Websink Prep UKKS2 ScienceYear 5 chaptersScience textbooksYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6Year 7Year 8Year 9Browse allPast papersFind a tutorBecome a tutor
Primary Science · Year 5Chapter 8 · The Earth, Sun and Moon
Year 5 · Chapter 8

The Earth, Sun and Moon

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Describe how the Earth and the other planets move round the Sun, in the solar system
  • Describe how the Moon moves round the Earth
  • Say that the Sun, Earth and Moon are approximately spherical
  • Explain day and night by the Earth turning once in about 24 hours
  • Explain why the Sun seems to move across the sky, and why shadows change length through the day

You should already know

  • Light and shadows, including how shadows change (Year 3 Science, Chapter 8)
  • Materials, and the water cycle (Year 4 Science)

Where this leads

  • Gravity, which keeps the planets and the Moon in their orbits (Year 5 Science, Chapter 9)
  • Working scientifically, planning and reporting (Year 5 Science, Chapter 1)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 science, Year 5. Content: E1 describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system, E2 describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth, E3 describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies, E4 use the idea of the Earth's rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhich shape is a ball: a circle, a square or a triangle, when seen from the side? Write the word.
2
FWhat do we call the dark shape that follows an object when light is blocked? Write the word.
3
FWhich is the closest star to the Earth? Write the word.
4
FWrite the word for the thing that you use to see at night when the Sun has set, and that is not a star: the Moon. Write the word.
5
FWhich kind of shadow is longer, one at 8 o’clock in the morning, or one at midday? Write the word.
8.1

The Sun and the planets

Year 5
E1: describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system
Video lesson: The Sun and the planetsComing soon
Story. Ruby looks at a poster of the solar system at school. “The Sun is in the middle, and the planets go round it,” she says. “Does the Earth go round the Sun too?” Her teacher says: “Yes, and so do all the other planets.”

The solar system is made of the Sun, and the planets and other objects that move round it. The Sun is a star. It is at the centre of the solar system.

The planets move round the Sun along paths called orbits. The Earth is the third planet from the Sun. There are eight planets in the solar system, in this order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

The Earth takes about 365 days to go once round the Sun. This is one year.

SunMercuryVenusEarthMarsthe planets move round the Sun, along paths (orbits); not to scale
The Sun in the middle, with four planets moving on their own orbits round it.
PlanetOrder from the Sun
Mercury1
Venus2
Earth3
Mars4
PlanetDays to go once round the Sun
Mercury88
Venus225
Earth365
Mars687

Key ideas

  • The Sun is at the centre of the solar system.
  • The planets move round the Sun along paths called orbits.
  • There are eight planets. The Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
  • The Earth takes about 365 days to go once round the Sun.
Worked example 8.1.1
Look at the table in section 8.1. Which planet takes the fewest days to go once round the Sun? Write the name.

Method. Find the smallest number of days.

  1. Read the table. Mercury takes 88 days, which is the fewest in the table.
    88 days
  2. Name the planet. So the planet is Mercury.
    Mercury
  3. Write the answer.
    Mercury

Check. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. ✓

Worked example 8.1.2
Which planet is third from the Sun? Write the name.

Method. Count the planets from the Sun.

  1. Count from the Sun. Mercury is first, Venus is second, and the Earth is third.
    third
  2. Name the planet. The third planet from the Sun is the Earth.
    Earth
  3. Write the answer.
    Earth

Check. The Earth is the third planet from the Sun. ✓

Worked example 8.1.3
How many days longer does Mars take than the Earth to go once round the Sun? Write the number.

Method. Subtract the Earth’s days from the Mars days.

  1. Read the two numbers. Mars takes 687 days, and the Earth takes 365 days.
    687 and 365
  2. Subtract. The difference is 687 minus 365, which is 322.
    687 - 365 = 322
  3. Write the answer.
    322

Check. Check: 365 + 322 = 687. ✓

Watch out. Subtract the smaller number from the larger one.

Watch out

Watch out: the planets do not stay still while they go round the Sun. They are always moving along their orbits.

