8th Grade Science Academic Quiz Bowl Practice Test

Name:

Multiple Choice

Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Much of what scientists know about the moon has come from

a.	astronauts walking on the moon.
b.	studying moon rocks gathered by astronauts.
c.	space colonies on the moon.
d.	studying the moon through telescopes.

Why are many large optical telescopes located on mountains?

a.	to be closer to city lights
b.	to be above part of the atmosphere
c.	to be closer to the stars
d.	because it is easier to build telescopes on mountains

Because the moon rotates once for each revolution around Earth,

a.	a different side of the moon faces Earth each day.
b.	you never see the far side of the moon from Earth.
c.	you see some phases more than others.
d.	the far side of the moon is visible only during the full moon phase.

The absolute brightness of a star depends on its

a.	size and temperature.
b.	color and temperature.
c.	distance and color.
d.	distance and temperature.

The types of data collected through remote sensing include all of the following EXCEPT

a.	location of underground oil deposits.
b.	vegetation patterns.
c.	rainfall patterns.
d.	collection of soil samples.

The atmospheres of the gas giant planets cannot escape into space because

a.	the gases are too heavy.
b.	although they are big, the planets have little mass.
c.	the planets have very strong gravitational pulls.
d.	the gases solidify at higher elevations.

Which statement about winter is true?

a.	The part of Earth that is in winter is tilted toward the Sun.
b.	The slanted rays of the Sun are weak.
c.	The days are long.
d.	The nights are short.

Which statement is true?

a.	Both Earth and the Moon revolve around the Sun.
b.	Earth spins on its axis.
c.	The Moon spins on its axis
d.	all of the above

Tides are caused mainly by

a.	strong winds blowing water onto coasts.
b.	differences in how much the sun pulls on different parts of Earth.
c.	Earth’s rotation on its axis, which causes water to move.
d.	differences in how much the moon pulls on different parts of Earth.

10.

Galileo saw that much of the moon’s surface is covered with round pits called

a.	highlands.
b.	craters.
c.	seas.
d.	maria.

11.

From the cosmic background radiation, scientists can infer that, just after the big bang, the universe must have been

a.	hot.
b.	cooler than it is today.
c.	very small.
d.	the same average temperature as it is today.

12.

Saturn’s rings are made up mostly of

a.	nitrogen and helium.
b.	ice and water vapor.
c.	chunks of ice and rock.
d.	volcanic dust particles.

13.

One of the conditions required for life on Earth is

a.	alternating day and night cycles.
b.	liquid water.
c.	polar ice caps.
d.	extreme temperatures.

14.

The theory that astronomers have developed to describe the formation of the universe is called the

a.	big bang theory.
b.	big crunch theory.
c.	collision-ring theory.
d.	galactic expansion theory.

15.

Satellites in geosynchronous orbit

a.	orbit from the North pole to the South pole.
b.	vary considerably in their distance from Earth.
c.	stay above the same point on Earth.
d.	revolve around Earth faster than Earth rotates.

16.

The Milky Way galaxy is an example of a(n)

a.	irregular galaxy.
b.	elliptical galaxy.
c.	globular cluster.
d.	spiral galaxy.

17.

The Great Red Spot refers to ____.

a.	the stage before a star becomes a supernova
b.	rocks on Mars
c.	the giant red star Betelgeuse
d.	a giant storm on Jupiter

18.

In a heliocentric system, Earth revolves around

a.	the sun.
b.	the stars.
c.	Mars.
d.	the moon.

19.

The two factors that combine to keep Earth and the moon in their orbits are

a.	orbital speed and mass.
b.	gravity and orbital speed.
c.	gravity and inertia.
d.	mass and inertia.

20.

Earth has seasons because

a.	the distance between Earth and the sun changes.
b.	the temperature of the sun changes.
c.	its axis is tilted as it moves around the sun.
d.	it rotates on its axis.

21.

