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Earth, Moon and Sun
The moon is full when the sunlit hemisphere is completely facing the Earth.

Earth, Moon and Sun

In this KS2 Science quiz we take a trip into space to look at our home planet, Earth, and two of its closest neighbours - the Sun (which we orbit) and the Moon (which orbits us).

Earth is one of the 8 planets (Pluto is no longer regarded as a planet) which orbit the Sun. It has a circumference of 40,000 km which may sound big - until you realise that the Sun's circumference is 109 times larger! The Moon is not a planet - it is a moon and it orbits the Earth. Some planets have many moons - Jupiter for example has at least 67 in orbit around it! The Sun's temperature is approximately 5,500 degrees Celsius on its surface. If you think that's hot, consider the Sun's core, which is about 13,600,000 degrees Celsius! Luckily for us, the Earth is much, much cooler!

How well do you know our home planet and its relationship to the Sun and Moon? Try this science quiz to find out!

1.
Which of the following lasts approximately 28 days?
The Earth's orbit of the Sun
The Sun's orbit of the galaxy
The Earth's orbit of the Moon
The Moon's orbit of the Earth
The Moon takes approximately 28 days to travel around the Earth. It also takes approximately 28 days to rotate on its own axis
2.
Which of the following is false?
The Earth's orbit of the Sun causes seasons
The Earth's rotation causes day and night
The Moon's orbit causes its shape to change
The Moon's orbit causes its appearance to change
The Moon's shape doesn't change - it is always near-spherical - instead, its appearance changes throughout its 28 day orbit as different parts of it are in shadow
3.
Which celestial body is the Earth closest to?
The Moon
The Sun
Mars
Venus
The Moon is only 239,000 miles away from the Earth. In space terms, that makes the Moon our next-door neighbour!
4.
Which of the following is a planet?
The Earth
The Moon
The Sun
All of the above
The Sun is a star and the Moon is a moon
5.
What causes a lunar eclipse?
The Sun blocks our view of the Moon
The Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon
The Moon blocks our view of the Sun
The Earth blocks the Moon's rays from reaching the Sun
Lunar eclipses last a few hours. It's completely safe to look at the Moon during an eclipse without using eye protection - of course, you must never look directly at a solar eclipse (which is when the Moon blocks our view of the Sun for a few minutes)
6.
Which of these orbits the Earth?
The Sun
The Moon
The Earth's axis
The North and South Poles
The Moon is the Earth's natural satellite, which means it orbits the Earth
7.
When is the Moon full?
When it's the first day of the month
When the sunlit hemisphere is completely facing the Earth
When the dark side of the Moon is completely facing Earth
When it's the last day of the month
When the dark hemisphere of the moon is completely facing the Earth, it is described as a new moon
8.
Which of the following lasts approximately 24 hours?
The Earth's orbit of the Sun
A full rotation of the Earth on its axis
The Sun's orbit of the Earth
The Moon's orbit of the Earth
24 hours is the length of one day and is caused by the Earth spinning (rotating) on its axis. Remember: the Sun does not orbit the Earth!
9.
Which one of the following is NOT a phase of the moon?
Full moon
First Quarter
New moon
Blue moon
The Moon also passes through a Last Quarter phase, as well as Crescent (less than half full) and Gibbous (more than half full) phases
10.
Why does the Moon look different during its different phases?
The Earth's shadow sometimes blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon
One side of the Moon is not as reflective as the other side
Different parts of the sunlit side of the Moon become visible as it makes its orbit around Earth
The Sun's gravity causes the Moon to change its shape
Only one half (one hemisphere) of the moon is lit by the Sun, just as only one half of the Earth at any one time is lit by the Sun - on the other side it is night-time, and dark. Because the Moon is continuously orbiting, we can't always see all of its sunlit hemisphere from the Earth
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - The Moon

Author:  Sheri Smith
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