Try it (with your teacher). Ask your teacher to show a model of the solar system, or a globe with a ball in the middle. Use a torch as the Sun, and a small ball as the Earth. Move the ball slowly round the torch, in a circle, and say which way it moves. Never look straight at the Sun.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What is in the middle of the solar system? Which planet is the Earth? What does the Earth go round?” Keep the talk factual and calm.

Exercise 8A  The Sun and the planets

1
FWhat is at the centre of the solar system? Write the word.
2
FWhat is the name of the path along which a planet moves round the Sun? Write the word.
3
FHow many planets are there in the solar system? Write the number.
4
FWhich planet is third from the Sun? Write the name.
5
FWhich planet is the closest to the Sun? Write the name.
6
PSLook at the order table in section 8.1. Which planet is second from the Sun? Write the name.
7
FLook at the orbit table in section 8.1. How many days does the Earth take to go once round the Sun? Write the number.
PlanetDays to go once round the Sun
Mercury88
Venus225
Earth365
Mars687
8
PSLook at the orbit table in section 8.1. Which planet takes 687 days to go once round the Sun? Write the name.
PlanetDays to go once round the Sun
Mercury88
Venus225
Earth365
Mars687
9
PSLook at the orbit table in section 8.1. How many days does Venus take to go once round the Sun, more than Mercury? Write the number of days.
PlanetDays to go once round the Sun
Mercury88
Venus225
Earth365
Mars687
10
RExplain why the planets stay in the solar system, moving round the Sun, rather than moving off in straight lines. Write one sentence.
11
PSWorking scientifically. Compare the evidence. Look at the order table. Name one planet that is further from the Sun than the Earth. Write the name.
12
RExplain why the Earth takes about one year to go once round the Sun. Write one sentence.
8.2

The Moon moves round the Earth

Year 5
E2: describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth
Video lesson: The Moon moves round the EarthComing soon
Story. Tom looks out of his bedroom window at night and sees the Moon. “Is the Moon moving?” he asks. Mr Patel says: “Yes, it moves round the Earth. It takes about a month to go once round.”

The Moon is a natural object that moves round the Earth. Its path round the Earth is its orbit. The Moon takes about a month to go once round the Earth.

The Moon does not make its own light. It reflects light from the Sun, which is why we can see it at night.

The Earth and the Moon both move. The Earth goes round the Sun, and the Moon goes round the Earth at the same time.

EarthMoonthe Moon moves round the Earththe Moon moves round the Earth; not to scale
The Earth in the middle, with the Moon moving on a path round it.

Key ideas

  • The Moon moves round the Earth, along an orbit.
  • The Moon takes about a month to go once round the Earth.
  • The Moon does not make its own light, but reflects light from the Sun.
  • The Moon’s shape seen from the Earth changes over the month (taught as an example only).
Worked example 8.2.1
What does the Moon go round? Write the word.

Method. Read section 8.2.

  1. Read the description. The Moon moves round the Earth.
    round the Earth
  2. Name it. So the Moon goes round the Earth.
    Earth
  3. Write the answer.
    Earth

Check. The Earth is the object the Moon goes round. ✓

Worked example 8.2.2
How long does the Moon take to go once round the Earth? Write the words.

Method. Read the description.

  1. Read the description. The Moon takes about a month to go once round the Earth.
    about a month
  2. Name the time. So the time is about a month.
    about a month
  3. Write the answer.
    about a month

Check. A month is roughly four weeks. ✓

Worked example 8.2.3
Does the Moon make its own light? Write yes or no.

Method. Read the key ideas.

  1. Read the key idea. The Moon reflects light from the Sun, so it does not make its own light.
    reflects light
  2. Decide. So the answer is no.
    no
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. The Moon shines because it reflects sunlight. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: the Moon does not give out its own light. When we see the Moon, we see sunlight that has bounced off its surface.

Try it (with your teacher). With your teacher, use a torch as the Sun and a small ball as the Moon. Hold a larger ball as the Earth. Move the small ball round the larger one, and notice which side of the small ball is lit. Never point the torch at anyone’s eyes.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What does the Moon go round? Does the Moon make its own light?” Let your child explain the Moon using the word reflects.

