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Sun, Earth, Moon – Unit 3 Study Guide
In this unit you will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved.
#1 Students will understand the effects of the relative positions of the earth, moon and sun.
Demonstrate the phases of the moon by showing the alignment of the earth, moon, and sun.
Explain the alignment of the earth, moon, and sun during solar and lunar eclipses.
Relate the tilt of the earth to the distribution of sunlight throughout the year and its effect
on climate.
#2 Students will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved.
Explain the motion of objects in the day/night sky in terms of relative position.
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As some point during this unit you will be asked to answer the following questions:
Why does the moon appear to change shapes?
How do lunar and solar eclipses differ?
How are lunar and solar eclipses alike?
Why does the Earth have different seasons?
How does the gravitational pull of the moon affect me when I am at the beach?
1. ______developed a theory of gravity that helped to explain why the planets orbit the Sun and moons orbit planets.
2. What is an AU? An______is an______. It is
the______between the Earth and the Sun.
3. How many miles are in an AU? ______. We use AU to measure distance in
______.
4. Light travels at______and it takes 8.3 minutes for light to travel from the Sun to Earth.
5. We measure distances outside our solar system in ______.
The Earth
6. The largest rocky planet in our solar system is ______.
7. One theory about how the Earth formed states that while ______(a nebula) were swirling around and slowly
______to form the Sun, a small part of ______escaped
the Sun’s gravity and became ______around the Sun.
8. ______is spinning on an axis.
9. ______is orbiting around another body.
10. Each time a planet orbits the sun another ______has passed.
11. The Earth’s planetary year is______days.
12. What is the exact amount of time it takes for the Earth to make one complete orbit around the Sun? ______OR ______
13. Why do we have a leap year every four years? The Earth actually takes 365.25 days to
orbit the Sun. To correct this ______of a day mathematical problem with the calendar, we
add______every______to account for that ¼ of a day.
Tides
14. The gravitational pull of the______,and to a lesser degree the ______,
interacts with the rotation of the Earth and the shape of ocean basins to ______.
15. The ______from the moon, and the ______
of the earth, causes ocean water to ______,producing the tides.
16. A synodic period is also known as the time it takes for the moon to change from
______high tide to ______
Seasons
17. Seasons are caused by the ______of the Sun's rays
on Earth due to the ______of the Earth.
18. During June, The Northern Hemisphere is tilted______the sun and the
Southern Hemisphere is tilted ______from the sun.
19. In June the Northern Hemisphere has ______and the Southern
Hemisphere has______.
20. During December, The Northern Hemisphere is tilted______from the sun and the Southern Hemisphere is tilted______from the sun.
21. In December the Northern Hemisphere has______and the Southern Hemisphere has ______.
22. The Earth is closest to the sun during which month? ______
23. The poles have the ______difference in ______than any other place on Earth during their summer and their winter.
24. The sun’s rays are consistent year round at the ______.
25. The countries at the equator do ______have______.
26. Because the Earth is ______, sunlight falls more
intensely on______parts of the Earth during the year. The ______
______of the Earth’s surface produces the planet’s ______and weather patterns.
27. The Summer solstice is on ______.This day has the______about of sunlight as any day during the year.
28. The Winter solstice is on ______.This day has ______about of sunlight as any day during the year.
29. Equinox literally means "______"
30. The vernal (spring) ______occurs______.
31. The autumnal (fall)______occurs______.
The sun
32. Approximately ______of the solar system’s______is located in the Sun.
33. The six parts of the sun are INTERIOR ______,
______, ______,
ATMOSPHERE ______,______and
______
34. Draw the layers of the sun.
35. The hottest layer of the sun is the______and the coolest layer is the ______.
36. The core is the location in the Sun where______is produced.
37. The energy from the Sun is produced by ______.
38. The coolest spots on the surface of the sun are______.
39. Explosions on the ______of the sun that occasionally interferes with radio
communications on Earth are called ______.
The Moon
40. One theory of how the moon formed is an extremely large celestial body ______
with the Earth and the collision caused a large portion of the ______
______to break away and______the Earth.
41. The Moon’s ______around the earth is the same as its ______on its axis.
42. On Earth, we always see ______of the Moon.
43. The moon is approximately ______or ______the size of Earth.
44. The Moon is about ______than the Sun, but it also
happens to be about ______.The result is that from
Earth, ______and ______appear to be the same size.
45. The Moon's light comes from ______, and the sunlight is ______off the Moon's surface.
46. The Moon rises and sets almost ______each night.
47. The moon can be seen ______. The time and length of
daythe moon can be seen varies with the ______.
48. The ______of the Moon always faces the Earth because the Moon turns on
its axis at the ______as it revolves around the Earth.
49. The Sun's rays do strike the ______of the Moon. However, ______
______, we never see the ______the back side of the Moon.
Phases of the Moon
50. The moon orbits the Earth once in about ______.This changes which
______of the moon is lighted by the______and how much of that part
______from the earth.
51. Waxing means to ______or ______.
52. Waning means to ______or ______.
53. Gibbous is when ______of the moon is visible
54. Crescent is when ______of the moon is visible.
55. The phase of the Moon that we see depends on the ______of the ______, relative to the Sun.
56. The Moon's phases are caused by the part of the ______we can see on ______.
57. The Moon ______in the sky each day.
58. The Moon changes in ______,these changes are called ______.
59. The length of time from New Moon to New Moon is called the ______or
SYNODIC PERIOD of the Moon. It is ______days.
60. The Moon rises in the______and sets in the ______daily, but its position in the sky moves ______by about 13 degrees per day.
Eclipses
61. A ______occurs when the moon passes through Earth’s shadow.
62. A lunar eclipse occurs when the ______blocks the Sun’s light from hitting the ______.
63. During a lunar eclipse the moon ______of the Earth.
64. A ______occurs when the moon passes between through Earth and the sun.
65. A solar eclipse occurs when the ______blocks the Sun’s light from hitting the ______.
66. During a solar eclipse the Earth ______of the Moon.
67. When its orbit around Earth takes the Moon______between Earth and the Sun, the Moon blocks our view of the Sun in what we call a ______
68. A Solar eclipse occurs only during which phase of the moon?______
69. A Lunar eclipse occurs only during which phase of the moon? ______
70. Why doesn’t a lunar eclipse occur every month during the full moon? The ______
______around the Earth is at a ______compared to the Earth’s
orbit around the sun. The Earth is ______between the Sun and the moon during every Full Moon phase.
71. Why doesn’t a solar eclipse occur every month during the new moon? The moon’s orbit
around the Earth is at a ______compared to the ______around
the sun. The Moon is ______between the Sun and the Earth during every New Moon phase.
VOCABULARY: alignment, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, luminous, waxing, waning, solar flares, sunspots, equinox, solstice, nuclear fusion, gibbous, crescent