Download Science Fast Facts

FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 1:
TEST DATE:_______________________
THE SUN-EARTH-MOON SYSTEM:
The Earth’s AXIS is an imaginary line that goes through the center of the Earth from the North
Pole to the South Pole. The Earth is constantly rotated on its axis. It takes the Earth 24 hours to
complete one ROTATION.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
CELESTIAL OBJECTS are all the different objects in space that make up our universe. This
includes stars, planets, asteroids, comets, and moons.
UNIVERSE:
THE UNIVERSE is the space that consists of all matter, all light, and all forms of radiation and
energy.
MICROBES:
A MICROORGANISM is a living thing that can only be seen with the aid of a magnification.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
ENERGY is a source of usable power. The sun has energy because we are able to capture and
use its energy through solar panels. A two-year-old is sometimes referred to as a “bundle of
energy” but this is referring to a different kind of energy because a two-year-old’s energy
cannot be used by others.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 2
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
A REVOLUTION is the circling of an object in space around another object in space. It takes one
year for Earth to revolve around the sun and make a complete revolution. It takes the moon
about 29 days to revolve around Earth. The path a planet or moon takes during its revolution is
called an ORBIT.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
STARS are celestial objects that consist of gases which generate light and heat. Generally they
stay in one place. The sun is the closest star to us.
UNIVERSE:
All the stars (except for the sun) are so far away that our present mode of space travel would
take more than a lifetime to reach a star. Since stars are so far away, our present system of
miles and years make it difficult for our minds to comprehend because the numbers are so
large. Scientists and astronomers use THE LIGHT-YEAR—the distance light travels in one year—
to help us understand these distances.
MICROBES:
It happens every year—you get a fever, scratchy throat, or headache. A microoranagism was
probably the cause of your sickness, You may have called it a germ, but this term only describes
relatively few microorganisms.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Energy can come in the form of HEAT, LIGHT, or SOUND.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 3
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
When we look at the sun it looks as if it is moving across the sky. It is the rotation of the Earth
that gives the sun this appearance. The sun is actually in the same place in the sky. As Earth
rotates, it brings the sun in and out of view giving us daylight and darkness.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Our SOLAR SYSTEM is a system made up of eight unique planets (plus Pluto) and many smaller
objects that orbit the sun. The SUN is the star that is the basis of our solar system and sustains
life on Earth as the source of heat and light.
UNIVERSE:
The sun is about 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 km) from the sun. A beam of light from the sun
takes about 8 minutes (500 seconds) to reach us.
MICROBES:
Microorganisms require food, air, water, ways to dispose of waste, and an environment in
which they can live. Some microorganisms are PRODUCERS meaning they make their own food
(similar to how plants do), and other microorganisms are CONSUMERS and eat other organisms
for food.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
One way heat can be transferred is through CONDUCTION—the heat transfer through a
substance or from a substance to another by direct contact. One example of conduction is a
pan on the stove. The hot stove touches the pan and transfers heat making the pan hot.
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PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 4
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
In 1852 a French Scientist, Jean Bernard Leon Foucault did an experiment to prove the Earth spins by building
the FOUCAULT PENDULUM. He attached a wire to an iron ball with a pointer and hung it from a domed
ceiling. After putting the ball in motion, it scratched a mark in sand spread below it. Throughout the day the
scratch lines slowly and evenly shifted to the right.
Since there is no outside force making the pendulum rotate as it swings, and no other outside force
interrupting the swing, it must be the floor itself that is rotating, while the path of the pendulum’s swing
remains constant.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
A PLANET is a celestial body that revolves around a star, does not give off its own light, and is larger than
asteroids or comets.
UNIVERSE:
The closest star, other than our sun, is Alpha Centauri. It is 4.3 light-years away. So, if you could travel at the
speed of light, it would still take about 4 years and 4 months to get there.
MICROBES:
Some microorganisms are MULTICELLULAR meaning they are made up of more than one cell. Others are
SINGLE-CELLED (or unicellular). Living things made up of only one cell are the smallest unit of life.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Substances that transfer heat better than others are CONDUCTORS. Some substances do not conduct heat
easily, these are called INSULATORS. Glass, wood, plastic and rubber are all insulators which is why pans have
handles made of wood or plastic—to keep the pan from conducting heat to your hand and burning it.
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SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 5
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Like the sun, the stars stay in the same place. However, because of the Earth’s rotation is seems
as if the stars move across the sky. The North Star, also known as POLARIS, is the exception.