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of space probes in exploring space?

a.	Probes and rovers can carry out a variety of tasks.
b.	Human life is not placed at risk.
c.	The design of a probe is based on assumptions about conditions it will encounter.
d.	The small size of probes means less fuel is needed.

22.

You are less likely to see a total solar eclipse than a total lunar eclipse because

a.	the moon’s umbra only covers a small area on Earth’s surface.
b.	only people on the daytime side of Earth can see a solar eclipse.
c.	the moon’s shadow covers all of Earth during a solar eclipse.
d.	new moon phases occur less often than full moon phases.

23.

What do the first four outer planets have in common?

a.	They are about the same size as Earth and are made mainly of iron.
b.	They are much larger than Earth and are made mainly of iron.
c.	They are much larger than Earth and are made mainly of hydrogen and helium.
d.	They are about the same size as Earth and are made mainly of hydrogen and helium.

24.

During what phase of the moon can a lunar eclipse occur?

a.	waxing gibbous
b.	new moon
c.	first quarter
d.	full moon

25.

The lifetime of a star depends on its

a.	mass.
b.	apparent brightness.
c.	temperature.
d.	absolute brightness.

26.

The different shapes of the moon seen from Earth are called

a.	penumbras.
b.	eclipses.
c.	phases.
d.	umbras.

27.

A star is born when

a.	a nebula expands.
b.	helium and oxygen combine.
c.	a protostar begins to cool.
d.	nuclear fusion starts.

28.

The planets known as the gas giants ____.

a.	have rings made of ice and dust	c.	are outer planets
b.	have a lot of moons	d.	all of the above

29.

During World War II, rockets were used to

a.	send astronauts to the moon.
b.	carry explosives.
c.	launch spy satellites into space.
d.	all of the above

30.

The heliocentric system gained support when Galileo observed that

a.	Venus goes through phases similar to those of Earth’s moon.
b.	the orbit of each planet is an ellipse.
c.	most of the smaller planets are closer to the sun.
d.	one side of the moon always faces Earth.

31.

The space race was between

a.	Great Britain and the Soviet Union.
b.	the United States and the Soviet Union.
c.	the Soviet Union and China.
d.	the United States and China.

32.

The tendency of a moving object to continue moving in a straight line or a stationary object to remain in place is called

a.	orbital speed.
b.	mass.
c.	gravity.
d.	inertia.

33.

Rocket technology originated in

a.	Germany.
b.	Russia.
c.	China.
d.	the United States.

34.

What shape are the orbits of most comets?

a.	nearly circular ellipses
b.	long, narrow ellipses
c.	circles
d.	spherical

35.

During a total lunar eclipse the moon is in Earth’s

a.	penumbra.
b.	corona.
c.	umbra.
d.	orbit.

36.

Scientists think the moon was formed when

a.	gases from Earth escaped from the atmosphere and condensed in space.
b.	gravitational forces attracted a moon formed elsewhere in space.
c.	a large object struck Earth, and ejected material from the collision combined.
d.	meteoroids collected and solidified within the pull of Earth’s gravity.

37.

When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, it produces a streak of light called a(n)

a.	asteroid.
b.	meteorite.
c.	comet.
d.	meteor.

38.

The space shuttle

a.	is an uncrewed space probe.
b.	can be used many times to carry astronauts into orbit.
c.	carried astronauts to the moon.
d.	can only be used once.

39.

The Sun is the center of the ____.

a.	Milky Way	c.	solar system
b.	constellation Ursa Major	d.	universe

40.

More than half of all stars are members of groups of two or more stars called

a.	star clusters.
b.	galaxies.
c.	star systems.
d.	eclipsing binaries.

41.

Which of the following is a major difference between elliptical galaxies and spiral galaxies?

a.	Spiral galaxies have almost no gas or dust between the stars.
b.	Elliptical galaxies vary more in shape than spiral galaxies.
c.	Elliptical galaxies have almost no gas or dust between the stars.
d.	Spiral galaxies contain only old stars.

42.

