Download Grade 8 Earth/Space Posttest

Grade 8 Earth/Space Posttest
Select the best answer to each question.
____
1. Distances between objects in space can be enormous. Which of the following distances is the longest?
A. 2.1 ly
B. 950,000 km
C. 9.5 trillion km
D. 1 million ly
____
2. This chart lists distances from Earth to several objects in deep space.
Object in space
Milky Way center
Alpha Centauri star system
Andromeda galaxy
Polaris
VAST DISTANCES IN DEEP SPACE
Distance from Earth
26,000 light years
4.4 light years
2.5 million light years
430 light years
If a spacecraft could travel at the speed of light, which of these objects would probably be the easiest for the
spacecraft to reach?
A. Polaris
B. Andromeda galaxy
C. Center of the Milky Way
D. Alpha Centauri star system
____
3. Astronomers developed special units for measuring vast distances in space. Which measuring unit used by
astronomers is equal to a distance of about 9.46 trillion kilometers?
A. the light year
B. the kilometer
C. the speed of light
D. the Astronomical Unit
____
4. Galaxies are large groups of millions, billions, or even trillions of stars. What keeps the stars in a galaxy from
moving away from each other?
A. gravity
B. density
C. composition
D. temperature
____
5. The universe contains billions of galaxies. Almost all galaxies are clustered into groups of galaxies. The
groups are part of even larger groups, or clusters of clusters. The chart shows the groups of galaxies that
contain the Milky Way. Which list contains the groups, in order from smallest to largest, that contain the
Milky Way?
Grouping
Local Group
Local Supercluster
Virgo Cluster
CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES
Number of galaxies
more than 40
tens of thousands
more than 2,000
A.
B.
C.
D.
____
6. Astronomers using powerful telescopes on Earth and in space have discovered that the universe is a very
organized place. Stars are organized into galaxies, which contain billions of stars. The billions of galaxies in
the universe are organized into clusters and superclusters. In some areas of the universe, clusters and
superclusters of galaxies clump together, leaving vast spaces where there seems to be nothing at all. What do
astronomers call these places without stars or galaxies?
A.
B.
C.
D.
____
the galaxy, the Virgo Cluster, the Local Supercluster
the Local group, the Virgo Cluster, the Local Supercluster
the Local Supercluster, the Virgo Cluster, the Local Group
the Virgo Cluster, the Local Group, the Local Supercluster
voids
gas clouds
dust clouds
empty space
7. The diagram below shows our solar system.
Which planet’s orbit takes it closest to the sun?
A. Mars
B. Earth
C. Mercury
D. Neptune
____
8. Which statement best describes the location of the Sun and its solar system within the universe?
A. The Sun is a galaxy somewhere in the universe.
B. The Sun and its solar system are all planets in a galaxy.
C. The Sun and its solar system are at the center of the Milky Way.
D. The Sun and its solar system are located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way.
____
9. A galaxy holds a special place among all the other objects in outer space. Which is the best description of a
galaxy according to its relationship to other objects?
A. A galaxy is the universe.
B. A galaxy is a new star that shines very brightly.
C. A galaxy is a place that only existed in space long ago..
D. A galaxy is a grouping of millions or billions of stars along with clouds of gas and dust.
____ 10. Which of these choices states Kepler’s first law of planetary motion?
A. As a planet moves around its orbit, the planet sweeps out equal areas in equal amounts of
time.
B. The orbit of a planet or other body around the sun is an ellipse, and the sun is one focus of
the ellipse.
C. The square of a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the cube of the planet’s mean
distance from the sun.
D. Gravitational force increases as the mass of an object increases or as the distance between
two objects decreases.
____ 11. According to the Law of Universal Gravitation, the strength of gravitational attraction between two bodies in
our solar system or elsewhere in space depends on two factors and their relationship to each other. Which two
of the factors listed are involved in determining the force of gravity between two bodies in space?