Exercise 8B  The Moon moves round the Earth

1
FWhat does the Moon move round? Write the word.
2
FHow long does the Moon take to go once round the Earth? Write the words.
3
FDoes the Moon make its own light? Write yes or no.
4
FFill in the gap: the Moon ___ light from the Sun. Write one word.
5
PSWhich object is larger, the Earth or the Moon? Write the word.
6
PSTrue or false: the Moon goes round the Sun, not round the Earth. Write true or false.
7
PSLook at the picture in section 8.2. What is in the middle of the picture? Write the word.
EarthMoonthe Moon moves round the Earththe Moon moves round the Earth; not to scale
8
PSIs the Moon a planet? Write yes or no.
9
PSWorking scientifically. Predict and check. Predict how long the Moon would take to go round the Earth twice. Write about how many months.
10
RExplain why we can see the Moon at night, even though it does not make its own light. Write one sentence.
11
RExplain why the Moon takes about a month to go round the Earth, not a day. Write one sentence.
8.3

The Sun, Earth and Moon are spheres

Year 5
E3: describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies
Video lesson: The Sun, Earth and Moon are spheresComing soon
Story. Priya cuts out three circles of card, and then tries to make them into balls. “They all look round, from every side,” she says. Mr Patel says: “Then the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical, as well.”

A sphere is a ball-shaped object. It looks like a circle from every direction. The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical: they are nearly round balls, with very slightly flattened shapes.

Round objects in space pull each other into rounded shapes, so the bodies in space tend to be spherical.

SunEarthMooneach one looks like a circle from every side, so it is approximately spherical
The Sun, Earth and Moon drawn as circles, showing they are approximately spherical.

Key ideas

  • A sphere looks like a circle from every direction.
  • The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical.
  • The word approximately means nearly, not exactly.
  • A flat card circle is not a sphere, but a ball made from it would be.
Worked example 8.3.1
What is the shape of the Earth, when we think of it as a ball? Write the word.

Method. Read the key ideas in section 8.3.

  1. Read the key idea. The Earth is approximately spherical.
    approximately spherical
  2. Name the shape. So the shape is a sphere.
    sphere
  3. Write the answer.
    sphere

Check. A sphere looks like a circle from every side. ✓

Worked example 8.3.2
Is the Moon approximately spherical? Write yes or no.

Method. Read the key ideas.

  1. Read the key idea. The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical.
    the Moon
  2. Decide. So the answer is yes.
    yes
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. The Moon is nearly a round ball. ✓

Worked example 8.3.3
From which direction does a sphere look like a circle? Write the words.

Method. Think about a ball.

  1. Think about the ball. A ball looks like a circle from every side.
    every side
  2. Name the answer. So a sphere looks like a circle from every direction.
    every direction
  3. Write the answer.
    every direction

Check. The circle is the same from any side. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: approximately spherical does not mean perfectly round. The Earth is slightly flattened at the top and bottom, but it is still very nearly a ball.

Try it (with your teacher). Use a ball of modelling clay, and a flat circle cut from card. Turn the ball and the circle in your hands. Which one looks like a circle from every side? Write one sentence about your answer.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which shape looks the same from every side? Which shape is a ball?” Let your child explain the word approximately.

Exercise 8C  The Sun, Earth and Moon are spheres

1
FWhat is the name of a ball-shaped object? Write the word.
2
FIs the Sun approximately spherical? Write yes or no.
3
PSIs the Earth exactly spherical? Write yes or no.
4
FWhat does the word approximately mean in approximately spherical? Write one word.
5
FFrom which direction does a sphere look like a circle? Write the words.
6
PSLook at the picture in section 8.3. How many of the three objects are shown as circles? Write the number.
SunEarthMooneach one looks like a circle from every side, so it is approximately spherical
7
PSLook at the picture in section 8.3. Which object is labelled Earth? Write the word.
SunEarthMooneach one looks like a circle from every side, so it is approximately spherical
8
PSTrue or false: a flat card circle is a sphere. Write true or false.
9
PSWorking scientifically. Compare shapes. Write one thing that a sphere and a flat circle have in common. Write one word.
10
RExplain why a ball looks like a circle from every side. Write one sentence.
11
RExplain why the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are described as approximately spherical, and not as perfectly round. Write one sentence.
8.4