The asteroid belt is located

a.	between Mars and Jupiter.
b.	between Earth and Mars.
c.	between Saturn and Uranus.
d.	between Jupiter and Saturn.

43.

A ____ has so much gravity that light cannot escape.

a.	black dwarf	c.	supernova
b.	black hole	d.	white dwarf

44.

Aside from Earth, which inner planet once had liquid water on its surface?

a.	Mercury
b.	Venus
c.	Europa
d.	Mars

45.

One indication that a planet may exist near a distant star is that

a.	the star has a very slight back and forth motion.
b.	the star has very strong gravity.
c.	radio wave activity increases near the star.
d.	the star varies in temperature.

46.

One of the main uses of satellites is

a.	launching deep-space expeditions.
b.	preventing ozone depletion.
c.	controlling the weather.
d.	observing Earth’s surface.

47.

When the north end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun, North America will experience

a.	more direct rays and longer days.
b.	more direct rays and shorter days.
c.	more indirect rays and longer days.
d.	more indirect rays and shorter days.

48.

One complete revolution of Earth around the sun takes about

a.	one year.
b.	one season.
c.	one eclipse.
d.	one rotation.

49.

The reaction force that propels a rocket forward is called

a.	velocity.
b.	gravity.
c.	inertia.
d.	thrust.

50.

Copernicus explained that

a.	the sun and the planets revolve around Earth.
b.	the geocentric system is correct.
c.	the sun is at the center of the system of planets.
d.	there are only six planets.

51.

Which takes the most amount of time?

a.	Earth rotates once.	c.	Earth revolves once.
b.	The Moon revolves once.	d.	All take the same amount of time.

52.

Earth's nearest neighboring planets are ____.

a.	Mercury and Venus	c.	Mercury and Jupiter
b.	Venus and Mars	d.	Mars and Jupiter

53.

Europa is considered a good place to look for life because

a.	volcanic activity keeps it warm.
b.	it is about the same distance from the sun as Earth.
c.	it is about the same size as Earth.
d.	there may be liquid water under its icy crust.

54.

The main source of power for the International Space Station is

a.	nuclear power.
b.	rocket fuel.
c.	oxygen.
d.	solar panels.

55.

The solar system formed from

a.	an enormous explosion.
b.	an expanding galaxy.
c.	a black hole.
d.	a giant cloud of gas and dust.

56.

The American program to land people on the moon was called

a.	Apollo.
b.	Eagle.
c.	Freedom.
d.	Mercury.

57.

Which parts of the sun’s atmosphere become visible during an eclipse?

a.	photosphere and chromosphere
b.	photosphere and corona
c.	prominences and flares
d.	chromosphere and corona

58.

What is likely to happen to the universe in the future?

a.	It will expand and then contract.
b.	It will remain the same size.
c.	It will expand forever.
d.	It will contract.

59.

Meteoroids usually come from

a.	the solar wind.
b.	comets or asteroids.
c.	meteorites.
d.	debris from other planets.

60.

The variable that determines whether a protostar becomes a star is its

a.	color and brightness.
b.	age.
c.	mass.
d.	surface temperature.

61.

A light-year is

a.	the distance from Earth to Proxima Centauri.
b.	the distance light travels in a year.
c.	the amount of light the sun produces in a year.
d.	365 days.

62.

Both reflecting and refracting telescopes are designed to

a.	gather and focus visible light.
b.	separate visible light from ultraviolet and radio waves.
c.	break visible light into colors of the spectrum.
d.	work better with short-wavelength radiation.

63.

The amount of the lighted side of the moon you can see is the same during

a.	new moon and first quarter phase.
b.	first quarter and third quarter phase.
c.	full moon and third quarter phase.
d.	new moon and full moon phase.

64.

Objects in space experience extreme temperatures because

a.	space is a vacuum.
b.	space is full of matter.
c.	there are no shadows in space.
d.	microgravity affects temperatures.

65.

Day and night are caused by

a.	Earth’s revolution around the sun.
b.	the tilt of Earth’s axis.
c.	eclipses.
d.	Earth’s rotation on its axis.

