NOVA: Earth Science Workbook

EARTH SCIENCE WORKBOOK

Core camp activity manual

NOVA CAMP Grade Level

6

7

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Copyright Š2020 by NOVA

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ISBN: 978-0-447-49429-5 Printed in the United States of America

First Edition 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

SUN-EARTH-MOON SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . .

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The Earth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Moon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Phases of the Moon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 9 8 8

CHALLENGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Surviving a Lunar Landing . . . . . . . . .

Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 10 12

Glossary/Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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EART

TH SCIENCE The structure and composition of the universe can be learned from studying stars and galaxies and their evolution.

SUN-EARTH-MOON SYSTEM

Discovering the objects in the Solar System

We observe the sun, the earth, and the moon in action daily. Ocean tides, sunsets, the length of days, seasons, and the moon rising are all caused by interactions among the sun, the earth, and the moon.

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The Earth Earth’s Characteristics Earth is shaped like a slightly squashed sphere, sort of like a rubber gym ball squeezed a bit between your hands. As a result, Earth is longer around the equator than it is around the poles (but not enough to notice just by looking at it). It ’s stretched slightly because of its rotation, much like a flying, spinning ball of dough stretches out to form a pizza crust.

The Moon A MOON is an object that revolves around a planet.

A moon is a natural satellite, which is any object that orbits a planet. Our moon was most likely formed early in Earth’s history when our young planet collided with debris about the size of Mars. Gravity pulled the debris into a large ball that became our moon.

THE MOON’S SURFACE AND COMPOSITION When you look at the moon on a really clear night, you can see different types of surfaces. The moon has mountains, craters, and smooth, dark regions composed of hardened lava from volcanic eruptions.

The mountainous regions of the moon are called lunar highlands, and the smooth, dark regions are called maria. The moon even has Moonquakes! Space missions have also discovered that the moon’s poles may contain areas of water ice.

Earth Science

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THE MOON

The Phases of the Moon The moon glows at night because it reflects sunlight. The sun always lights half of the moon, but because the positions of the earth and moon change, we see a different part of the lighted side of the moon every night.

The changes in appearance of the moon are called moon phases, and they depend on the relative positions of Earth, the moon, and the sun.

When the moon is get ting larger in

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appearance each night, it is waxing (which means “growing”); when the moon is get ting smaller, it is waning (which means “shrinking”).

The moon is waxing from the new moon until the full moon and is waning from the full moon until the new moon. A lunar cycle, which is 29.5 days, is how long it takes the moon to complete all eight phases.

1 New Moon

2 Crescent (Waxing)

3 First Quarter

4 Gibbous (Waxing)

1 Full Moon

2 Gibbous (Waning)

3 Third Quarter

4 Crescent (Waning)

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LOW TIDE

gravitational pull of the moon HIGH TIDE HIGH TIDE

HIGH TIDE HIGH TIDE

LOW TIDE

Tides While the earth’s gravity pulls on the moon, keeping it in orbit, the moon’s gravity also pulls on Earth, causing tides. Tides are the regular rise and fall of ocean water levels.

The part of Earth that is either close to the moon or directly opposite the part facing the moon experiences high tide-the water is being pulled toward the moon. The high-tide

point moves across Earth as our planet rotates under these “tidal bulges.” Therefore, most places experience two high tides and two low tides per day. Because it takes twenty-four hours for our planet to rotate, the time between high tide and the next low tide is usually about six hours.

On October 18th 2019, the first all female space walk was conducted

by JESSICA MEIR and CHRISTINA KOCH.

Earth Science

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CHALLENGE

Surviving a Moon Crash Landing

Goal

Design a lunar lander that survives landing. When the shock-absorbing lander is dropped from a height of 30 cm, the two marshmallow astronauts shouldn’t bounce out of the open cabin.

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Materials

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

1 (4 in. x 5 in). piece of cardboard (platform) 1 small paper cup 4 (3 in. x 5 in.) index cards Regular-sized marshmallows 12 miniature marshmallows Plastic straws rubber bands scissors tape

Requirements

□

□ □ □

Research: Write a one to two paragraphs summarizing your research in the moon and the lunar lander. Use the space provided in page 26.

Model: Label a drawing of your lunar lander model.

Explain your team’s strategy.

Results: Record, analyse and interpret test results.

Conclusion: Summarize the lab and what actually happened. It should include the purpose, a brief description of the test procedure, and explanation of results.

Earth Science

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CHALLENGE

Instructions

1. Work with a team of 3-4 members.

2. Research the moon and the lunar lander.

3. Brainstorm ideas about how you might design a lunar lander to meet the requirements of the lab. Think about weight distribution, the placement of the astronaut cabin, and shocks absorbers.