Earth’s axis is pointing directly at the North Star (Polaris) so the star doesn’t appear to move.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
All celestial objects have some amount of GRAVITY—the attraction of one mass to another
mass. GRAVITATIONAL FORCE is a measurement of the pull of gravity. Large masses have a
stronger gravitational force than small ones. So the sun has a stronger gravitational force than
the earth has.
UNIVERSE:
We know it takes 8 minutes (500 seconds) for the sun’s light to reach the Earth, and the sun
and Earth are 93 million miles apart.
93,000,000 miles ÷ 500 seconds = 186,000 miles per sec
But light-years are miles per year not miles per sec…
Light-Year Calculation
60 seconds per minute x 60 minutes per hour = 3,600 seconds per hour
3600 seconds per hour x 24 hours per day = 86,400 seconds per day
86,400 seconds per day x 365 days a year = 31,536,000 seconds per year.
31,536,000 seconds per year x 186,000 miles per second = 5,865,696,000,000 miles per year
5,865,696,000,000 miles per year = 1 light year in miles.
OR
31,536,000 seconds per yr x 300,000 kilometers per sec = 9,469,800,000 kilometers per year
9,469,800,000 kilometers per year = 1 light-year in kilometers
MICROBES:
Most microorganisms don’t cause disease,
but are very helpful.
How does CONDUCTION work?
When particles are moving faster, there is
more energy and the temperature is higher.
As fast-moving particles touch slow-moving
particles, the energy is transferred. This
causes slower particles to move faster and
the faster particles to slow down.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 6
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
People used to tell stories to explain the seasons. One tells of how an evil person took one of
the daughters of the sun as prisoner. In the sun’s anger, he withdrew more of his light each day
until she was returned. This made everything cold, dark, and stormy. Finally, there was a brave
person who had enough courage to save the sun’s daughter. On her return, the sun started to
shine its light longer each day to bring back the warm, fair days.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Most the celestial objects that are part of our solar system are constantly circling our sun.
These circling paths are called orbits.
UNIVERSE:
Most stars belong to a GALAXY—a group of millions of stars held together by gravity. Our solar
system lies on the outer edge of a huge galaxy called the MILKY WAY GALAXY—a group of
about 200 billion stars formed in a disk-shaped spiral.
MICROORGANISMS:
Even though some microorganisms have plant-like qualities, or animal-like qualities, they are
not classified as either. Scientists classify them as BACTERIA, FUNGI, and PROTIST.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
RADIATION is the transfer of heat through space in the form of waves.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 7
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Not only were early astronomers very interested in the sun and stars, but also by the changing moon. It
appeared to change in size from day to day. This strange occurrence captivated people’s imaginations;
there have been many legends and myths written to explain why the moon changes shapes.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
If a small object is trapped by the gravity of a larger object, it must move fast enough not to be
“captured” by the gravity of the larger object. If it slowed down enough, it would fall into the larger
object. For example, if the moon slowed down, Earth’s gravity would pull it down to earth. If it moved
more rapidly it would spin off into space.
UNIVERSE:
The Milky Way galaxy is only one of billions of galaxies. One of our neighboring galaxies is Andromeda. It
is two million light years away; it’s so far away you can’t see individual stars, only a hazy spot. These
pictures were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
MICROORGANISMS:
Microorganism classifications are determined by: shape, structure, how they get their food, where they
live, and how they move.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Light is energy that travels in waves and is produced by hot energetic objects.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 8
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
The moon does not produce its own light. As the sun’s rays shine on the moon, they are
REFLECTED. This reflection lets us see the moon. Just like Earth, half of the moon is always
exposed to light and the other half is dark.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
The planets of our solar system, in order from the sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are the inner planets
and are made of rocky, solid matter. The outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
are made up of gases.
UNIVERSE:
Long ago sky watchers noticed some stars were only visible during certain months. They
charted the stars during the spring, summer, fall, and winter, and made calendars of the
months based on the star formations.
MICROORGANISMS:
Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms that exist all around you and inside you.
Although they can cause sickness and disease, they are important to life on Earth. We depend
on bacteria to help in the digestion of food, for plant growth, and to help us make foods and
medicines.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
One way the three forms of energy are alike is that can be reflected. Light strikes a mirror at an
ANGLE OF INCIDENCE. It bounces off at the same angle—THE ANGLE OF REFLECTION.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 9
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Two weeks after the New Moon, the entire lighted side of the moon is visible from the earth. This phase
is called the full moon. At that time, the earth is approximately between the moon and the sun. The full
moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun. Its atmosphere is made mostly of hydrogen, helium, methane,
and ammonia. Its Great Red Spot is a storm, which has lasted for millions of years. It has a ring system. It
also has four large and 24 small moons. It is the largest planet in our solar system.