A. speed and mass
B. time and motion
C. mass and distance
D. distance and speed
____ 12. The diagram shows the gravitational attraction between two objects, such as planets and their moons. The
strength of the force of gravity between them is shown as F, 1/4F, and 4F. The mass of the objects, labeled
M, does not change. The objects are separated by different distances.
Which statement best explains the effect that distance has on gravitational attraction according to the Law of
Universal Gravitation?
A. When the gravitational force is reduced by 1/4, the objects are forced twice as far apart.
B. When the distance between two objects doubles, the gravitational attraction between them
doubles.
C. The law states that the gravitational force between two objects is inversely proportional to
the distance between them.
D. The laws states that the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to
the distance between them.
____ 13. During a class astronomy project, the teacher displayed a table similar to the one below that relates the color
of a star to its surface temperature.
Color
blue
blue-white
white
yellow-white
yellow
orange
red
Temperature and Color of Various Stars
Surface Temperature (K)
Example
Above 25,000
10 Lacertae
10,000–25,000
Rigel
7,500–10,000
Vega
6,000–7,500
Canopus
5,000–6,000
sun
3,500–5,000
Aldebaran
Below 3,500
Betelgeuse
The teacher gave Kwan a card with the following description of a star:
Star A
6,750 K
Based on the table above, what color should Kwan predict the star will be?
A.
B.
C.
D.
red
blue
orange
yellow-white
____ 14. Astronomers have two ways of measuring the brightness of a star, apparent magnitude and absolute
brightness, Which statement best explains the difference between apparent magnitude and absolute
brightness?
A. Apparent magnitude is a measure of a star’s brightness at a known distance from Earth,
and absolute brightness is a measure of the brightness of a star as seen from Earth.
B. Apparent magnitude is a measure of a star’s brightness as seen from Earth and absolute
brightness is a measure of the brightness of a star at a known distance from Earth.
C. Apparent magnitude is a measure of a star’s size as seen from Earth and absolute
brightness is a measure of a star’s size at a known distance from Earth.
D. Apparent magnitude is a measure of a star’s color as seen from Earth and absolute
brightness is a measure of the temperature of a star at a known distance from Earth.
____ 15. We live on a planet, Earth, which orbits around the Sun at the center of our solar system. The Sun is a star. It
is one of millions of stars in our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Which statement best explains what a star is?
A. A star is a shining ball of gas in space that produces heat and light.
B. A star is a huge ball of gas, metal, or rock that produces heat and light.
C. A star is a shining light in the sky that could be a planet in another solar system.
D. A star is a point of light in the sky that shines by reflecting the light of other stars.
____ 16. In the 17th century, the famous Italian astronomer Galileo charted the progress of sunspots on the sun’s
surface. Using a filtered telescope, Brittany is tracking a sunspot for a science investigation. She watched it
move from one side of the sun to the other and then reappear where she had originally found it. This took
about 26 days.
Where in the diagram did Brittany most likely see the sunspot?
A.
B.
C.
D.
point R
point S
point T
point W
____ 17. Quan painted an illustration of sunspots, dark spots on the surface of the Sun. Sunspots can last for a few
hours or a few months. He then wrote a caption for his illustration. Which caption did he most likely write to
explain what sunspots are?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sunspots are very hot holes that develop on the Sun’s surface.
Sunspots are cooler, dark areas on the surface of the Sun.
Sunspots are arching loops of hot gases that shoot out from the Sun.
Sunspots are like geysers of fire that shoot out into space.
____ 18. Roy made a poster showing pictures of solar flares and solar prominences. He gave his poster this title: “Solar
flares and solar prominences are both forms of solar activity.” He included a box that told more about these
two features. Which statement comparing and contrasting these two features of the Sun did Roy write?
A. Solar flares and prominences are both jets of hot gases that shoot out from the Sun, but
prominences loop back and flares do not.
B. Solar flares and prominences are both a kind of sunspot that appear on the Sun’s surface
and then vanish after days, weeks, or months.
C. Both activities occur in the solar corona but begin on the Sun’s surface, heating the corona
until parts of it explode as either a solar flare or a prominence that can last for about 11
years.
