| A | B |
|---|
| How fast does the Earth rotate at the equator? | 1600 km/hr or 1120 mph |
| Why does the length of day and night change during the year? | The Earth's axis is tilted. |
| What angle is the Earth's axis? | 23 1/2 degrees |
| What change in the Earth would make all of Earth's days the same length? | If the axis were straight up and down |
| How many Earth days does it take for the Earth to complete one trip around the sun? | 365 1/4 |
| How many days are there in one year? | 365 |
| What is leap year? | Leap year is an extra day added in February every four years to take care of that extra 1/4 days |
| What are the four seasons? | Winter, spring, summer, autumn |
| Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have four distinct seasons, why? | They have a tilted axis. |
| Which hemisphere receives more direct sunlight? | The one tilted toward the sun |
| What causes parts of the Earth to have longer days? | When one hemisphere is tilted toward the sun |
| Why is summer warm? | Direct sunlight + longer days gives more heat to the Earth's surface and atmosphere |
| What is the summer solstice, and when is it? | When the North pole is titled a full 23 1/3 degrees toward the sun, June 20 or 21 |
| What is the Winter solstice and when is it? | When the North Pole is tilted 23 1/2 degrees away from the sun, Dec 21 or 22 |
| What is an equinox? | Neither North or South Pole is toward the sun, day and night are equal length |
| When is the Vernal equinox? | March 20 or 21 |
| When is the Autumnal equinox? | Sept 22 or 23 |
| What are invisible lines of force that connect the two poles called? | magnetic field |
| Where does the Earth's magnetism come from? | Scientists believe it is from the iron and nickel in the Earth's core |
| What is the Earth's magnetic field called? | Magnetosphere |
| How far up does the magetosphere reach on the sun side of the Earth? | 64,000 km |
| At what altitude does the Earth's magnetosphere begin/ | 1000 km |
| What causes the tail in the magnetosphere on the dark side of the Earth? | Solar winds blowing it |
| Name the donughnut shaped areas of charged particles in the magnetosphere. | Van Allen radiation belt |
| Describe the particles in the outer part of the Van Allen belt. | Electrons |
| Describe the particles in the inner part of the Van Allen radiation belt. | Protons |
| What causes the aurora borealis and the aurora australis? | Charged particles trapped in the Van Allen belt collide with particles of the Earth's upper atmosphere |
| How large is the moon compared to the Earth? | one fourth the diameter of the Earth |
| What is the gravity of the moon compared to the Earth? | on sixth of the Earth's |
| How far is the moon from the Earth? | 384,403 km |
| How many moon quakes are there each year? | 5000 |
| Why is there no weather on the moon? | No atmosphere |
| What are the highlands on the moon? | Mountain ranges |
| Name the broad, smooth plains of the moon. | Maria (plural) mare (singular) |
| What do scientists think made most of the craters on the moon? | Meteorites |
| What do scientists think caused the long valleys on the moon? | volcanic activity |
| What is a rille? | along valley that criss-crosses the surface of the moon |
| What is a solar eclipse? | The new moon comes directly between the Earth and the sun |
| What is a lunar eclipse? | When the moon passes through the Earth's shadow |
| What is an umbra? | the inner part of a shadow |
| What is a penumbra? | The outer part of a shadow |
| What force from our moon affects Earth's tides? | Gravity |
| Why do the higher Spring Tides occur? | because the sun and the moon are in a direct line with the Earth |
| What is a Neap tide? | When the moon is at its first and last quarter the gravitaional pull on the ocean is less cause of the sun's pull |