66.

The mysterious force that may be causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate is called

a.	gravity.
b.	dark energy.
c.	cosmic background radiation.
d.	dark matter.

67.

How large is the moon compared to Earth?

a.	about one-eighth the diameter of Earth
b.	about the same diameter as Earth
c.	about one-fourth the diameter of Earth
d.	about one-half the diameter of Earth

68.

A comet is a(n) ____.

a.	chunk of rock and metal	c.	large body of ice and rock
b.	asteroid	d.	small star

69.

The phase of the moon you see depends on

a.	where you are on Earth’s surface.
b.	whether or not an eclipse is occurring.
c.	how much of the sunlit side of the moon faces Earth.
d.	how much of the moon’s surface is lit by the sun.

70.

The main advantage of multistage rockets is that

a.	the entire rocket goes into space.
b.	the total weight of the rocket is reduced as the rocket rises.
c.	they are very easy to design and build.
d.	they are usually very small.

71.

For a solar eclipse to occur,

a.	the moon must be directly between Earth and the sun.
b.	the sun must be directly between Earth and the moon.
c.	Earth must be directly between the sun and the moon.
d.	the moon must be directly behind Earth.

72.

What do all of the inner planets have in common?

a.	They all have rings.
b.	They all have many moons.
c.	They all have abundant liquid water.
d.	They all are small and have rocky surfaces.

73.

Eclipsing binary stars can sometimes be identified because

a.	they become dimmer at regular intervals.
b.	they are cool red stars.
c.	they are brighter than any single stars.
d.	they are all white dwarfs.

74.

During the early 1900s in the United States, experimental rockets were designed and built by

a.	Robert Goddard.
b.	Jules Verne.
c.	Isaac Newton.
d.	Werher von Braun.

75.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the sun is

a.	farthest south.
b.	closest to Earth.
c.	farthest north.
d.	at the equator.

76.

The ancient Greeks knew of all of the following planets EXCEPT

a.	Earth.
b.	Venus.
c.	Uranus.
d.	Saturn.

77.

Which answer gives the correct sequence of important early space flights?

a.	Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Laika
b.	Yuri Gagarin, Alan Shepard, John Glenn
c.	John Glenn, Yuri Gagarin, Alan Shepard
d.	Yuri Gagarin, Laika, Alan Shepard

78.

Earth’s rotation takes about

a.	24 hours.
b.	365 days.
c.	1 month.
d.	6 months.

79.

Space probes have visited or passed near every planet EXCEPT

a.	Mercury.
b.	Pluto.
c.	Uranus.
d.	Neptune.

80.

What color are the coolest stars?

a.	red
b.	yellow
c.	orange
d.	blue-white

81.

Astronomers predicted the existence and orbit of Neptune based on

a.	Neptune’s gravitational effect on the orbit of Uranus.
b.	Neptune’s effect on the rings of Saturn.
c.	the great gap between Uranus and the next planet.
d.	one scientist’s dream.

82.

All objects are attracted to each other by the force of

a.	mass.
b.	weight.
c.	inertia.
d.	gravity.

83.

The hypothesis that Mars may once have had the conditions needed to support life is based in part on

a.	evidence that liquid water was once present.
b.	the system of canals seen by Schiaparelli.
c.	its similar size and temperature range to Earth.
d.	its thick, oxygen-rich atmosphere.

84.

Exploration of space beyond the moon has been done by

a.	the International Space Station.
b.	space probes with human crews.
c.	space probes with no human crew.
d.	astronauts in space shuttles.

85.

Earth is part of the ____.

a.	Milky Way	c.	Oort Cloud
b.	Kuiper Belt	d.	asteroid belt

86.

The strength of the force of gravity depends on

a.	the masses of the objects and their speeds.
b.	the weight of the objects and their speeds.
c.	the masses of the objects and their weights.
d.	the masses of the objects and the distance between them.

87.

