Download Study Guide for Unit 4: Stars and Solar System

Study Guide for Unit 4: Stars and Solar System
Test: Thursday, January 31
Vocabulary
Rotation- the act of spinning
Revolution- when one object travels around another
Axis-a real or imaginary line that an object spins around
Orbit-the path a revolving object takes
Phases-the apparent shape of the moon in the sky
Concepts to know:
*The Earth rotates on an imaginary axis. This action causes day and night.
*It takes 24 hours for the Earth to make a complete rotation.
*Due to the rotation of the Earth the Sun appears to move across the sky.
*The Earth revolves around the Sun.
*It takes 365 ¼ days for the Earth to make one full revolution around the Sun.
*The path the Earth takes around the Sun is called its orbit.
*The Earth is titled on its axis. The tilt points in the same direction throughout its orbit.
*The revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth on its axis cause a
change in seasons.
*During the summer the northern hemisphere is titled towards the Sun. During the winter
the northern hemisphere is titled away from the Sun.
*The moon revolves around the Earth.
*The moon also rotates. Because the moon revolves and rotates at the same pace
we only see one side of the moon. It takes about 28 days for the Moon to make one
complete rotation and revolution around the Earth.
*The moons rotation and revolution around the Earth causes different moon phases. There
are eight moon phases.
*Waxing means the moon light we see is getting larger. This takes place between the new
moon and the full moon. Waning means the moon light we see is getting smaller. This takes
place between the full moon and the new moon. The light is on the right side when the moon
is waxing and left when it is waning. The moon does not make its own light. It is reflecting
the Suns light.
*Half of the moon is always lit, however during the moons orbit we see different fractions
of the lit portion.
*The moon has gravity the pulls slightly on the Earth. This causes ocean tides.
*Our solar system is made up of one star (the Sun), 8 planets and their many moons,
comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. Earth has one moon.
*Gravity and inertia keep the planets in orbit around the Sun.
*A star is a sphere of gas that produces heat and light.
*Stars are different sizes and colors. The Sun is a medium size star and has medium heat.
*The colors of the star determine the temperature. Red or orange are cooler stars, white
or blue are warmer stars.
*A group of stars that make a pattern or picture in the night sky is called a constellation.
*There are 88 constellations that we see from Earth.
*These patterns only make sense to observers from Earth. They appear to move across the
night sky because of the rotation of the Earth; however the pattern always remains the
same.
*Different constellations appear in the sky during the winter and summer months due to the
revolution of the Earth. There are a few that are seen year round.
*All the stars we see, except for the Sun, are located outside of our solar system.
*To the human eye planets appear bigger and brighter in the night sky. At twilight
(sunset) planets are seen before stars. Planets appear to move faster across the night
sky.
*Know the phases of the moon and the order of the eight planets.
ESSAY: *Be able compare and contrast the how planets and star differ. Use the bolded
information in your answer. The essay answer needs to be three to five sentences.
(students will have to list them in order)
Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Saying to remember the order: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.
(be familiar with moon phases, they will not label them all, but may have to identify them by
a picture and description)