1.
The Earth moves around...
Correct Answer
A. The Sun
Explanation
The Earth moves around the Sun due to the force of gravity. Gravity is the attraction between two objects with mass, and the Sun's mass is much larger than that of the Earth. This gravitational force keeps the Earth in orbit around the Sun, causing it to move in an elliptical path. The Earth's movement around the Sun is what causes the changing seasons and the cycle of day and night.
2.
How long does it take the Earth to make one REVOLUTION around the Sun?
Correct Answer
D. 365 days
Explanation
The Earth takes 365 days to make one revolution around the Sun. This is known as a year. The other options, such as 12 hours, 24 hours, and 1 month, do not accurately represent the time it takes for the Earth to complete its orbit around the Sun.
3.
It takes the Earth 365.25 days to complete one ROTATION.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
The statement "It takes the Earth 365.25 days to complete one ROTATION" is false. The Earth takes approximately 24 hours, or one day, to complete one rotation on its axis. The 365.25 days mentioned in the statement refers to the time it takes for the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun, which is known as a year.
4.
The Earth's axis is an imaginary line that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
The statement is true because the Earth's axis is indeed an imaginary line that extends from the North Pole to the South Pole. This axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun. This tilt is what causes the changing seasons and the variation in daylight hours throughout the year.
5.
A cycle is something that happens over and over again, like the seasons and day & night.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
A cycle refers to a repeating pattern or sequence of events. The examples given, such as the seasons and day & night, clearly demonstrate that they occur repeatedly. Hence, the statement is true.
6.
The Earth makes one ROTATION every...
Correct Answer
B. 24 hours
Explanation
The Earth makes one rotation every 24 hours. This is known as a day. As the Earth spins on its axis, different parts of the planet experience daylight and darkness, resulting in day and night. The 24-hour rotation period is what gives us our concept of time and allows us to measure days.
7.
What causes the seasons during the year?
Correct Answer
C. The tilting of the Earth's axis
Explanation
The correct answer is the tilting of the Earth's axis. The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year, resulting in the seasons. When a particular hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it experiences summer, while the hemisphere tilted away from the Sun experiences winter. As the Earth continues its orbit around the Sun, the tilt causes the seasons to change.
8.
What causes day and night?
Correct Answer
C. The Earth rotates or spins every 24 hours
Explanation
The correct answer is that the Earth rotates or spins every 24 hours. This rotation of the Earth on its axis is what causes day and night. As the Earth rotates, different parts of it are exposed to the Sun's light, creating daylight, while the other parts are in shadow, creating nighttime. This rotation is responsible for the regular cycle of day and night that we experience on Earth.
9.
How much of the Earth is in day and night?
Correct Answer
A. 1/2 in the day and 1/2 in the night
Explanation
The correct answer is 1/2 in the day and 1/2 in the night. This is because the Earth rotates on its axis, causing half of it to be in daylight while the other half is in darkness. This division between day and night remains relatively constant throughout the year, regardless of the season or the tilt of the Earth.
10.
Why is a model (diagram) necessary when explaining seasons?
Correct Answer
A. The actual process is too slow.
Explanation
A model (diagram) is necessary when explaining seasons because the actual process of seasons occurring in real-time is too slow to observe and comprehend. A model allows us to visualize and understand the complex changes that happen over a long period of time, such as the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the sun, which ultimately result in the different seasons throughout the year.
11.
As seen from Roberto Clemente Middle, when will the upright flagpole cast the smallest shadow because the Sun is directly above the flagpole?
Correct Answer
B. Only on the first day of Summer.
Explanation
On the first day of Summer, the Sun is at its highest point in the sky, directly above the flagpole. This means that the shadow cast by the flagpole will be at its smallest because the Sun's rays are directly overhead, minimizing the length of the shadow. On all other days, the angle of the Sun will be lower in the sky, resulting in a longer shadow.
12.
As seen from Roberto Clemente Middle, when will the upright flagpole cast the longest shadow at noon because the Sun is at its highest point above the flagpole?
Correct Answer
B. Only on the first day of Winter.
Explanation
On the first day of Winter, the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky, which means that the angle between the Sun and the flagpole is the greatest. When the angle is larger, the shadow cast by the flagpole will be longer. Therefore, on the first day of Winter, the upright flagpole will cast the longest shadow at noon because the Sun is at its highest point above the flagpole.
13.
Imagine the Earth's orbit were changed to be a perfect circle around the Sun so that the disstance to the Sun never changed. How owuld this affect the seasons?
Correct Answer
D. We would continue to experience seasons in the same way we do now.
Explanation
If the Earth's orbit were changed to be a perfect circle around the Sun, the distance to the Sun would always remain the same. However, the seasons are not solely determined by the distance to the Sun, but also by the tilt of the Earth's axis. The tilt of the Earth's axis is what causes the variation in the amount of sunlight different parts of the Earth receive throughout the year, resulting in the seasons. Therefore, even if the orbit were changed to a perfect circle, the tilt of the Earth's axis would still cause the same seasonal variations as we experience now.
14.
About how many hours of daylight and darkness are there in Germantown, MD on June 21?
Correct Answer
B. 15 hours of daylight, 9 hours of darkness.
Explanation
On June 21, the summer solstice, Germantown, MD experiences the longest day of the year. This means that there is more daylight than darkness. The answer "15 hours of daylight, 9 hours of darkness" reflects this phenomenon, as it indicates a longer period of daylight compared to the other options.