Maria on the moon’s surface were formed by ancient

a.	meteoroid impacts.
b.	oceans.
c.	lava flows.
d.	ice flows.

88.

Reflecting telescopes differ from refracting telescopes in having

a.	no eyepiece lens.
b.	one large objective lens.
c.	two large objective lenses.
d.	a mirror instead of an objective lens.

89.

From new moon phase to full moon phase, you see

a.	a decreasing amount of the lighted side of the moon.
b.	the same amount of the lighted side of the moon.
c.	more of the lighted side, then less of the lighted side of the moon.
d.	an increasing amount of the lighted side of the moon.

90.

What layer are you looking at when you look at an image of the sun?

a.	chromosphere
b.	corona
c.	prominence
d.	photosphere

91.

Seasons are a result of ____.

a.	Earth's rotation	c.	Earth's tilted axis and rotation
b.	Earth's tilted axis and revolution	d.	Earth's revolution

92.

Data collected from moonquakes shows that

a.	most of the moon’s interior is very hot.
b.	the center of the moon may be molten.
c.	the moon’s interior has cooled completely.
d.	the moon has high seismic activity.

93.

A large artificial satellite on which people can live and work for long periods is called a

a.	space probe.
b.	rover.
c.	space shuttle.
d.	space station.

94.

Depending on its mass, a star may live from about

a.	1 million to 10 million years.
b.	10 million to 200 billion years.
c.	10 billion to 500 billion years.
d.	5 million to 100 million years.

95.

When did Tsiolkovsky and Goddard begin developing modern rockets?

a.	in the 1860s
b.	during World War II
c.	in the early 1900s
d.	in the 1100s

96.

An equinox occurs when

a.	neither end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward or away from the sun.
b.	Earth’s axis is parallel to the sun’s rays.
c.	the north end of Earth’s axis is tilted away from the sun.
d.	the north end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun.

97.

The fact that each planet’s orbit is an ellipse was discovered by

a.	Galileo.
b.	Brahe.
c.	Copernicus.
d.	Kepler.

98.

Astronauts in orbit feel weightless because

a.	they are falling through space around Earth.
b.	they have negative weight in space.
c.	there is no gravity in space.
d.	they have no mass in space.

99.

A supernova is the explosion of a dying

a.	high-mass star.
b.	medium-mass star.
c.	low-mass star.
d.	protostar.

100.

Which is the smallest terrestrial planet?

a.	Mercury
b.	Mars
c.	Venus
d.	Earth

101.

All of the following are space spinoffs EXCEPT

a.	cordless power tools.
b.	race cars.
c.	joystick controllers.
d.	bar codes.

102.

The sun produces energy by

a.	burning fuels such as oil.
b.	nuclear fusion.
c.	attracting it with the force of gravity.
d.	nuclear fission.

103.

Rockets move forward because

a.	they are lighter than air.
b.	gas is propelled out of the back of the rocket.
c.	they have a three-stage booster system.
d.	they have a streamlined nose cone.

104.

What is the smallest planet in the solar system?

a.	Jupiter	c.	Earth
b.	Mercury	d.	Pluto

105.

Which event began the space race?

a.	Yuri Gagarin went into space.
b.	The United States launched Explorer 1.
c.	The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I.
d.	The United States established NASA.

106.

The solar wind is a stream of electrically charged particles that extend outward from the sun’s

a.	photosphere.
b.	core.
c.	chromosphere.
d.	corona.

107.

According to Hubble’s law, the farther away a galaxy is,

a.	the faster it is moving away from us.
b.	the slower it is moving away from us.
c.	the slower it is moving toward us.
d.	the faster it is moving toward us.

108.

One astronomical unit equals ____.

a.	the average distance from Earth to the Sun
b.	the distance to the nearest star
c.	the amount of time it takes light to travel from the Sun to Earth
d.	the amount of time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun

109.

Venus and Earth are much alike in terms of

a.	their atmospheres.
b.	their size and density.
c.	their direction of rotation.
d.	their rates of rotation.