Day and night, and the Earth turning

Year 5
E4: use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night, and the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky
Video lesson: Day and night, and the Earth turningComing soon
Story. Aisha wakes up in the morning, and the Sun is coming up in the east. By the afternoon it is high in the south, and in the evening it has gone down in the west. “Is the Sun moving across the sky?” she asks. Her teacher says: “It looks like it moves, but it is the Earth that turns.”

The Earth rotates. This means it turns round on its own axis, like a spinning top. It takes about 24 hours to turn once.

The side of the Earth that faces the Sun has day. The other side is in night. As the Earth turns, places move from night into day, and back again.

The Sun seems to move across the sky, from east to west, because the Earth is turning. This movement is called the apparent movement of the Sun: it appears to move, but the Sun is not really moving across the sky.

daynightSunthe Earth turns once in about 24 hours
The Earth lit by the Sun on one half, showing day on the side facing the Sun, and night on the other side.

Key ideas

  • The Earth turns on its own axis, once in about 24 hours.
  • The side facing the Sun has day, and the other side has night.
  • The Sun seems to move across the sky because the Earth is turning.
  • Shadows change length during the day, because the Sun appears to move.
Worked example 8.4.1
How long does the Earth take to turn once on its own axis? Write the number of hours.

Method. Read the key idea in section 8.4.

  1. Read the key idea. The Earth takes about 24 hours to turn once.
    24 hours
  2. Write the number. So the answer is 24 hours.
    24
  3. Write the answer.
    24

Check. Day and night together make one full turn of 24 hours. ✓

Worked example 8.4.2
Which part of the Earth has day, when the Earth turns? Write the words.

Method. Read the picture.

  1. Read the picture. The side of the Earth facing the Sun is lit, and has day.
    facing the Sun
  2. Name the part. So the part with day is the side facing the Sun.
    facing the Sun
  3. Write the answer.
    the side facing the Sun

Check. The other side has night. ✓

Worked example 8.4.3
Why does the Sun seem to move across the sky? Write one word: turning, or rising.

Method. Think about the Earth.

  1. Think about the Earth. The Earth is turning, so the Sun seems to move across the sky.
    Earth is turning
  2. Choose the word. So the word is turning.
    turning
  3. Write the answer.
    turning

Check. The Sun is not really moving across the sky; the Earth is turning. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: the Sun does not go round the Earth each day. It is the Earth that turns, so the Sun only appears to move.

Try it (with your teacher). Ask your teacher to set up a torch as the Sun and a globe as the Earth, in a dark room. Mark a place on the globe with a sticker, and turn the globe slowly, anticlockwise, while the torch shines. Watch the sticker move from light to dark. Never point the torch at anyone’s eyes.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Does the Sun move, or does the Earth turn? Where does the Sun come up in the morning?” Let your child explain using the word turn.

Exercise 8D  Day and night, and the Earth turning

1
FHow many hours does the Earth take to turn once on its own axis? Write the number.
2
FWhat is the name for the Earth turning round on its own axis? Write the word.
3
FWhich part of the Earth is in day when it faces the Sun? Write the words.
4
FFill in the gap: the Sun seems to move across the sky because the Earth is ___. Write one word.
5
FDoes the Sun go round the Earth each day? Write yes or no.
6
PSIn which direction does the Sun seem to move across the sky: east to west, or west to east? Write the words.
7
PSLook at the picture of the Earth in section 8.4. Which side has night? Write the words.
daynightSunthe Earth turns once in about 24 hours
8
PSLook at the shadow picture in section 8.5. Is the shadow long or short at midday? Write the word.
morningmiddayafternoonthe shadow is shortest at midday, when the Sun is highest
9
PSLook at the shadow table in section 8.4. At which time was the shadow shortest? Write the words.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
10
PSWorking scientifically. Plan a test. Write one thing that must stay the same in a fair test of shadow length, using a stick. Write one thing.
11
RExplain why we have day and night. Write one sentence.
12
RExplain why the Sun appears to rise in the east in the morning. Write one sentence.
8.5