UNIVERSE:
Ursa Minor, also known as the Little Dipper, is given its name because its seven brightest stars seem to
form the shape of a dipper (ladle or scoop). The star at the end of the dipper handle is Polaris, the North
Star.
MICROORGANISMS:
FUNGI are organisms that are neither plant or animal, yet have characteristics of both. They absorb food
from whatever source they are growing on. A common fungus is a mushroom. It looks like a plant, but it
is not green. Mushrooms cannot make their own food and must live on a food source. Some are
poisonous, and only an expert can identify them.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Energy in sound waves can be transmitted from one substance to another. Sound travels faster through
liquids than through air, and faster in solids than in through liquids or gases.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 10
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Why don’t we see the full reflection of the moon each time we see the moon? You have
probably noticed that the moon doesn’t always rise and set at the same time each day.
Sometimes it rises with the sun, after the sun has been up a while, or when the sun is setting.
Sometimes it rises after the sun has gone down or in the middle of the night. The moon doesn’t
revolve around the Earth as fast as the Earth rotates. Because of the Earth’s faster rotation, the
moon rises about fifty minutes later each day.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Mercury is the nearest planet to our sun. Its surface looks similar to our moon. It has no
atmosphere, and no moons. Mercury revolves around the sun with the same side always facing
the sun. It has the greatest temperature range from 662⁰ F (day) to -274⁰ F (night).
UNIVERSE:
Groups of stars are called CONSTELLATIONS—patterns of stars in the sky that have been
identified and named. Some constellations don’t appear to move. This is because they are close
to the North Star.
MICROORGANISMS:
Bacteria are an important part of the soil. They are able to capture some nutrients that plants
cannot. When living things die, bacteria plays an important role as DECOMPOSERS—bacteria
and fungi feeding on and breaking down plant and animal matter. Without decomposers, the
bodies of all organisms that have ever lived would still remain—this would be messy!
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Energy waves can also be REFRACTED—bent.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 11
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Not only does the moon rise at different times each day, but it also changes shapes. The PHASES OF THE
MOON are the different shapes of the moon during a lunar cycle.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Venus is the second planet from the sun. It spins slowly backwards as it orbits the sun. Its atmosphere is
mostly made up of carbon dioxide. The atmosphere traps heat making Venus the hottest planet at
860⁰F. Its surface is mostly craters, mountains, and volcanic lava. It has no moons.
UNIVERSE:
Orion, often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and
visible throughout the world. Its name refers to Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology. The Belt of Orion is
three bright stars in a row. Surrounding the belt at roughly similar distances are four bright stars, which
are considered to represent the outline of the hunter's body.
MICROORGANISMS:
Some bacteria always live in our bodies. They are found in the digestive system and help digest food.
Other bacteria are in our food—when you eat cheese or yogurt, you eat bacteria.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Sound is a form of energy that causes particles to vibrate back and forth. A VIBRATION is a rapid
movement back and forth. If something “crashes” it causes the air around it to vibrate. Once those
vibrations reach your eardrum, you hear the crash.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 12
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
The lunar cycle begins with the New Moon—one that is not visible to our eyes. During this
phase the moon is between the sun and Earth. The moon and sun rise and move across the sky
together. (Remember the sun is not moving; it’s earth’s rotation that makes it seem like the sun
is moving.) Since sunlight is hitting the part of the moon that is facing away from Earth, we see
the dark side of the moon. The New Moon phase only takes place during daylight hours.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Earth has one moon. It has the conditions necessary for life as we know it. It has volcanoes and
earthquakes.
UNIVERSE:
Stars in a constellation may seem close together, but actually they can be very far apart. Below
is a chart graphing the distance of the stars that make up Orion.
MICROORGANISMS:
Bacteria are the smallest microorganism. You can see them when there are thousands of them
growing together in a colony. To see bacteria as a single organism, requires a microscope with
very high magnification.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
The more energy exerted, the louder the sound. Since it takes more energy to yell than to
whisper, a yell has more intensity and loudness.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 13
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Since the moon rises later each day during the lunar cycle, we see more of the lighted side of the moon each
time it rises. On the eighth or ninth day, the moon is in the First Quarter phase. It has traveled one-quarter of
the way through its orbit. From Earth we can now see one-half of the lighted side.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. Iron oxides (rust) cause its surface to have a red glow. It has polar ice
caps made of frozen carbon dioxide and water. It has small moons. It has a thin atmosphere, and huge dust
storms sometimes cover the surface.
