Download SOLAR SYSTEM STUDY GUIDE – 8 th grade Science (Coe

SOLAR SYSTEM STUDY GUIDE – 8th grade Science
(Coe / Frearson)
1. What does our solar system include? List the parts of our solar system.
2. Name the inner and outer planets.
3. Which is the hottest planet and why?
4. Why is Mars red?
5. What is the reason for seasons on Earth?
6. Where does the light from the moon originate?
7. What are the positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a LUNAR eclipse?
8. What are the positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a SOLAR eclipse?
9. What is gravity? What do you know about the relationship between GRAVITY and
MASS?
10. Define and understand why we use Astronomical Units.
11. Tides, such as those along the coast of Massachusetts, are caused by gravitational
attractions acting on Earth. Why is the gravitational attraction of the Moon a greater factor
in determining tides than the gravitational attraction of the much larger Sun?
12. Be able to sketch and label the moon phases:
a. New moon
b. Full moon
c. Waxing and waning gibbous
d. Waxing and waning crescents
e. First quarter
f. Third quarter
13. Be able to calculate your weight on other planets using a chart
14. Be able to read a chart for information about the planets and answer questions
15. Be able to calculate a scale model of the solar system
16 . The Sun's gravitational attraction causes a comet's path to curve as shown in
the illustration above. Why does the Sun not appear to move due to the comet's
gravitational attraction?
17 . Explain why a region would experience summer.
18. What is the general relationship between the mass of a space object and the
diameter of a space object?
19. What are moon phases?
20. What causes moon phases?
21. How is a new moon different from a full moon?
22. In terms of the moon, what do waxing and waning mean?
23. Why does the moon shine?
24. Following the new moon, does the new moon begin to wax or wane?