sun during a lunar eclipse.

Sun, Earth, and Moon, Earth's shadow falling on the moon

Define and describe the position of the Earth, Moon, and Sun during a solar eclipse.

Sun, Moon, and Earth, moon's shadow falling on Earth

What is the difference between a total and partial eclipse?

The difference is that total eclipses occur when the object is in the umbra, the darkest part of a shadow, while a partial eclipse occurs when the object is in the penumbra, or lightest part of the shadow.

What is the difference between waxing and waning phases?

The difference is that waxing phases are when more of the side of the moon facing Earth is lit, growing, while waning phases are when less of the side of the moon facing Earth is lit, shrinking.

Explain how the moon moves in space.

The moon moves in space by rotating on its axis and revolving around Earth.

Explain how the moon was formed.

The moon was formed by a planet sized object colliding with Earth, sending material out into space, which formed a ring around Earth. This material eventually cooled, and clumped together to form the moon.

What causes the tides?

The moon's gravitational pull on different parts of Earth and its oceans.

What are tides?

Tides are the periodic rise and fall of the level of water in the ocean.

Why do we only see one side of the moon?

We only see one side of the moon because it takes the same amount of time for the moon to rotate and revolve, so the same side of the moon always faces the Earth.

Why do we see phases?

We see phases because how much of the side of the moon facing Earth lit by the sun, determines the phase we see.

What is Newton's first law of motion?

When an object is at rest, it stays at rest, and when an object is in motion, it stays in motion-unless acted upon by an outside force.