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SPACE REVIEW FOR SOL (6th GRADE TOPIC)
Helpful sources: Quizlet study sets, video links in this review packet, your 6th grade notebook ☺
Solar System and Planets
Solar System 101: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/101-videos/solar-system-sci
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name the galaxy in which our solar system is located: Milky Way
What celestial body is the sun? star (clue: star, moon or planet)
What holds our solar system together? Sun’s gravity
Name the first four planets starting with the one closest to the sun: Mercury, Venus,
Earth and Mars
5. The first four planets are known as rocky planets (clue: rocky planets/gas giants).
6. Which planet is the Earth’s twin? Venus
7. Which planet is the hottest planet? Venus
8. Smallest planet in our solar system: Mercury
9. Only planet with liquid water: Earth
10. Mars is also known as the red (clue: a color) planet because the surface of Mars
contains iron oxide (clue: a compound of iron).
11. Mars is similar to Earth because it has this feature at its poles: ice caps
12. Between Mars and the next planet, is the Asteroid Belt, made up of millions of rocky
fragments called asteroids.
13. The next four planets (after Mars) in correct order are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune.
14. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.
15. Jupiter has a huge hurricane-like storm known as the Great Red Spot.
16. Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system and is famous for its rings.
17. The 7th planet from the sun is Uranus. It is unique because it rotates on its side.
18. The 8th and last planet in our solar system is Neptune and is known for its strong
winds.
19. Beyond the 8th planet is Pluto, which was downgraded from its planet status in 2006.
It is now known as a dwarf planet.
20. So, is Pluto a planet? No (Yes/No)
Asteroids, Comets and Meteors:
How are asteroids, comets and meteors different? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAJHVII3_-0
21. Fill in the table below:
Celestial Body
Description
Location/Movement
Asteroid
Chunks of rocks in space
Asteroid Belt between Mars
and Jupiter
Comet
Meteors
“Dirty snowballs” – made of ice and dust. Ice
melts as they approach the sun, forming the
tail. Example: Haley’s comet seen every 76
years from Earth
Formed from meteoroids (parts of comets and
asteroids) as they enter Earth’s atmosphere
and burn up (shooting stars).
In the solar system with long
elliptical orbits around the sun
In the solar system and with
irregular orbits around the
sun.
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22. What is a meteorite? A meteor that fails to burn completely in the Earth’s
atmosphere and hits the Earth’s surface.
23. The region of our solar system between Mars and Jupiter is called the Asteroid Belt.
24. The study of moon, stars and other celestial bodies in space is called Astronomy.
Rotation and Revolution:
Rotation and Revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDed5eXmngE
25. What is rotation? Movement of an object on its axis
26. What is Earth’s axis? Imaginary line joining the North and South poles
27. Earth’s rotation causes day and night. The side of Earth facing the sun experiences
day while the opposite side experiences night.
28. Earth rotates from west to east.
29. It takes 24 hours or 1 day for Earth to complete one rotation on its axis.
30. The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees and always faces Polaris (the
North Star).
31. What is revolution? Movement of an object around another object on its orbit
(Earth’s orbit around the sun)
32. Earth revolves on its orbit, an elliptical path around the sun.
33. It takes 1 year or 365 and ¼ days for Earth to complete one revolution around the
sun on its orbit.
34. Both rotation and revolution are counterclockwise (clue: clockwise OR
counterclockwise) movements.
35. Label each picture with the movement of Earth.
rotation
revolution
Seasons
Bill Nye explains Seasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUU7IyfR34o
Earth’s Tilt 1: The Reason for the Seasons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgq0LThW7QA
36. Seasons are caused by revolution (clue: rotation OR revolution) and tilt’s of the
Earth’s axis (clue: watch the Bill Nye clip).
37. Virginia is located in the northern (clue: northern OR southern) hemisphere.
38. It is summer in the northern hemisphere when the north pole (clue: north pole OR
south pole) is tilted towards the sun and receives direct (clue: direct OR indirect)
sunlight.
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39. What season does Australia and South America experience when it is summer in
Virginia? Winter. This is because the southern hemisphere receives indirect (clue:
direct OR indirect) sunlight.
40. The longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is June 21 (clue: month
and date). It is also known as the Summer Solstice. The shortest day of the year in
the Northern Hemisphere is December 22 (clue: month and date). It is also known
as the Winter Solstice.