UNIVERSE:
People of all ages have discovered that constellations can be used as reference points. Sailors used them to
help guide their ships at night. African-Americans fleeing slavery sought what they called the Drinking Gourd
(Big Dipper), found by the North Star as a guide to freedom. Pioneers migrating west used constellations as a
guide while on the Oregon Trail.
MICROORGANISMS:
Scientists can CULTURE—grow microorganisms in a specially prepared nutrient medium. The drawing shows
hoe colonies of bacteria look when cultured on a plate. The colonies vary in size and color depending on type
of bacteria.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
PITCH is how high or low a sound is.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 14
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
A week after the full moon, only one-half of
the moon’s lighted side is visible from
earth. This phase is called the third quarter,
or last quarter. The moon in the last quarter
rises at midnight and sets at noon.
MICROORGANISMS:
Fungi also like warm moist places to grow.
One type of fungus you are familiar with is
yeast. It is used to make bread rise and give
it flavor. Athlete’s foot is caused by a
fungus. Some types of fungi rot wood in
homes.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun. It is
the second largest planet in our solar
system. It has an atmosphere of hydrogen,
helium, methane, and ammonia. It has at
least 30 moons. The largest moon, Titan, is
larger than Mercury. If it were set upon
Earth’s oceans, it would float. It has a ring
system.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
The pitch of an instrument changes by adjusting
its length or width. It can also be changed by
tightening the strings which increases the speed
of vibration. Below, when tapped, glass on the
left will have the lowest pitch.
UNIVERSE:
Ursa Major, also known as the Big Dipper, is
commonly used to find Polaris. This is done by
following a line through the two stars which
form the end of the "bowl" of the Big Dipper.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 15
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
through the water with tiny hair-like arms
called cilia. The cilia are located all around
the sack-like body of the protozoa and wave
back and forth to move the protozoa
through the water.
After a New Moon, the phases begin
WAXING—that more of the illuminated half
of the moon can be seen each night. About
24 hours after a New Moon, you can see a
thin slice of the moon. This phase is called
the WAXING CRESENT.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun.
It is the third largest planet in our solar
system. It has a ring system. Its axis points
towards the sun. It has 21 moons. It has an
atmosphere of hydrogen, helium, methane,
and ammonia. It is the methane that causes
Uranus to appear blue in color.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
With sound, the position where the
molecules are pressed close together is
called a COMPRESSION. Where the
molecules are spread out is called a
RAREFACTION. One compression and one
rarefaction together make up one
wavelength.
UNIVERSE:
An easy constellation to find is Cassiopeia.
You can look for five bright stars that form a
big “W” or “M” in the northern sky,
depending on the season.
MICROORGANISMS:
PROTOZOANS are microscopic organisms
that usually live in water. They move
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PERIOD:________________
15
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 16
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
UNIVERSE:
After a Full Moon, the phases are said to be
WANING—see less of its illuminated half
each night. WANING GIBBOUS begins just
after a Full Moon. A WANING CRESENT
occurs just before another new moon.
The actual number of stars is not known,
but about 3,000 can be seen from the Earth
with the naked eye. With the aid of a
telescope, we can see more.
MICROORGANISMS:
One Protozoan, the AMOEBA, is a
Sarcodine. This means it has no definite
shape; its shape changes as it moves. It
sends out pseudopods (false feet), then the
rest of the body flows into the pseudopod.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun.
It has a Great Dark Spot that is a huge storm
system as large as Earth. It has high altitude
winds. Its atmosphere is made of hydrogen,
helium, methane, and ammonia. Methane
causes Neptune to appear blue in color. It
has eight moons, and its moon Triton has an
atmosphere. Neptune also has a ring
system.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
When sound is reflected it produces an
ECHO.
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PERIOD:________________
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SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 17
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Earth’s tilt is important when understanding
the changing seasons. The Earth’s tilt is at a
23.5° angle. As Earth revolves around the
sun, it maintains this tilt, and always points
in the same direction--towards the North
Star. The combination of the Earth’s
revolution around the sun, and Earth’s
23.5° angle tilt, are the reasons we have
seasons.
MICROORGANISMS:
The Amoeba is a Protozoan that is classified
as a Sarcodine. It eats other tiny organisms,
such as algae or bacteria by surrounding
them and digesting them. Inside its cell are
vacuoles and a cell nucleus. The vacuoles
are tiny spaces that collect and expel excess
water; food also goes there and is digested
there.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
All eight planets revolve around the sun in a
counterclockwise (west to east) direction.
The time needed for a planet to make one
complete trip around the sun (one
revolution), is called the planet’s year.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
With string instruments, frequency (pitch) is
controlled by the tightness of the strings.