D. Both activities occur in the photosphere, with solar flares being bright spots that last
several minutes and heat the solar atmosphere nd prominences being huge loops of cooler
gas that can last from a day to several months.
____ 19. Why is a year on Mars longer than a year on Earth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mars is farther from the sun than Earth is.
Mars has a thinner atmosphere than Earth does.
Mars has a greater axial tilt than Earth does.
Mars has a longer period of rotation than Earth does.
____ 20. All the planets spin around an imaginary line called an axis. The diagram shows that some planets tilt on their
axes more than others.
What does the tilt of their axes tell you about seasons on these planets?
A. Earth tilts on its axis as it goes around the Sun, so Earth is the only planet that has seasons.
B. Earth, Mars, and Mercury all spin on their axes from west to east, but Jupiter spins from
east to west.
C. Earth and Mars have seasons because seasons are caused by tilt, but Mercury and Venus
with little or no tilt have no seasons.
D. Earth and Mars have four equal seasons because they tilt on their axes, but Jupiter and
Mercury have longer summers because they do not tilt as much.
____ 21. When astronauts visited the Moon, they weighed a lot less than they did on Earth. They could jump higher
because the Moon’s gravitational attraction is only about 1/6 that of Earth. Which statement best explains
why the force of gravity is less on the Moon?
A. The Moon is far enough away from Earth to have a weak gravitational force.
B. The Moon is pulled by the gravity of the Sun and the Earth, and this weakens the Moon’s
gravity.
C. The Moon is smaller but more massive than the Earth and its size makes the Moon’s force
of gravity weaker.
D. The Moon is smaller and less massive than Earth, and so its force of gravity is less than
Earth’s.
____ 22. Early astronomers created different models of the solar system. One model is shown in the diagram below.
Which model of the solar system does this diagram illustrate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
geocentric model
heliocentric model
Copernican model
Aristarchan model
____ 23. The heliocentric model over time replaced the geocentric model as the explanation that astronomers
accepted for their observed movements of planet, stars, and other objects in the sky. Which statement best
explains the basic principles of the heliocentric model?
A. The heliocentric model shows Earth at the center of the solar system, with the Sun and
planets revolving around Earth.
B. The heliocentric model shows the Sun at the center of the solar system, with Earth and the
planets revolving around the Sun.
C. The heliocentric model shows the Sun at the center of the Milky Way, with Earth, the
planets, and the stars revolving the Milky Way.
D. The heliocentric model shows the Milky Way at the center of the solar system, with Earth,
the planets, and the stars revolving around the Milky Way.
____ 24. When scientists find new evidence they often have to revise existing models and theories. Which statement
best describes advances that enabled astronomers to gather evidence that led to acceptance of the
Sun-centered model of our solar system?
A. More and better planetariums made people aware of astronomy.
B. Spacecraft visited other planets, gathered evidence about them, and even landed on Mars.
C. More powerful telescopes gathered more data about the solar system
D. Powerful computers were able to do calculations that once astronomers had to do using
pencil and paper.
____ 25. What two factors impact the length of a season?
A. Earth’s rotational speed and Earth’s position in its orbit around the sun
B. Earth’s tilt relative to the moon and Earth’s rotational speed
C. Earth’s tilt relative to the sun and Earth’s position in its orbit around the sun
D. Earth’s tilt relative to the sun only
____ 26. The diagram shows Earth in its yearly orbit around the Sun. During the year, places in the Northern and
Southern Hemispheres experience seasons because of the tilt of Earth’s axis.
Which statement correctly identifies the seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres when the Earth is
at Position D?
A. It is summer in the Northern and Southern hemispheres because the Earth tilts as it rotates
around its axis.
B. It is winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere because
the Earth is tilted on its axis.
C. It is spring in the Northern Hemisphere and Fall in the Southern Hemisphere because
Earth is farther from the Sun than it is at points A and C.
D. It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere because
the northern part of Earth, titled toward the Sun, gets more of the Sun’s energy.
