Download Ch 17 Lesson Questions

Chapter 17 Earth in Space
Lesson 1, In What Ways Does Earth Move – HW Workbook p 170A
1. What is the shape of the planet’s orbits?
2. Earth’s orbit actually takes about 365¼ days. Since our calendar has only 365 days, how
far off will it be in 2 years? Why do we have leap years?
3. What parts make up the solar system?
4. What effect does the Sun’s gravity have on a planet’s motion?
5. How would planets move if there were no gravity/
6. What causes day and night?
7. How many days during the year does every point on Earth have 12 hours of sunlight?
8. Why does the Moon have extreme heat and extreme cold?
Chapter 17 Earth in Space
Lesson 2, What are the Parts of the Solar System? – HW Workbook p 171A
1. List the order of the planets from nearest to farthest from the sun.
2. Why do planets have years of different lengths?
3. What is the largest planet in our solar system? And what is the smallest planet?
4. What causes a year on Mercury to be less than 365 Earth days?
5. If you discovered anew planet orbiting between Venus and Earth, estimate how long a
year would be on the new planet?
6. Name the planets that have solid surfaces and give another detail about each.
7. Use the table planet diameters to construct a scale model showing the relative sizes of
the planet.
8. Which planets are called “gas giants”?
9. Why do some scientist call Pluto and its moon a “double planet”?
10. What was the purpose of landing the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on opposite sides of
Mars?
Chapter 17 Earth in Space
Lesson3 , What are comets and asteroids? – HW Workbook p 172A
Comets
1. Describe a comet’s orbit and the changes that occur to a comet during an orbit.
2. Make an inference about how the size of a comet’s tail changes during its orbit.
3. What is a comet?
4. Describe the two tails of a comet.
5. What do you think is the source of dust and evaporated gas in the coma of a comet?
Asteroids
6. Describe the differences between comets and asteroids.
7. Explain at least two ways that comets and asteroids can affect the Earth.
8. What are the asteroids sometimes called?
9. Why don’t more asteroids hit Earth?
10.What do you think would happen if an asteroid several hundred kilometers wide hit
Earth’s Moon?
Chapter 17 Earth in Space
Lesson 4, “What is known about the Moon? – HW Workbook p 173A
1. Why do we not see the “far side” of the Moon?
2. What features of the Moon are caused by rocks or comets that crash into its surface?
3. Why do craters on the Moon last for millions of years?
4. Do you think that you would see different parts of the Moon if you lived on the other
side of the Earth?
5. Are the Moon phases predictable? Why or why not?
6. Infer how the appearance of Earth would change if you watched it from the near side of
the Moon for a month.
7. During which Moon phase is the Moon invisible to Earth?
8. What causes the phases of the Moon?
9. The same side of the Moon always faces toward Earth. However, pictures of the other
side of the Moon exist. How is this possible?
10.Which phases of the moon bring the highest tides? What causes the high tides?
11.Describe 3 ways the Moon is different from Earth.
12.What object in the solar system has the greatest effect on Earth’s tides?
13.Why is the difference between high and low tide in the open ocean so much less than
near the shore?
14.Where does the extra water that makes up a high tide come from?