110.

Characteristics used to classify stars include

a.	distance, size, and color.
b.	size, distance, and brightness.
c.	size, brightness, and temperature.
d.	color, brightness, and distance.

111.

Small asteroid-like bodies that became the building blocks for the planets are called

a.	planetesimals.
b.	comets.
c.	open clusters.
d.	meteoroids.

112.

A shuttle’s payload bay can be used to

a.	carry satellites into orbit.
b.	launch the shuttle into orbit.
c.	provide living space for the crew.
d.	store fuel for the shuttle.

113.

What is distinctive about Jupiter?

a.	It is the planet with the most spectacular rings.
b.	It is smaller and denser than the other outer planets.
c.	It is the largest and most massive planet.
d.	Its axis of rotation is tilted 90 degrees.

114.

The solar system consists of the sun, several kinds of smaller objects such as comets and asteroids, and

a.	more than 100 planets.
b.	the star Proxima Centauri.
c.	six planets and their moons.
d.	nine planets and their moons.

115.

A feeling of weightlessness in orbit is called

a.	thrust.
b.	antigravity.
c.	microgravity.
d.	vacuum.

116.

A loose grouping of a few thousand stars is called a(n)

a.	open cluster.
b.	quasar.
c.	globular cluster.
d.	elliptical galaxy.

117.

A total solar eclipse is visible from

a.	only within the moon’s penumbra.
b.	only within the moon’s umbra.
c.	only the dark side of Earth.
d.	all over Earth.

118.

When are tides highest?

a.	during the moon’s first quarter phase
b.	when the moon is at a right angle to the sun
c.	during the moon’s third quarter phase
d.	when the sun, Earth, and the moon are nearly in a line

119.

When do neap tides occur?

a.	at full moon
b.	when the sun’s pull is at right angles to the moon’s
c.	when the sun’s pull is in the same direction as the moon’s
d.	at new moon

120.

Parallax is used to determine a star’s

a.	distance from Earth.
b.	temperature.
c.	brightness.
d.	composition.

121.

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram shows that main-sequence stars

a.	are mostly cool and bright.
b.	increase in brightness as they increase in temperature.
c.	decrease in brightness as they increase in temperature.
d.	are mostly hot and dim.

122.

The first human in space was

a.	Yuri Gagarin.
b.	Alan Shepard.
c.	Laika Sputnik.
d.	John Glenn.

123.

Where might water be found on the moon?

a.	in the maria
b.	near the poles
c.	inside moon rocks
d.	in the atmosphere

124.

Neptune is very similar in size and color to

a.	Uranus.
b.	Earth.
c.	Saturn.
d.	Jupiter.

125.

The color of a star is a clue to its ____.

a.	size	c.	orbit
b.	temperature	d.	all of the above

126.

When the Moon is waning, it appears to be getting ____.

a.	farther away	c.	larger
b.	closer	d.	smaller

127.

The temperature of the moon’s surface varies greatly from day to night because the moon has

a.	maria.
b.	no atmosphere.
c.	many craters.
d.	highlands.

128.

Scientists have discovered that life forms on Earth exist

a.	in a very wide range of conditions.
b.	only on the surface.
c.	in a very narrow range of conditions.
d.	in moist or humid habitats only.

129.

When the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth, a ____ Moon occurs.

a.	full	c.	new
b.	quarter	d.	gibbous

130.

A space spinoff is

a.	a item that can only be used in space.
b.	a piece of loose space junk that “spins off” into orbit.
c.	a item that was originally developed for use in space but has uses on Earth.
d.	a item that was originally developed for use on Earth but has uses in space.

131.

Uranus is different from most other planets because it

a.	has the most moons.
b.	rotates on its side.
c.	is mostly nitrogen and helium.
d.	is the farthest from the sun.

132.

Which of the inner planets does NOT show evidence of volcanic activity?

a.	Mars
b.	Venus
c.	All of the inner planets have volcanoes.
d.	Mercury

133.