____ 27. Telescopes and moon missions have given astronomers clear pictures of craters on the Moon. Which
statement best explains the cause of these craters?
A. Lava flowing out of volcanoes left behind big craters.
B. Erosion by wind blew soft soil away from hard rock, leaving big craters.
C. Soil and rock wearing away below the surface caused sinkholes that left craters.
D. Asteroids, meteorites, and comets speeding through the solar system collided with the
Moon and created impact craters.
____ 28. Refracting telescopes use lenses. Reflecting telescopes use mirrors. However, both types of telescopes have
something in common. How are both types of telescopes similar?
A. They both magnify tiny nearby objects.
B. They both reflect light that enters the telescope.
C. They both concentrate electromagnetic radiation.
D. They are both classified as nonoptical telescopes.
____ 29. Franz was writing a research paper on how building construction had changed his neighborhood. He found
these images of how an area near his home looked on September 9, 2000 and again on September 26, 2006.
What kind of technology was responsible for these images and how else might the technology be used?
A. Remote-sensing satellites created the images, and this technology could be used to detect
changes in an area, such as the Mississippi delta, over time.
B. Space Shuttle technology created the images, and this technology could be used to make
maps of every neighborhood in North America, such as this one.
C. Weather satellites created the images, and this technology could be used to take these
kinds of pictures to use as background for weather forecasting maps.
D. GPS technology created the images and this technology could be used to make pictures of
the Earth so that these satellites could track ships, airplanes, and motor vehicles.
____ 30. People have traveled into space many times since 1961, when a Russian cosmonaut in a tiny space capsule
went into orbit around Earth. Since then, people have traveled into space in larger vehicles, including the
space shuttle. Which kind of technology must people in any size spacecraft use in order to get into space?
A. electronic technology that provides the controls needed to drive a spacecraft
B. rocket technology that provides enough thrust to escape the pull of Earth’s gravity
C. light-weight materials technology that provides metals and other material for spacecraft
light enough to orbit Earth
D. communications technology that provides as way to send instructions to the pilot about
how maneuver the craft
____ 31. Gamma rays, visible light, and radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The figure below
compares these three types of electromagnetic waves.
What three properties of these waves are shown in this figure?
A.
B.
C.
D.
wavelength, frequency, and energy
refraction, wavelength, and frequency
energy, reflection, and wavelength
frequency, visibility, and wavelength
____ 32. Astronomers gather different types of information from x-rays and radio waves. The images of objects in
space that computers produce from x-rays look not at all like images from radio waves. Yet both kinds of
waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. What makes x-rays and radio waves similar and yet so
different?
A. Radio waves are sound waves but X-rays are not.
B. X-rays can create images but radio waves only create sounds.
C. Radio waves have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies than X-rays.
D. Radio waves have shorter wavelengths and lower frequencies than X-rays.
____ 33. Telescopes have several ways of collecting and focusing electromagnetic radiation so that images can be
created from the radiation they collect. Some use lenses, some use mirrors, and some use electronic detectors.
What type of telescope uses ordinary mirrors to collect and focus electromagnetic radiation?
A. X-ray telescope
B. Gamma ray telescope
C. Reflecting optical telescope
D. Refracting optical telescope
____ 34. What types of industries in Florida have experienced the greatest relative growth due to the operations of
Kennedy Space Center?
A.
B.
C.
D.
tourism and mining
airline and chemical
aerospace and military
engineering and utilities
____ 35. The graph shows that the population of Brevard County began to grow rapidly after 1960.
Which of the following reasons were most likely responsible for starting that early growth?
A. More teachers arrived to handle an increase in the number of children attending schools.
B. Applicants appeared to apply for an expanded number of jobs in new citrus groves and
fruit stands.
C. Workers moved in to prepare for the U.S. flights and landings on the Moon in the 1960s
and early1970s.
D. Thousands of workers and managers moved in to staff several new, large amusement and
water parks that were built.