The pitch is lower for looser, longer, or
thicker strings. To make the pitch higher,
one would have to tighten the strings
UNIVERSE:
Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Cassiopeia are
constellations in the northern sky and circle
around Polaris. Because of this, they are
called CIRCUMPOLAR constellations.
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
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SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 18
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
an imaginary line called an axis. The time
needed for a planet to make one complete
rotation on its axis (period of rotation), is
called the planet’s day.
Why does the Earth’s tilt make a
difference? Think of a sunburn you may
have received during a day playing
outdoors. The top of your shoulders got
burned more than your legs. The angle of
your shoulders caused them to receive the
most direct sun rays, and your legs were
angled away from the sun and absorbed
less of the sun’s energy.
UNIVERSE:
When you refer to the brightness of a star,
you can refer to its absolute magnitude—a
measurement of the amount of light it gives
off.
MICROORGANISMS:
The Euglena is a Protozoan that is classified
as a flagellate, and is commonly found in
freshwater ponds and streams. It is pearshaped, and has a hairlike whip called a
FLAGELLA that propels it through water.
Notice the space between the rays on the
diagram on the left are much closer
together than those on the right. The heat
that is produced by the light on the left is
greater than the heat produced on the
right.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Many woodwind instruments use a reed for
a mouthpiece. A musician changes the pitch
by pressing and releasing small holes. This
changes the length of the vibrating air
column thus changing the pitch.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
The planets rotate, or spin like a top, as
they travel around the sun. They rotate on
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
18
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 19
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Each planet is kept in orbit around the sun
by a balance between inertia and the force
of gravity. Newton’s law of gravity states:
every body in the universe has a
gravitational attraction for every other
body. The heavier the body, the greater its
gravitational pull.
As Earth revolves around the sun, Earth’s
tilt never changes, yet it changes in relation
to the sun. When Earth’s North Pole points
away from the sun, the Northern
Hemisphere has winter. When this
happens, the Southern Hemisphere gets
more sunlight and is warmer. People in
Australia go swimming in December
because it is their summer. Six months
later, Earth North Pole is pointing towards
the sun and receives the most direct rays
and warmth from the sun. That is when the
United States has summer and the Southern
Hemisphere enjoys winter.
UNIVERSE:
Another way to refer to a star’s brightness
is its apparent magnitude—a measurement
of the amount of light received on Earth
MICROORGANISMS:
Euglena has other interesting characteristics
other than a flagella. It also contains
chlorophyll that allows it to use the sun to
make its own food using photosynthesis.
However, if there is no sunlight, it will eat
bacteria and materials from decaying plants
and animals.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
With brass instruments the pitch is
controlled by changing the tightness of the
lips (the tighter the lips the higher the
pitch), and making the vibrating column
shorter. Most brass instruments do this
with valves.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 20
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
There are two times during the year when
the Northern and Southern Hemisphere
have the same amount of daylight. They are
March 21st and September 21st. These mark
the first official days of spring and fall.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
The planets remain in orbit instead of being
pulled into the sun because of INERTIA—the
tendency of a body in motion to continue
moving in the same direction and at the
same speed unless some force causes it to
change direction or speed. The planets are
moving at a tremendous speed, with
nothing to slow them down.
MICROORGANISMS:
The Paramecium is a Protozoan that is
classified as a ciliate. It has cilia and
resembles that shape of a shoe or slipper. It
can be found in the scum that forms on the
surface of quiet ponds. It eats other
microscopic organisms such as bacteria,
algae, and other protists.
UNIVERSE:
Scientists can measure close stars by
measuring its parallax. This is the apparent
shift in the position of an object when
viewed from two different positions. The
nearer an object is to the observer, the
greater its parallax.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Percussion instruments work by striking a
surface. Some have a diaphragm stretched
over a hollow container. Tightening or
loosing this diaphragm will change the pitch
(the tighter the higher). The thickness and
the size can also affect the pitch. The
thicker and the bigger the diaphragm, the
lower the pitch.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 21
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOONS/SEASONS:
Occasionally, the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, in such a way that the moon is
within the Earth’s umbral shadow. This phenomenon is called a lunar eclipse.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
The word planet means “wanderer.” The planets were given this name because, to early astronomers,
they appeared to wander around the sky, instead of remaining in a fixed position as the stars appear to
do.
UNIVERSE:
Draco (The Dragon) is also a circumpolar constellation. It contains the star Thuban which around 2700
BC, at the height of the ancient Egyptain civilizations, Thuban, not Polaris, was at the celestial North
Pole. The pole star slowly changes because the Earth’s rotational axis wobbles.