Meteorites can be this type.

a.	stoney-irons	c.	irons
b.	stones	d.	all of the above

134.

A range of colors formed when white light passes through a prism is called a

a.	spectrum.
b.	lens.
c.	ray.
d.	photograph.

135.

The force that tends to pull together the matter in stars is

a.	nuclear fusion.
b.	dark energy.
c.	dark matter.
d.	gravity.

136.

The electromagnetic spectrum consists of

a.	all of the different types of electromagnetic waves.
b.	all of the colors of light you can see with your eyes.
c.	the distance between the crest of one wave and the crest of the next wave.
d.	a band of colors formed when white light passes through a prism.

137.

Scientists use ____ to classify how bright a star appears from Earth.

a.	apparent magnitude	c.	light-years
b.	apparent motion	d.	a star's color

Completion

Complete each sentence or statement.

138.

The type of light humans can see is called ____________________ light.

139.

The moon rotates once on its axis in the same amount of time that it ____________________ once around Earth.

140.

All stars begin as part of a large cloud of gas and dust called a(n) ____________________.

141.

A tide with the least distance between low and high tides is called a(n) ____________________ tide.

142.

The Saturn V was a powerful ____________________ rocket that launched spacecraft to the moon.

143.

A place that is empty of all matter is called a(n) ____________________.

144.

The gas giants are composed mainly of ____________________ and helium.

145.

Any object that revolves around another object in space is called a(n) ____________________.

146.

The only outer planet with a solid, rocky surface is ____________________.

Figure 2-1

147.

As shown in Figure 2-1, the season that the part of Earth tilted toward the Sun experiences is ____________________.

148.

As shown in Figure 2-1, the spinning of Earth around an imaginary line causes ____________________ and ____________________.

149.

As shown in Figure 2-1, the season that the part of Earth tilted away from the Sun experiences is ____________________.

150.

As shown in Figure 2-1, Earth spins around an imaginary line called a(n) ____________________.

151.

Galileo called the dark, flat parts of the moon ____________________ because they looked like seas.

152.

Astronomers can detect a binary star system called a(n) _________________________ when one star dims and brightens.

153.

Small robots called ____________________ have been used to explore the surface of Mars.

154.

____________________ were developed because there is nowhere in space to plug tools in.

155.

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a(n) _________________________ larger than Earth.

156.

The force that pulls the moon toward Earth is called ____________________.

157.

Tides are caused by the force of ____________________ from the sun and moon acting on Earth.

158.

When a large object collided with Earth, debris from the collision was ejected into orbit and initially formed a(n) ____________________.

159.

The round pits on the moon are called ____________________.

160.

Seasons on Earth are caused by the ____________________ of Earth’s axis as Earth revolves around the sun.

161.

Collecting information about an object without being in direct contact with it is called ____________________.

162.

The planets that are closer to the sun than Earth are Venus and ____________________.

163.

The distance between the crest of one wave and the crest of the next wave is the wave’s ____________________.

164.

At the end of a mission, a shuttle can return to Earth and land like a(n) ____________________.

165.

About five billion years ago, a huge cloud of dust and gas called the ____________________ collapsed to form our solar system.

166.

The moon can be seen from Earth because ____________________ reflects off the moon’s surface.

167.

The government agency in charge of the U.S. space program is called ____________________.

168.

The _________________________ consists of the sun, nine planets and their moons, and several kinds of smaller objects.

169.

An artificial satellite in which people can live and work for long periods is called a(n) ____________________.

170.

The length of a star’s life is determined by its ____________________.

171.

Astronomers can determine a star’s chemical composition by using a(n) _________________________ to observe the wavelengths of light the star emits.

172.

According to the big bang theory, the universe formed about _________________________ years ago.

173.

Copernicus further developed the _________________________ model.

174.

You can see the solar corona from Earth during a(n) ____________________ eclipse.

175.

A meteoroid that hits Earth’s surface is called a(n) ____________________.