____ 36. NASA researchers develop many technologies for use in the space program that later become consumer
products. For example, imaging devices important on the Hubble Space Telescope found use in digital
cameras. A material used in satellites became thermal blankets that marathon runners use to keep warm. Often
these products improve the Florida economy because Florida companies make them. Which term describes
these space-program technologies that find new uses?
A. benefits
B. spinoffs
C. souvenirs
D. contributions
Grade 8 Earth/Space Posttest
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: D
• A is incorrect because 2.1 ly is about 20 trillion km, which is not as long a distance as 1 million ly.
• B is incorrect because 950,000 km is not as long a distance as 1 million ly.
• C is incorrect because 9.5 trillion km (1 ly) is not as long a distance as 1 million ly.
• D is correct because 1 light-year is about 9.5 trillion km, so 1 million ly is about 9.5•1018 km, which is the
longest distance listed.
STA: SC.8.E.5.1
2. ANS: D
A is incorrect because Polaris, the North Star, at a distance of 430 light years would be difficult to reach
since the travel time would span several lifetimes of astronauts.
B is incorrect because it would take the spacecraft 2.5 million years to arrive at this galaxy 2.5 million light
years away, and therefore Andromeda would be the most difficult to reach.
C is incorrect because a spacecraft traveling at the speed of light would take 26,000 years to reach the center
of the Milky Way.
D is correct because, at a distance of 4.4 light years, Alpha Centauri would require 4.4 years of travel, and
would thus be the easiest of these objects to reach.
STA: SC.8.E.5.1
3. ANS: A
A is correct because astronomers use the light year, the distance that a ray of light travels across space in one
year or 9.46 trillion kilometers, to measure distances in deep space outside our solar system.
B is incorrect because the kilometer is used mainly to measure distances on or above Earth’s surface.
C is incorrect because the speed of light is 299,792 kilometers per second and at this speed light travels 9.46
trillion kilometers in one year, which is a light year.
D is incorrect because the Astronomical Unit is about 150 million kilometers, the distance between the Sun
and Earth.
STA: SC.8.E.5.1
4. ANS: A
• A is correct because gravity holds stars together in a galaxy.
• B is incorrect because gravity, not density, holds stars together in a galaxy.
• C is incorrect because gravity, not star composition, holds stars together in a galaxy.
• D is incorrect because gravity, not the temperatures of the stars, holds stars together in a galaxy.
STA: SC.8.E.5.2
5. ANS: B
A is incorrect because the Milky Way is a galaxy and it belongs to a small group called the Local Group,
which is part of the larger Virgo Cluster, which is part of the huge Local Supercluster.
B is correct because the size of the groups to which the Milky Way belongs is the Local Group, the larger
Virgo Cluster, and the huge Local Supercluster.
C is incorrect because the order of the groups is presented here backwards, with the largest, the Local
Supercluster first.
D is incorrect because the Virgo Cluster is larger than the Local Group.
STA: SC.8.E.5.2
6. ANS: A
A is correct because astronomers call these vast places without stars, “voids.”
B is incorrect because gas clouds contain matter in the form of gas and these clouds are often between stars
and sometimes between galaxies.
C is incorrect because dust clouds are made of matter and these clouds are often between stars and sometimes
between galaxies.
D is incorrect because the term that astronomers use to describe empty space is “void.”
STA: SC.8.E.5.2
7. ANS: C
A is incorrect because Mars has the fourth farthest orbit from the Sun.
B is incorrect because Earth has the third farthest orbit from the Sun.
C is correct because Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
D is incorrect because Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun.
STA: SC.8.E.5.3
8. ANS: D
A is incorrect because a galaxy is a collection or grouping of stars, whereas the Sun is just one star in the
Milky Way.
B is incorrect because the Sun is a star at the center of our solar system and surrounded by planets.
C is incorrect because our Sun and solar system are located in an arm of the Milky Way, a spiral galaxy, and
a black hole is most likely at the center of the galaxy.
D is correct because the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, and the Sun and solar system are in one of the rotating
arms of this spiral galaxy.
STA: SC.8.E.5.3
9. ANS: D
A is incorrect because the universe is all of known space, including galaxies and groups of galaxies.