Models, shadows and evidence

Year 5
E1 to E4: use models and evidence, including a fair test of shadows, to explain the movement of the Earth, Sun and Moon
Video lesson: Models, shadows and evidenceComing soon
Story. Mo and Ruby make a model of the Earth and a torch as the Sun. “Does our model show day and night?” asks Mo. “And does a stick’s shadow really change length?” asks Ruby. Their teacher says: “Use your evidence to find out.”

Scientists use models to help explain things that are too large, too far away, or too slow to see. A model of the Earth and the Sun can help us to explain day and night, but we must remember that the model is not the real thing.

A fair test with a stick and the Sun can show how the shadow changes through the day. The table records the shadow length at four times of day.

morningmiddayafternoonthe shadow is shortest at midday, when the Sun is highest
A stick casts a long shadow in the morning, a short shadow at midday, and a long shadow in the afternoon.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28

Key ideas

  • A model helps us to explain things we cannot see directly, but it is not the real thing.
  • Shadows are shortest at midday, when the Sun is highest.
  • Shadows are longer in the morning and the afternoon.
  • Shadows change length because the Sun appears to move across the sky.
Worked example 8.5.1
Look at the shadow table in section 8.5. Which time gave the longest shadow? Write the words.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28

Method. Find the longest shadow.

  1. Read the lengths. The longest shadow is 60 cm, at 8 o’clock in the morning.
    60 cm
  2. Name the time. So the longest shadow was at 8 o’clock in the morning.
    8 o’clock in the morning
  3. Write the answer.
    8 o’clock in the morning

Check. The Sun is low in the morning. ✓

Worked example 8.5.2
How many centimetres shorter was the shadow at midday than at 8 o’clock in the morning? Write the number.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28

Method. Subtract the shorter shadow from the longer one.

  1. Read the two lengths. The morning shadow is 60 cm, and the midday shadow is 12 cm.
    60 and 12
  2. Subtract. The difference is 60 minus 12, which is 48.
    60 - 12 = 48
  3. Write the answer.
    48

Check. Check: 12 + 48 = 60. ✓

Worked example 8.5.3
Does the model of the Earth and a torch show day and night? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about the model.

  1. Think about the model. The lit side of the model is day, and the dark side is night.
    lit side
  2. Decide. So the model shows day and night, and the answer is yes.
    yes
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. A model can help, but it is not the real Earth. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a model is a simplified picture of the real thing. A torch is not really the Sun, and a ball is not really the Earth. Use the model to think, then check with evidence.

Try it (with your teacher). With your teacher, stand a stick in the ground, or a pencil in a lump of clay, in a sunny place outside. Mark the end of the shadow with a stone at the same time each hour, for three or four hours. Use a measuring tape to find the length of each shadow. Record your results in a table. Never look directly at the Sun.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What happens to the shadow as the day goes on? Why?” Let your child compare the model and the real shadow.

Exercise 8E  Models, shadows and evidence

1
FLook at the shadow table in section 8.5. How long was the shadow at 2 o’clock? Write the number of centimetres.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
2
FLook at the shadow table in section 8.5. Which time has the shortest shadow? Write the words.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
3
FLook at the shadow table in section 8.5. Work out the total of the four shadow lengths. Write the number of centimetres.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
4
PSLook at the shadow table in section 8.5. Which time has a shadow of 30 cm? Write the time.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
5
PSLook at the shadow table in section 8.5. Are the shadows getting shorter or longer from 8 o’clock to midday? Write the word.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
6
PSDoes a model of the Earth and a torch show the real Sun? Write yes or no.
7
PSIs a shadow shortest in the morning or at midday? Write the word.
8
PSWorking scientifically. Predict the result. Predict whether a stick’s shadow will be longer at 4 o’clock in the afternoon than at midday. Write yes or no.
9
RExplain why the shadow at midday is shorter than the shadow in the morning. Write one sentence.
10
RExplain why a model helps us to understand day and night, and why we must still check it. Write two sentences.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
The solar systemThe Sun is at the centre. Eight planets move round it along orbits. The Earth is the third planet.
The MoonThe Moon moves round the Earth, taking about a month. It reflects light from the Sun.
SpheresThe Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical: nearly round balls.
Day and nightThe Earth rotates once in about 24 hours. The side facing the Sun has day, and the other side has night.
The Sun in the skyThe Sun appears to move from east to west, because the Earth turns.
ShadowsShadows are shortest at midday, when the Sun is highest, and longer in the morning and afternoon.