MICROORGANISMS:
There are many different kinds of mold, all of which are a part of the FUNGI family. Some of them grow
on bread, cheese, and other foods.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
The sense of hearing can be damaged by exposure to very loud sound. The extent of hearing damage
depends on how near, how loud, how long, and how often the ear is subjected to the sound. You should
always protect your ears from exposure to intense sound.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 22
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Cepheus and Cassiopeia are circumpolar
constellations. They are known as the King
and Queen from a city in Ethiopia. They had
many children including a beautiful
daughter named Andromeda.
On rare occasions, the moon passes
between the Earth and the sun in such a
way that the moon’s umbral shadow
reaches the Earth. The tip of the umbra
covers a very small part of the Earth’s
surface, darkening that part of the Earth in
a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse
lasts a maximum of eight minutes, and very
few people ever get to see one.
MICROORGANISMS:
As mold matures, it produces spore cases,
each about the size of a pinhead, and
contains thousands of spores. When a spore
case matures, it breaks open and the spores
are released and carried away by air
currents.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Most planets have smaller SATELLITES—
objects that revolve around another object.
These satellites are called moons. Earth
only has one moon, but some planets have
several.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Light is a member of a group of waves
called ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES. Others
in this group include radio waves, infrared
rays, X rays, and gamma rays. All of these
are part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
UNIVERSE:
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
22
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 23
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
UNIVERSE:
The tilt of Earth affects the height of the sun in
the sky and the length of daylight. During
summer, the sun stays out longer during the
day and is higher overhead at noon. During the
winter, the days are short because the sun
never gets very high in the sky.
Stars vary in temperature. Stars with higher
temperatures also have brighter absolute
magnitudes. The two scientists that discovered
this, Hertzspring and Russel developed a graph
to show this relationship. This is known as an HR diagram.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Pluto is farther away from the sun most of the
time, but sometimes Neptune is farther away
from the sun. This is because the orbits of
Neptune and Pluto cross each other. However,
this condition only exists for a small portion of
Pluto’s orbital period, so Pluto is considered to
be farther from the sun.
MICROORGANISMS:
Mold spores can be harmful. Mold spores that
are carried through the air can settle on damp
food and grow, and produce more spores. Also,
many people are allergic to mold spores in the
air.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Each electromagnetic wave has its own unique
WAVELENGTH--the distance from one crest to
the next crest. It also has its own unique
FREQUENCY—the number of waves that pass by
a given point in a one second.
23
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 24
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
UNIVERSE:
Project Apollo was the U.S. program to land on
the moon. On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed
on the Moon’s surface. Neil Armstrong was the
first human to set foot on another celestial
object. His first words on the moon were,
“That’s one small step for man, and one giant
leap for mankind.”
Ancient civilizations used the stars for a
calendar. They did this by watching the 12
zodiac constellations. Those constellations
include: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo,
Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn,
Aquarius, and Pisces.
MICROORGANISMS:
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Mold on cheese is not always a bad thing.
Some cheeses are famous because special
types of mold grow on them giving them
flavor many people enjoy.
The Sun is the largest member of our Solar
System. It is so large that if it were hollow, a
million Earths could fit inside. The Sun’s
energy is nuclear, meaning it fuses atoms
together (hydrogen atoms into helium
atoms) thus creating energy.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
A lens is a tool that refracts light. A concave
lens curves inward so when light passes
through it, it is spread. This helps you see
faraway objects.
24
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 25
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
Apollo 13 was launched on April 11, 1970. However, an explosion caused the mission to abort,
and the astronauts barely made it home.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Scientists believe that Mars may have once had liquid water, and therefore had life. They
believe this because several of Mars’ surface features are similar to Earth’s that were formed
with water through weathering.
UNIVERSE:
An Alien Planet is any planet outside our solar system. Sometimes they are referred to as
exoplanets. The first one was discovered in the 90s and since then hundreds have been
discovered. Scientists are trying to find one that is habitable, but even if they did, overcoming
the distance to get there would be a problem.
MICROORGANISMS:
One type of mold produces the drug penicillin which is an antibiotic used to fight many
bacterial diseases.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
A convex lens bulges outward. Light rays bend inward towards its center. This makes objects
near the lens seem bigger. Reading glasses have a convex lens.
25
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 26
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
On July 30, 1971 Apollo 15 landed on the moon. The astronauts stayed on the moon for three
days. As part of this mission they rode around in a lunar rover to collect samples and do other
scientific research.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
Scientists believe our solar system formed from part of a nebula of gas, ice, and dust. Gradually
this cloud fragment contracted into a large, tightly packed, spinning disk. At the disk’s center it
was so hot and dense that nuclear fusion began to occur and the sun was born.