176.

Mars’s atmosphere is mostly _________________________.

177.

The most massive stars collapse to form ____________________ when they die.

178.

Magnetic storms are a result of an increase in solar wind caused by eruptions on the sun called ____________________.

179.

The lighted half of the moon faces away from Earth during the ____________________ phase of the moon.

180.

The International Space Station is made up of many different ____________________.

181.

The times when day and night are of equal length are called ____________________.

182.

Energy is transferred from the sun’s core toward the convection zone mainly in the form of ___________________________________.

183.

An Earth-centered model of the universe is called a(n) _________________________ model.

184.

A spectrograph breaks the light from an object into a(n) ____________________, or range of different colors, and produces an image of it.

185.

The darkest part of the moon’s shadow is called the ____________________.

186.

Matter in space that does not give off electromagnetic radiation is called ____________________.

187.

A galaxy that does not have a regular shape is classified as a(n) ____________________ galaxy.

188.

____________________ uses powers of ten to write very large or small numbers in shorter form.

189.

An object in space can become very hot when it is in direct ____________________.

190.

Nuclear fusion occurs in the ____________________, or center, of the sun.

191.

An American physicist who designed and built rockets during the early 1900s was ____________________.

192.

Regions on the surface of Mars have patterns that appear to have been made by _________________________.

193.

A rocket burns fuel to produce ____________________, the force that moves the rocket forward.

194.

According to the ____________________ theory, the moon was formed when a planet-sized object collided with Earth.

195.

A satellite that revolves around Earth at the same rate that Earth rotates is in a(n) ____________________ orbit.

196.

A device that detects radio waves from objects in space is called a(n) ____________________.

197.

An object’s apparent change in position when viewed from two different places is called ____________________.

198.

The tendency for an object in motion to remain in motion is called ____________________.

199.

Speed in a given direction is called ____________________.

200.

A dying high-mass star can suddenly explode, becoming a(n) ____________________.

201.

A(n) ____________________ galaxy has a characteristic pinwheel shape.

202.

A common use of ____________________ is in fireworks displays.

203.

_________________________ is the only planet that has a lower density than water.

204.

Our solar system is located in the ____________________ galaxy.

205.

If you are in a car that stops suddenly, your body keeps moving because it has ____________________.

206.

A lunar eclipse can only occur during the ____________________ phase of the moon.

207.

The middle layer of the sun’s atmosphere is the ____________________.

208.

The sun’s ____________________, which looks like a halo, can usually be seen only during a solar eclipse.

209.

Highly efficient insulating materials were originally developed to protect ____________________.

210.

A comet’s head consists of a nucleus and a fuzzy outer layer called the ____________________.

211.

The moon’s average density is about the same as the density of Earth’s ____________________ layers.

212.

Most ancient astronomers thought that all celestial objects revolved around ____________________.

213.

The sun and moon seem to move across the sky each day because of Earth’s ____________________ on its axis.

214.

Earth rotates on its axis about once every ____________________ hours.

215.

Earth’s three main layers are the core, mantle, and ____________________.

216.

A protostar becomes a star when energy is released by the process of _________________________.

217.

____________________ discovered Jupiter’s four largest moons.

218.

Telescopes work by collecting and focusing different forms of ____________________ radiation.

219.

The ____________________ spacecraft carried the first astronauts to walk on the moon.

220.

The Galileo spacecraft provided images and data about ____________________ and its moons.

221.

The velocity a rocket must reach to establish an orbit around Earth is called ____________________.

Matching

Match each term with the correct item below.

a.	light-year	c.	lunar eclipse
b.	orbit	d.	AU

222.

9.5 trillion km

223.

the regular, curved path in which Earth moves around the Sun

224.

when Earth's shadow travels across part of the Moon

225.

150 million km

Match each term with the correct item below.

a.	revolution	c.	galaxy
b.	rotation	d.	constellation

226.

year

227.

Ursa Major

228.

Milky Way

229.

night and day