B is incorrect because a galaxy is made up of many stars, old and new.
C is not correct because galaxies exist today.
D is correct because galaxies contain huge numbers of stars along with nebula.
STA: SC.8.E.5.3
10. ANS: B
A is incorrect because it states Kepler’s second law of planetary motion: as a planet moves around its orbit, its
vector (or line) sweeps out equal areas in equal amounts of time.
B is correct because Kepler’s first law of planetary motion states that the orbit of a planet about the sun is an
ellipse with the sun at one focus.
C is incorrect because it states Kepler’s third law of planetary motion: the square of a planet’s orbital period is
proportional to the cube of its mean distance from the sun (semi-major axis), which can be written as p2 = a3.
D is incorrect because it states Newton’s law of universal gravitation: all objects in the universe attract one
another through gravitational force, and this gravitational force increases as the mass of an object increases or
as the distance between two objects decreases.
STA: SC.8.E.5.4
11. ANS: C
A is incorrect because mass and distance, not mass and speed, are factors in the strength of gravitational
attraction.
B is incorrect because neither time nor motion are factors in determining the strength of gravitational
attraction.
C is correct because the strength of gravitational attraction involves mass and distance.
D is incorrect because distance, not speed, is a factor in determining gravitational attraction.
STA: SC.8.E.5.4
12. ANS: C
A is incorrect because distance affects gravitational strength, not the other way around.
B is incorrect because increasing distance reduces the strength of gravitational attraction.
C is correct so that doubling the distance between two objects reduces their gravitational strength by 1/4 and
halving the distance between them increases gravitational strength four times.
D is incorrect because gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to mass and not
distance.
STA: SC.8.E.5.4
13. ANS: D
• A is incorrect because a red star has a temperature below 3,500 K.
• B is incorrect because a blue star would have a temperature above 25,000 K.
• C is incorrect because an orange star would have a temperature between 3,500 K and 5,000 K.
• D is correct because star A has a temperature that is within the range for yellow-white stars—6,000 K to
7,500 K.
STA: SC.8.E.5.5
14. ANS: B
A is incorrect because apparent brightness is a measure of a star’s brightness from Earth and absolute
brightness is its brightness at a known distance.
B is correct because apparent brightness is a measure of a star’s brightness from Earth and absolute brightness
is a measure of what its brightness would be if it were 32.6 light-years from Earth.
C is incorrect because neither apparent nor absolute brightness are measures of star size.
D is incorrect because neither apparent nor absolute brightness are measures of a star’s color. Apparent
brightness measures a star’s brightness from Earth and absolute brightness measures a star’s actual brightness.
STA: SC.8.E.5.5
15. ANS: A
A is correct because a star is a ball of gas that shines on its own, giving off heat and light.
B is incorrect because a star is only made of gas, mainly hydrogen and helium.
C is incorrect because a star could not be a planet, because planets are bodies that orbit stars.
D is incorrect because a star shines with its own light and does not reflect the light of other stars, as planets in
our Sun’s solar system do.
STA: SC.8.E.5.5
16. ANS: B
A is incorrect because point R is closer to the poles, where a rotation takes about 36 days, not 26 days.
B is correct because point S is at the equator, where one rotation takes about 26 days.
C is incorrect because point T is closer to the poles, where a rotation takes about 36 days, not 26 days.
D is incorrect because point W is closer to the poles, where a rotation takes about 36 days, not 26 days.
STA: SC.8.E.5.6
17. ANS: B
A is incorrect because sunspots are dark areas on the Sun’s surface, but not holes.
B is correct because sunspots are dark areas on the Sun surrounded by hotter material.
C is incorrect because prominences, not sunspots, are arching loops of hot bases.
D is incorrect because sunspots are cooler dark regions on the Sun, not eruptions of hot gases.
STA: SC.8.E.5.6
18. ANS: D
A is incorrect because flares are bright spots on the photosphere and prominence are loops of cooler gas that
come from the photosphere.
B is incorrect because neither flares nor prominence are a kind of sunspot.