41. Twice a year, the northern and southern hemispheres experience equal light
because the sun shines directly on the equator. This occurs during Fall and Spring
seasons and is called the Equinox.
42. Fill in the table based on the diagram below (clue: start with the position where the
north pole faces the sun – position 3, then move counterclockwise):
Position number
Season in northern hemisphere
Month and date
Also known as
3
4
1
2
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
June 21
September 22
December 22
March 21
Summer solstice
Fall/Autumn Equinox
Winter solstice
Spring/vernal Equinox
Phases of the Moon
Phases of the Moon demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz01pTvuMa0
43. The moon is the Earth’s natural satellite.
44. How long does it take for the moon to complete one revolution around the Earth on
its orbit? About one month (28 to 30 days)
45. When less than half of the moon is lit up, it is called crescent moon. When more than
half of the moon is lit up, it is called gibbous moon.
46. When the lit portion of the moon seems to be getting bigger (on the right side), it is
called the waxing phase while if the lit portion seems to be getting smaller (on the
1st quarter – half moon
left side), it is called the waning phase.
crescent
47. Label the phases of the moon (clue: startWaxing
with the
position
closest to the sun,
movecrescent
gibbous
Waxing
counterclockwise and name the bright or lit up side)
WORD BANK
•
New moon
•
Full moon
•
Waxing gibbous
•
Waning gibbous
•
Waxing crescent
•
Waning crescent
st
Tides
•
1 quarter (half moon)
rd
•
3 quarter (half moon)
Full moon
Waning gibbous
3
Waning crescent
3rd quarter – half moon
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What causes tides? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-4lDxHIZ4
How do tides work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ohDG7RqQ9I
48. The daily rise and fall of Earth’s waters on shores are called tides.
49. When the water is at its highest point, it is called a high (flood) tide.
50. When the water is at its lowest point, it is called a low (ebb) tide.
51. Tides are caused by the effect of the gravity of the moon on the ocean. This is
because the moon is much closer to the Earth than the sun.
52. Two high and two low tides occur every 24 hours. They alternate with each other
and occur approximately every six hours.
53. Twice a month - during the new and full phases of the moon - the sun, moon and
Earth are in a straight line. At this time, the gravity of BOTH the sun and moon adds
up and causes a spring (clue: spring OR neap) tide. When this occurs, high tides are
higher than usual and low tides are lower than usual.
54. Twice a month - during the 1st quarter and 3rd quarter phases of the moon - the sun,
moon and Earth are at right angles (ninety degrees). At this time, this causes a neap
(clue: spring OR neap) tide. When this occurs, high tides are lower than usual and
low tides are higher than usual.
55.
A
D
C
E
Spring
lower
neap
greater
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56. In the box provided, draw the position of the sun, moon and Earth for spring and
neap tides.
57. Fill in the tide chart for Virginia Beach:
High tide
Low Tide
High Tide
Low tide
2 am
8 am
2 pm
8 pm
Early Astronomers
Early Astronomers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMyTeqiNTjw
58. What does the prefix “geo” stand for? Earth
59. What does the prefix “helio” stand for? Sun
Geocentric model/theory of the solar system states that the Earth is in the center of the
solar system and the sun and planets orbit the Earth.
60. Heliocentric model/theory of the solar system states that the sun is in the center of
the solar system and the planets orbit the sun.
61. Which theory/model is more recent? Circle one. HELIOCENTRIC
GEOCENTRIC
62. Next to the astronomer’s name, write which theory/model of the solar system they
are associated with.
Ptolemy
Aristotle
Geocentric
Geocentric
Copernicus
Galileo
Heliocentric
Heliocentric
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63. Label the Geocentric and Heliocentric models in the pictures below:
Geocentric model
Heliocentric model
Space Technology
64. Classify (group) the following space technologies into manned or unmanned
categories and then list their advantages and disadvantages:
Space shuttle
Space station
Probes
Satellites
(Mars) Rover
Rocket
Robot
Manned
Technologies: Space station, space
shuttle
Unmanned
Technologies: (Mars) Rover, Rocket,
Robot, Probes, Satellites
Advantages:
Advantages: Can send unmanned
technologies further into the solar
system
Disadvantages:
Disadvantages:
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