NAME:____________________________Period:_____________Date:_____
6th Grade Science Study Guide for Test on November 12th
1. What is an observation?
A fact obtained using five senses.
2. What is an inference?
a prediction or guess based on observations
3. What is the scientific method?
A simple method used by scientists to conduct an investigation
4. What are the steps of the scientific method and what do they mean?
Problem - ask a question about something observed
Hypothesis - an educated guess presented in an if/then statement
Experiment - test your hypothesis
Data Analysis - graph the data to look for trends/relationships
Conclusion - summary of experiment, analyze your hypothesis to see if it was accepted or
rejected
5. How long is earth’s revolution? What does it revolve around?
It takes earth one year (365.25 days) to revolve around the sun
6. How long is the moon’s revolution? What does it revolve around?
It takes the moon about one month to revolve around the earth.
7. Why do we have seasons? Write specifically about earth’s tilt and revolution.
Why do we have seasons?
We have seasons because the earth is tilted as it revolves around the sun.
The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. This means that the Earth is always
"pointing" to one side as it goes around the Sun. So, sometimes the Sun is in the direction
that the Earth is pointing, but not at other times. The varying amounts of sunlight around
the Earth during the year, creates the seasons. The tilt of the Earth means the Earth will
lean towards the Sun (Summer) or lean away from the Sun (Winter) 6 months later. In
between these, Spring and Autumn will occur.
8. During what season in the northern hemisphere, is the earth closest to the sun?
winter
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9. If it is spring in the northern hemisphere, what season is it in the southern
hemisphere?
Fall/autumn
10. What is an independent variable in a scientific investigation?
The variable that the scientist controls.
11. What is a dependent variable in a scientific investigation?
The variable that the scientist measures.
12. “If I give the tomato plants fertilizer then they will produce more tomatoes.” What is
the independent variable? What is the dependent variable?
IV: fertilizer
DV: tomatoes
13. What does waxing mean?
To increase in size.
14. What does waning mean?
To decrease in size
15. What is a spring tide? What is a neap tide?
Spring – high tides are higher than usual, low tides are lower than usual
Neap – high tides are lower than usual, low tides are higher than usual
16. What is the shape of earth’s orbit?
Circle
17. What is the earth’s axis?
Imaginary line that runs through the center of the earth from the north pole to the south
pole
18. What is the angle of the tilt of earth’s axis?
23.5 degrees
19. What does orbit mean?
The path an object takes as it moves around another object
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20. What does rotate mean?
Spin
21. What does revolve mean?
When one object moves around another object
22. What is synchronous rotation?
When a celestial body orbits another celestial body in a manner such that the orbiting
body takes as long to rotate on its axis as it does to make one revolution. Therefore, it
always keeps the same face pointed at the body it orbits around.
23. Draw how the moon, earth and sun are positioned during a LUNAR eclipse.
1.
24. Draw how the moon, earth and sun are positioned during a SOLAR eclipse.
1.
25. What is earth’s only natural satellite?
Moon
26. What is an equinox?
the time (twice each year) when day and night are of equal length
27. What is a solstice?
two times in the year, the summer solstice and the winter solstice, when the sun reaches
its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marked by the longest and shortest days.
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28. Why is it warmer at the equator?
The equator is exposed to the most direct sunlight.
29. How are moon phases and eclipses different?
Moon phases are the part of the illuminated half of the moon that we see depending upon
where the moon is in its revolution around earth.
30. What are the black maria on the moon?
The darkened regions on the moon that astronomers one believed looked like "seas".
Identify each of the following moon phases.
Go to http://www.studystack.com/flashcard-505148
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