C is incorrect because flares and prominences are activities in the photosphere that last from minutes to
weeks, not 11 years as the sunspot cycles does.
D is correct because it accurately describes what these solar activities are, where they occur, and how long
they last.
STA: SC.8.E.5.6
19. ANS: A
A is correct because Mars is farther from the sun than Earth is and has a longer path to travel in its orbit.
B is incorrect because the atmosphere of Mars does not affect the length of its year, which is based on its
revolution around the sun.
C is incorrect because Mars’ axial tilt does not affect the length of the Martian year, which is based on its
revolution around the sun.
D is incorrect because the period of rotation affects the length of a planet’s day, not its year.
STA: SC.8.E.5.7 | SC.8.E.5.3
20. ANS: C
A is incorrect because Earth is not the only planet shown that tilts on its axis; Mars also does.
B is incorrect because it does not address either tilt or seasons, and spin does not affect seasons.
C is correct because seasons are caused by tilt, and planets that do not tilt on their exes do not have seasons.
D is incorrect because Jupiter and Mercury do not have seasons because they do not tilt.
STA: SC.8.E.5.7
21. ANS: D
A is incorrect because the gravitational attraction was between the Moon and the astronauts and not the Moon
and Earth.
B is incorrect because the strength of any body’s gravitational attraction depends on its mass.
C is incorrect because the Moon is less massive, not more massive, than Earth and mass, not size,
determines an object’s force of gravity.
D is correct because the less massive Moon’s weaker gravitational attraction pulled less strongly on the
astronauts than the stronger gravity of Earth, so the astronauts weighed less and could jump higher on the
Moon.
STA: SC.8.E.5.7
22. ANS: A
A is correct because the diagram shows a planet moving around Earth. A geocentric model is based on Earth
as the center of the solar system.
B is incorrect because a heliocentric model is sun-centered, not Earth-centered.
C is incorrect because Copernicus supported a heliocentric model.
D is incorrect because Aristarchus supported a heliocentric model.
STA: SC.8.E.5.8
23. ANS: B
A is incorrect because the Sun, not Earth, is at the center of the solar system in the heliocentric model.
B is correct because the Sun is in the center of the solar system in the heliocentric model and the Earth and
other planets revolve around the Sun.
C is incorrect because the Sun is at the center of the solar system in the heliocentric model and the solar
system is in an arm of the Milky Way, a spiral galaxy.
D is incorrect because the Sun is at the center of the solar system in the heliocentric model and the entire solar
system rotates around the center of the Milky Way.
STA: SC.8.E.5.8
24. ANS: C
A is incorrect because planetariums show exhibits based on information that has been gathered.
B is incorrect because spacecraft played a major role in exploring our solar system but not in gaining
acceptance of the Sun-centered model of its organization.
C is correct because powerful telescopes have gather information about the positions of objects in or solar
system and their orbits around the Sun.
D is incorrect because computers process information that has been gathered in other ways.
STA: SC.8.E.5.8
25. ANS: C
A is incorrect because Earth’s rotational speed is not a factor in the length of a season.
B is incorrect because neither Earth’s tilt relative to the moon nor Earth’s rotational speed are factors in the
length of a season.
C is correct because the length of a season depends on Earth’s tilt relative to the sun and Earth’s position in its
orbit around the sun.
D is incorrect because a season’s length is determined by both Earth’s tilt relative to the sun and Earth’s
position in its orbit around the sun.
STA: SC.8.E.5.9
26. ANS: D
A is incorrect because it cannot be the same season in both hemispheres due to the tilt of Earth on its axis.
The tilt causes one hemisphere to receive more of the Sun’s heat and light than the other.
B is incorrect because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more toward the Sun and receives more of the
Sun’s energy, so it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
C is incorrect because the seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth on its axis and it is therefore summer in the
Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
D is correct because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and gets more energy and the
Southern Hemisphere is tilted away and gets less.
STA: SC.8.E.5.9
27. ANS: D
A is incorrect because there is no melted rock inside the Moon to spill out of volcanoes as lava.