Can you…?

  • I can describe how the Earth and other planets move round the Sun, in the solar system
  • I can describe how the Moon moves round the Earth, and say it reflects light
  • I can say the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are approximately spherical
  • I can explain day and night using the Earth turning once in about 24 hours
  • I can explain why the Sun appears to move across the sky, and why shadows change length

Key terms

solar system
the Sun, and the planets and other objects that move round it
orbit
the path along which a planet or moon moves round another object
rotation
turning round on its own axis, as the Earth does once in about 24 hours
sphere
a ball-shaped object, which looks like a circle from every direction
approximately
nearly, but not exactly
reflect
to bounce light off a surface, as the Moon reflects light from the Sun
apparent movement
a movement that seems to happen, such as the Sun moving across the sky, but is caused by something else
model
a simplified picture or object that helps us to explain something we cannot see directly

Exercise 8Z  Check-up

1
What is at the centre of the solar system? Write the word.
2
Which planet is third from the Sun? Write the name.
3
What does the Moon go round? Write the word.
4
Does the Moon make its own light? Write yes or no.
5
Are the Sun, Earth and Moon approximately spherical? Write yes or no.
6
How many hours does the Earth take to turn once on its own axis? Write the number.
7
Fill in the gap: the Sun seems to move across the sky because the Earth is ___. Write one word.
8
Look at the orbit table in section 8.1. How many days does the Earth take to go once round the Sun? Write the number.
PlanetDays to go once round the Sun
Mercury88
Venus225
Earth365
Mars687
9
Look at the shadow table in section 8.5. At which time was the shadow shortest? Write the words.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
10
Explain why we have day and night. Write one sentence.

Total 16 marks. Allow about 16 minutes.

Exercise 8X  Practice test questions

1
FWhich planet is closest to the Sun? Write the name.[1 mark]
2
FWhat is the name of the path along which a planet moves round the Sun? Write the word.[1 mark]
3
FWhat does the Moon move round? Write the word.[1 mark]
4
FAre the Sun, the Earth and the Moon approximately spherical? Write yes or no.[1 mark]
5
FHow many hours does the Earth take to turn once on its own axis? Write the number.[1 mark]
6
FLook at the orbit table in section 8.1. Work out how many days longer Mars takes than the Earth to go once round the Sun. Write the number of days.
PlanetDays to go once round the Sun
Mercury88
Venus225
Earth365
Mars687
[2 marks]
7
FLook at the shadow table in section 8.5. Work out the difference between the longest shadow and the shortest shadow. Write the number of centimetres.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
[2 marks]
8
RExplain why the Sun seems to move across the sky from east to west. Write one sentence.[2 marks]
9
RExplain why the Moon takes about a month to go round the Earth, and why we can see it at night. Write two sentences.[3 marks]
10
RA stick casts a shadow of 60 cm at 8 o’clock in the morning, and 12 cm at midday. Explain why the shadow is shorter at midday, in one sentence.
Time of dayShadow length (cm)
8 o’clock in the morning60
10 o’clock30
12 o’clock, midday12
2 o’clock28
[2 marks]
← Chapter 7: Reversible and irreversible changesChapter 9: Gravity, friction and resistance →

Websink Prep UK is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, SQA, GL Assessment, CEM or the Department for Education. All exam board names and trademarks belong to their owners. Past papers are linked from the exam boards' own websites and are not hosted here.

About Websink Prep UK · Find a tutor · Privacy · Terms · Cookie settings