4. Draw a diagram of your lunar lander.

5. Construct the model.

6. Test the design and record the results (make sure the lander is level when releasing for landing).

7. Evaluate the performance of your lander model.

8. Identify how to improve your design.

9. Make the needed changes.

10. Retest and re-evaluate your improved design.

11. Share the results.

Write your research here

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Use this space to design your lunar lander

Earth Science

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GLOSSARY

C

D

Construction is the process

Design

Equator

of constructing a building or infrastructure. Construction differs from manufacturing in that manufacturing typically involves mass production of similar items without a designated purchaser, while construction typically takes place on location for a known client. Construction as an industry comprises six to nine percent of the gross domestic product of developed countries. Construction starts with planning, design, and financing; it continues until the project is built and ready for use.

A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process, or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product or process.

The equator of a rotating spheroid (such as a planet) is the parallel (circle of latitude) at which latitude is defined to be 0°. It is the imaginary line on the spheroid, equidistant from its poles, dividing it into northern and southern hemispheres. In other words, it is the intersection of the spheroid with the plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation and midway between its geographical poles.

Crater An impact crater is an approximately circular depression in the surface of a planet, moon, or other solid body in the Solar System or elsewhere, formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller body. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse, impact craters typically have raised rims and floors that are lower in elevation than the surrounding terrain.[3] Impact craters range from small, simple, bowl-shaped depressions to large, complex, multi-ringed impact basins. Meteor Crater is a wellknown example of a small impact crater on Earth.

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Diagram A diagram is a symbolic representation of information using visualization techniques. Diagrams have been used since ancient times, but became more prevalent during the Enlightenment. Sometimes, the technique uses a three-dimensional visualization which is then projected onto a two-dimensional surface. The word graph is sometimes used as a synonym for diagram.

Distribution (weight) Weight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains. Typically, it is written in the form x/y, where x is the percentage of weight in the front, and y is the percentage in the back. In a vehicle which relies on gravity in some way, weight distribution directly affects a variety of vehicle characteristics, including handling, acceleration, traction, and component life. For this reason weight distribution varies with the vehicle’s intended usage.

E

G Gravity Gravity (from Latin gravitas, meaning ‘weight’[1]), or gravitation, is a natural phenomenon by which all things with mass or energy— including planets, stars, galaxies, and even light[2]—are brought toward (or gravitate toward) one another. On Earth, gravity gives weight to physical objects, and the Moon’s gravity causes the ocean tides. The gravitational attraction of the original gaseous matter present in the Universe caused it to begin coalescing, forming stars—and for the stars to group together into galaxies—so gravity is responsible for many of the large-scale structures in the Universe. Gravity has an infinite range, although its effects become increasingly weaker on farther objects.

L

P

T

Lava

Planet

Test (scientific method)

Lava is molten rock generated by geothermal energy and expelled through fractures in planetary crust or in an eruption, usually at temperatures from 700 to 1,200 °C (1,292 to 2,192 °F). The structures resulting from subsequent solidification and cooling are also sometimes described as lava. The molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites, though such material located below the crust is referred to by other terms.

A planet is an astronomical body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighboring region of planetesimal. Five planets in the Solar System are visible to the naked eye. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially adopted a resolution defining planets within the Solar System.

Although eight of the planetary bodies discovered before 1950 remain “planets” under the current definition, some celestial bodies, such as Ceres, Pallas, Juno and Vesta (each an object in the solar asteroid belt), and Pluto (the first trans-Neptunian object discovered), that were once considered planets by the scientific community, are no longer viewed as planets under the current definition.

The scientific method is an empirical method of acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century. It involves careful observation, applying rigorous skepticism about what is observed, given that cognitive assumptions can distort how one interprets the observation. It involves formulating hypotheses, via induction, based on such observations; experimental and measurement-based testing of deductions drawn from the hypotheses; and refinement (or elimination) of the hypotheses based on the experimental findings.

These are principles of the scientific method, as distinguished from a definitive series of steps applicable to all scientific enterprises.

Orbit An orbit is the gravitationally curved trajectory of an object, such as the trajectory of a planet around a star or a natural satellite around a planet. Normally, orbit refers to a regularly repeating trajectory, although it may also refer to a non-repeating trajectory.

To a close approximation, planets and satellites follow elliptic orbits, with the central mass being orbited at a focal point of the ellipse, as described by Kepler’s laws of planetary motion..

W Weight In science and engineering, the weight of an object is related to the force acting on the object, either due to gravity or to a reaction force that holds it in place. The unit of measurement for weight is that of force, which in the International System of Units (SI) is the newton.

For example, an object with a mass of one kilogram has a weight of about 9.8 newtons on the surface of the Earth, and about one-sixth as much on the Moon.

Glossary

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NOTES

Write notes here

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Notes

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