UNIVERSE:
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990 by the space shuttle Discovery. It is how
scientists have been able to view large clusters of galaxies beyond our own.
MICROORGANISMS:
Molds, like some bacteria, break down organic matter and help to prepare it to return to soil.
This action not only gets rid of dead organisms and wastes, but also fertilizes the soil.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Although the various electromagnetic waves differ in their wavelengths, they all travel at
300,000 km/sec in a vacuum. This is called the speed of light.
26
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 27
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
of a pin point—that’s how vast our galaxy
is!
The moon is much smaller than Earth. There
is no air or atmosphere. It almost has no
water either. Because of these factors, the
moon has an extreme range of
temperatures. In the daytime, it is hot
enough to boil water. The nights are colder
than any place on Earth.
MICROORGANISMS:
Most species of fungi are many-celled. The
body of a fungus is usually a mass of manycelled, threadlike tubes called HYPHAE. The
hyphae produce enzymes that help break
down food outside of the fungus.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
A German mathematician, Johannes Kepler,
began studying the orbits of the planets. He
discovered they were not circular, but
elliptical. His calculations further showed
the sun is not exactly at the center of the
orbits. He also discovered the planets travel
at different speeds in their orbit.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
UNIVERSE:
A refracting telescope uses convex lenses.
Light from an object passes through a
convex objective lens and it bends to form
an image at the focal point. The eyepiece
magnifies the image.
Throughout the universe, stars are found in
large groups called galaxies. Our sun is near
the edge of The Milky Way Galaxy. If you
could shrink the Milky Way down to the size
of a bike tire, our sun would only be the size
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 28
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
the club-shaped structure that produces
spores. This structure is called a BASIDIUM.
The spores are then released from the “gill”
part of the mushroom so the mushroom
can reproduce.
The moon is Earth’s closest neighbor in
space. It is 240,000 miles from Earth. This is
almost 400 times closer than the sun which
is 93 million miles away.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
The first American spacecraft to Mercury
was in 1974-1975 by Mariner 10. It flew by
the planet and sent pictures back to Earth.
Scientists now know Mercury’s surface has
many craters, and is similar to Earth’s
moon. There is also a weak magnetic force
around it so some scientists hypothesize it
has an iron core.
PROTIST:
BACTERIA:
Protists may be unicellular or have multiple
cells, however all their cells contain a
nucleus. Scientists have created three
classes of protists:
Sewage treatment plants use bacteria to
purify water. Bacteria are also used in
cheese, yogurt, and drugs.
FUNGI:
1. Plantlike Protists (algae),
2. Animal-Like Protists (protozoans),
3. Funguslike Protists (slime molds and
mildews).
Club Fungi is the type of fungi you are most
familiar with because this group includes
mushrooms. Club Fungi gets its name from
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 29
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
PROTIST:
Sometimes the moon appears white, but
sometimes it takes on another color such as
yellow or blue. The moon’s color “appears”
to change because of the changes in the
Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere
contains water vapor, dust particles which
distort light as it comes to earth.
Plant-like protists are known as algae. Even
though all algae contain chorolphyll, not all
of them look green. Many have other
pigments that cover up their chlorophyll.
BACTERIA:
Bacteria normally have three basic shapes—
spheres, rods, and spirals. Sphere-shaped
bacteria are called cocci (singular coccus),
rod-shaped are called bacilli (singular
bacillus), and spiral-shaped are called
spirilla (singular spirillum). Bacteria are
smaller than plant or animal cells. They are
one-celled that occur alone or in chains or
groups.
SOLAR SYSTEM/UNIVERSE:
All the planets (and Pluto) revolve around
the sun in a counterclockwise (west to east)
direction.
FUNGI:
Sac Fungi include yeasts, molds, morels, and
truffles. The spores these fungi are
produced in a little, saclike structure called
an ASCUS. Yeasts reproduce sexually by
forming spores, and reproduce asexually by
BUDDING.
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FIRST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 30
TEST DATE:_______________________
MOON/SEASONS:
The moon’s orbital plane around the earth is tilted about 5 degrees from the earth’s plane orbit
around the sun. Therefore the moon and the earth are usually a little above or below each
other’s shadow as the moon circles the earth. At such time no eclipses occur; therefore eclipses
don’t occur every full or new moon.
BACTERIA:
Most organisms use oxygen when they break down food to obtain their energy. This process is
called respiration. An organism that uses oxygen for respiration is call an AEROBE. In contrast,
an organism that is adapted to live without oxygen is call an ANAEROBE.
