8th Grade Science – Astronomy Chapter 1 Review
Use “year” in a sentence.
A year is the amount of time it takes the Earth to complete one orbit around the sun.
Use “month” in a sentence.
A month is based on the phases of the moon.
Use “day” in a sentence.
A day is the amount of time it takes the Earth to rotate once on it’s axis.
Use “astronomy” in a sentence.
Astronomy is the study of the universe.
Use “electromagnetic spectrum” in a sentence.
The electromagnetic spectrum is make up of all forms of electromagnetic radiation.
Use “constellation” in a sentence.
A constellation is a region of the sky that contains a recognizable pattern of stars.
Use “altitude” in a sentence.
Altitude is the angle between an observer, the horizon and an object in the sky.
reflecting telescope vrs. refracting telescope
reflecting: use mirrors to magnify and focus an image
refracting: use lenses to magnify and focus and image
refracting: use lenses to magnify and focus and image
zenith vrs horizon
zenith: point in the sky that is directly above an observer
horizon: line where the Earth and the sky appear to meet
horizon: line where the Earth and the sky appear to meet
year vrs light-year
year: amount of time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun one time
light-year: the distance that light travels in one year
light-year: the distance that light travels in one year
List different types of electromagnetic radiation from longest wavelength to shortest wavelength.
radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X rays, gamma rays
What is the length of a day based on?
The amount of time it takes the Earth to rotate once on it’s axis.
Which of the following statements about X rays and radio waves from objects in space is true?
a)both can be observed using the same telescope.
b)they need different telescopes, but both can be on Earth.
c)they need different telescopes but both can be in space.
d) the need different telescopes but only the X ray one needs to be in space.
a)both can be observed using the same telescope.
b)they need different telescopes, but both can be on Earth.
c)they need different telescopes but both can be in space.
d) the need different telescopes but only the X ray one needs to be in space.
d – radio waves can be detected by a radio telescope that can be positioned on the Earth, but X rays are filtered out by the atmosphere so a special telescope placed in space must be used to detect the X rays.
According to the ______________ _____________, Earth is a the center of the universe.
Ptolemaic theory
_______________ was one of the first scientists to successfully use a telescope to observe the night sky.
Galileo
Astronomers divide the sky into ______________.
constellations
Your ____________, the time of ___________, and the time of ___________ all determine which stars you see in the sky.
Your latitude, time of year, time of night
The altitude of an object in the sky is the object’s angular distance ____________ the ____________.
above the horizon
Right ascension is a measure of how far east an object in the sky is from the ____________ _____________.
the vernal equinox.
What are the types of telescopes that work on the Earth’s surface?
radio telescopes, refracting telescopes, and reflecting telescopes
How are right ascension and declination similar to latitude and longitude?
both are coordinate systems that use Earth as a reference point.
How does a reflecting telescope work?
It uses a large mirror to gather and focus light. A second mirror, located in front of the focal point, directs light toward an eyepiece for observation.
Why was seeing objects in the sky easier for people in ancient cultures than it is for most people today?
there was not as much light and air pollution in the past as there is now, so more stars were visible to the unaided eye during the ancient cultures time
What tools help modern people study objects in space in greater detail than was possible in the past?
telescopes help modern people study objects in space in greater detail
How does atmosphere protect and benefit humans?
It protects people from many forms of radiation that are unable to penetrate the atmosphere. It also traps thermal energy to make Earth warm enough for life.