Formation of the Universe

Question 1

What is the Solar System?

Answer 1

The sun, planets, and all the other objects that revolve around the sun.

Question 2

What is the Big Bang Theory?

Answer 2

The theory that the universe originated as an area of high temperature, pressure and density; it expanded in a huge explosion that released all matter and energy.

Question 3

What is a nebula?

Answer 3

A large cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space; a region in space where stars are born.

Question 4

What is rotation?

Answer 4

Earth spinning on its axis.

Question 5

What direction does the sun appear to rise?

Answer 5

East.

Question 6

What direction does the sun appear to set?

Answer 6

West.

Question 7

What is an orbit?

Answer 7

The path that an object follows as it travels around another object in space.

Question 8

What is revolution?

Answer 8

The motion of a body as it orbits another body in space.

Question 9

What is an axis?

Answer 9

An imaginary line through a body, about which it rotates.

Question 10

What are tides?

Answer 10

The regular rise and fall of the ocean’s surface influenced by the moon’s gravity pulling on Earth.

Question 11

What is Earth’s period of revolution?

Answer 11

365 1/4 days.

Question 12

What is a year?

Answer 12

The time it takes for Earth to make one complete path around the sun.

Question 13

What is Earth’s degree of tilt?

Answer 13

23 1/2 degrees.

Question 14

What causes the seasons as felt on Earth?

Answer 14

Tilt and angle of the sun’s rays.

Question 15

What is the Northern hemisphere?

Answer 15

The half of the Earth tilted toward the sun on the first day of summer in Orchard Park.

Question 16

What is gravity?

Answer 16

Attractive force between two objects that depends on the masses of the objects and the distance between them.

Question 17

What is the Southern hemisphere?

Answer 17

The half of the Earth tilted toward the sun on the first day of winter in Orchard Park.

Question 18

What is an astronomical unit?

Answer 18

A unit of length used for distances within the solar system.

Question 19

What does waxing mean in relation to the moon?

Answer 19

Pertaining to the period during which the visible surface of the moon increases.

Question 20

What does waning mean in relation to the moon?

Answer 20

Pertaining to the period during which the visible surface of the moon decreases.

Question 21

What is a crescent moon?

Answer 21

When only a sickle shape of the sunlit side of the moon is visible.

Question 22

What is a gibbous moon?

Answer 22

When the size of the illuminated portion of the moon is greater than half but not a full moon; lasts about 6 days and can be almost all white or just a little more than 1/2 white.

Question 23

What is a full moon?

Answer 23

The phase of the moon in which we see the entire moon lighted, and it appears bright and round.

Question 24

What is a New Moon?

Answer 24

A moon that is completely dark because its unlit side is facing Earth.

Question 25

What is a solar eclipse?

Answer 25

Occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth and casts a shadow over part of Earth.

Question 26

What is a lunar eclipse?

Answer 26

Occurs at a full moon when Earth is directly between the moon and the sun.

Question 27

What is a satellite?

Answer 27

A natural or artificial body that revolves around a planet.

Question 28

What is a space probe?

Answer 28

A spacecraft that carries scientific instruments that can collect data, but has no human crew.

Question 29

What is an optical telescope?

Answer 29

A tool used to collect visible light, then uses lenses or mirrors to focus the light producing larger, brighter images; may be reflecting or refracting.