PROTISTS:
Dinoflagellates—meaning “spinning flagellates”-- are a group of plant-like protists. They have
two flagella. One flagellum circles the cell like a belt, and another is attached to one end like a
tail. As the two flagella move, they cause the cell to spin.
FUNGI:
A lichen is an organism that is made of a fungus and either a green algae or a cyanobacterium.
The two organisms have a symbiotic relationship. The fungus gets food made by the green
algae or cyanobacterium, and in return the green algae/cyanobacterium get a moist, protected
place+++++++++ to live.
HEAT/LIGHT/SOUND:
Visible light is found on the electromagnetic spectrum.
30
NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 31
TEST DATE:_______________________
31
FRIST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 32
TEST DATE:_______________________
Make your own review for CRTs. Go back through all your old tests, and reviews to find six facts that
you have difficulty remembering. Write those six facts below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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FRIST AND LAST NAME:_________________
PERIOD:________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 33
TEST DATE:_______________________
Things to Remember and Common Mistakes
The sun is a light source. Therefore it does not
have a shadow. Never think the earth or the
moon is in the shadow of the sun.
Thermal Energy vs. Kinetic Energy—
what’s the difference?
The “dark side” of the moon never faces the
sun—THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT. The dark
side of the moon refers to the side of the moon
that we don’t see from earth. The moon does
orbit and rotate. However, since the rotational
period is exactly the same as the orbital period,
the same portion of the Moon's sphere is
always facing the Earth.
Distance from the sun is why we have different
seasons—THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT. If this
were true then the northern and southern
hemispheres would not have opposite seasons.
It is the axis tilt that gives us the seasons.
DON’T USE “COLD” WHEN DESCRIBING
TEMPERATURE! When we refer to temperature
we are really referring to ENERGY. Cold is not a
form of energy. A better term to use would be
“an absence of heat” Review the following
definitions to help you remember why:





Dates to remember:


H___________ is the transfer of
thermal energy.
T____________ is the measure
of the average kinetic energy.
K_________ __________ is the
energy of motion.
T_________ __________ is the
total amount of energy within a
material.
C_____________ is not a form
of energy, but a term used to
describe a condition of low
levels of thermal energy.





33
Apollo 11 landed on the moon
in 1969
June 21st is our longest day of
the year and is the summer
solstice
Dec. 21st is our shortest day of
the year and is the winter
solstice
March 20th is our spring
equinox (daylight and nighttime
hours are equal)
Sept. 22nd/23rd is our fall
equinox (daylight and nighttime
hours are equal)
July 4th is around when we are
farthest from the sun
Jan. 4th is around when are
closest to the sun
FIRST AND LAST NAME:_____________________
PERIOD:____________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 34
TEST DATE:_______________________
MATTER:
Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. This includes air, water, soil, stone, metal, animals,
plants, planets, and so on. Some things consist of many different substances such as the human body or
air. Material that is made up of only one kind of matter is called a pure substance.
EARTH’S STRUCTURE:
The atmosphere is thickest and heaviest near the surface of the Earth, because of the weight of the air
above, and it grows gradually thinner at higher altitudes. The atmosphere is thought of being layered.
ORGANISMS/ORGANS:
The smallest unit of living tissue is called a cell. The average human adult body is made up of over 60
trillion cells, which vary in size, shape, and function. A grouping of similar cells forms tissue.
GENETICS:
Genetics deals with the structure of genes, and how genes behave in an organism. It also deals with
patterns of inheritance from parent to offspring. Given that genes are universal to living organisms,
genetics can be applied to the study of all living systems, from viruses and bacteria, through to humans.
CLASSIFICATION:
It is estimated that there are at least 5 million different kinds of living organisms. These are all classified
into groups. The hierarchy of grouping animals is as follows:
KINGDOM
PHYLUM
CLASS
ORDER
FAMILY
GENUS
SPECIES
SUBSPIECES
34
35
NAME:_____________________
PERIOD:____________________
SCIENTIFIC FAST FACTS
WEEK 34
TEST DATE:_______________________
MATTER:
EARTH’S STRUCTURE:
ORGANISMS/ORGANS:
There are four main types of tissue in the body:
1. Muscle tissue—which forms all the muscles
2. Connective tissue—which supports body parts and holds them together, including bone,
blood, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.
3. Nerve tissue—which includes the brain, the spinal cord, and all nerves
4. Epithelial tissue—which form the outer skin and lines the body cavities, such as the
mouth, nose, stomach, intestines, and heart.
GENETICS:
CLASSIFICATION:
36