B is incorrect because there is no atmosphere and therefore no wind on the Moon.
C is incorrect because there is no water below the surface of the Moon to wear away soil and rocks.
D is correct because many small bodies from space have collided with the Moon, leaving impact craters
where they landed.
STA: SC.8.E.5.9
28. ANS: C
• A is incorrect because microscopes, not telescopes, magnify tiny nearby objects.
• B is incorrect because refracting telescopes do not have mirrors that can reflect light.
• C is correct because both types of telescopes collect light.
• D is incorrect because both telescopes use lenses and therefore are optical instruments.
STA: SC.8.E.5.10
29. ANS: A
A is correct because satellites with remote-sensing technology can capture images of an area over time so that
the images can be compared to detect changes.
B is incorrect because space shuttle technology is used to carry people in Earth orbit for a variety of purposes,
not capturing images of Earth.
C is incorrect because weather satellites use radar and other instruments to track storms ad forecast weather
conditions.
D is incorrect because GPS technology is used locate specific places and things on and above Earth.
STA: SC.8.E.5.10
30. ANS: B
A is incorrect because rockets rather than electronic controls are the specific technology need to launch a
spacecraft.
B is correct because rocket technology is the specific technology needed for a spacecraft to attain the speed
and direction to escape the pull of Earth’s gravity.
C is incorrect because without the needed velocity (speed and direction) even the lightest-weight material
cannot escape Earth’s gravitational pull.
D is incorrect because the thrust of rockets, not communications with the pilot, launches people in a
spacecraft into space.
STA: SC.8.E.5.10
31. ANS: A
• A is correct because these three properties are shown in this figure.
• B is incorrect because refraction, or the bending of a wave, is not shown.
• C is incorrect because the reflection of a wave is not shown.
• D is incorrect because the figure does not show whether a wave is visible.
STA: SC.8.E.5.11
32. ANS: C
A is incorrect because radio waves are electromagnetic waves, not sound waves.
B is incorrect because X-rays and radio waves do not directly create images and sound but need to be changed
into images and sounds.
C is correct because radio waves have longer wavelengths than X-rays.
D is incorrect because radio waves have longer, not shorter, wavelengths.
STA: SC.8.E.5.11
33. ANS: C
A is incorrect because special detectors rather than a lenses or mirrors are used in X-ray telescopes.
B is incorrect because gamma ray telescopes use special detectors to collect gamma rays.
C is correct because reflecting telescopes use mirrors to collect and focus light.
D is incorrect because refracting telescopes use lenses to collect and focus visible light.
STA: SC.8.E.5.11
34. ANS: C
· A is incorrect because tourism was a major industry in Florida before Kennedy Space Center was built, as
was mining.
· B is incorrect because the airline industry is not prevalent in Florida, and although the chemical industry
exists in Florida, it is not directly tied to Kennedy Space Center like the aerospace and military industries are.
· C is correct because Kennedy Space Center has attracted the aerospace and military industries to Florida.
· D is incorrect. Although the engineering and utilities industries have seen increases, they are not as
significant as those in the aerospace and military industries.
STA: SC.8.E.5.12
35. ANS: C
A is incorrect because an increase in students and teachers was a result of aerospace workers moving into the
area.
B is incorrect because the number of citrus groves most likely declined when developments supporting the
aerospace industry were built in Brevard County.
C is correct because aerospace workers moved into Brevard County around 1960 to prepare for and carry out
the Apollo program to land people on the moon.
D is incorrect because amusement parks were built around Orlando, not in Brevard County, beginning in the
1970s.
STA: SC.8.E.5.12
36. ANS: B
A is incorrect because a benefit can be an advantage of a spinoff, but a spinoff is a new product that uses
NASA technology.
B is correct because a spinoff is a new product, or a new use of a product, that comes from technology
developed for another purpose.
C is incorrect because a souvenir is a memento of an experience and a spinoff is a product that has a practical
use.
D is incorrect because a contribution is a present or donation rather than a product.
STA: SC.8.E.5.12