Nitty Gritty Science Â© 2015 1 - Madison County Schools

Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Table of Contents:

Astronomy and Space Science Description

Page #

Introduction

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Section 1: Earth’s Motion

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Reason for Season Cut-outs

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Reason for Season Printable

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Reason for Season Cut-outs (B&W)

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Reason for Season Printable (B&W)

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Quiz: Earth’s Motion

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Section 2: The Moon – Earth’s Satellite

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Lunar Cycle Flip Book

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Moon Cards – Unlabeled/Scrambled

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Moon Cards – Unlabeled

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Moon cards – Labeled

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Quiz: The Moon – Earth’s Satellite

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Section 3: Solar System

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Formation of Solar System Cut-outs

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Formation of Solar System Cut-outs (B&W)

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Description Cut-outs

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Solar System Sequence – Blank

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Solar System Sequence – Blank (B&W)

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Answer Key

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Quiz: Solar System

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Section 4: The Planets

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Scale Model of Solar System

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Cut-outs

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Cut-outs (B&W)

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Scale Model of Solar System (completed data table)

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Quiz: The Planets

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Section 5: Stars and Galaxies

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Life Cycle of Stars Reading Passage

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Life Cycle of Stars

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Cut-outs

Life Cycle of Stars Cut-outs (B&W)

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Answer Key

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Quiz: Stars and Galaxies

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Section 6: Space Exploration

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Space Shuttle Mission Sequence

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Pop-out Card

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Visual Directions

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Answer Key

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Quiz: Space Exploration

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Answer Keys – Quizzes

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Contact and Copyright

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Teacher Notes – LARGE PRINT

45-50 Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Section 1: Earth’s Motion

Description: Students will create a moving model of Earth’s rotational axis that will help them understand the reason for the seasons in the northern hemisphere.

The

printables for this activity are offered in color and in gray scale, along with step-by-step instructions and a mini-quiz. Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Reason for the Seasons Introduction: The seasons are determined by the tilt of Earth’s rotational axis as Earth revolves around the Sun.

You will create a model to observe the effect of the tilt of Earth’s axis on

the seasons of the northern hemisphere and determine when the angle between Earth’s rotational axis and the Sun is the largest and when it is the smallest. Directions: 1. On the Reason for the Season Model page, locate the circle that will act as your pivot and cut out the three dashed tabs, taking care to ONLY cut on the dotted lines.

Fold the tabs up

along the inner black circle. 2. Cut out the Earth (with pivot bar) diagram below and remove the lower inner circle marked with a dashed line. 3. Next cut out the pivot “topper” with marked angles along with the solstice/equinox labels. Fold labels on dotted line. 4. Place your Earth diagram with pivot bar over pivot point on Reason for the Season Model page.

Be sure that all tabs fit through circle, then fold tabs back flat.

Place glue on tabs

ONLY then center and glue the pivot topper on top of the tabs. 5. Rotate the Earth model on its rotation axis and decide where to correctly place the solstice labels.

Once glued in place, open up labels and write a description of each day.

Glue completed

page into your Science Interactive Notebook.


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(Northern Hemisphere)

Reason for the Season

Section 2: The Moon – Earth’s Satellite

Description: Students will need to identify, label and unscramble the moon phase cards in order to make a flip book that features the lunar cycle.

For differentiation

purposes, I’ve also included a set where the cards are not mixed up and a set where the cards have already been prelabeled. Printables, cut-outs, teacher answer key and a mini-quiz are all included for this concept. Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Lunar Cycle Flip Book Directions: 1. Using the diagram as a reference guide, correctly identify each phase of the lunar cycle on the following page and label each moon phase card accordingly. 2. Once all phases have been properly labeled, cut out each card and paste to the back of cardstock or an index card. 3. Put cards in the correct sequence of a lunar cycle then staple cards together where indicated.

** Make

sure all edges that you “flip” are even with each other to be the most effective. 4. Once your Lunar Cycle Flip Book is completed, cut out reference guide and pocket template and glue both into your science interactive notebook.

LUNAR CYCLE FLIP book


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Lunar Cycle Flip Book Directions: Cut out cards and label each phase of the lunar cycle.

Put cards together to make a flip

book and place completed Lunar Cycle Flip Book in the pocket of your Science Interactive Notebook.


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Section 3: Solar System

Description: Students will understand how the solar system came to be by studying diagrams and matching them with the proper description.

Once students have

them matched, they will then need to put the diagrams with descriptions in the proper sequence of the solar system formation. Again, along with the version described above, I have also included a version where the diagrams are already in order and the students will only need to cut out the descriptions and place them in the proper order.

Both versions are

available in color and grayscale. Printables, cut-outs, teacher answer key and a mini-quiz are all included for this concept.


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Formation of the Solar System Directions: Cut out the following diagrams and descriptions below, matching each diagram to its description.

Paste all items in chronological order in your Science Interactive Notebook in order to help

you explain the formation of the solar system.


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Formation of the Solar System Directions: Cut out the following descriptions on how the solar system formed and place them in the proper order on the following worksheet.

Paste finished page in your Science Interactive Notebook.

Formation of the Solar System Directions: Cut out the following descriptions on how the solar system formed and place them in the proper order on the following worksheet.



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Formation of the Solar System


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Section 4: The Planets

Description: One of my favorites – maybe because it’s this teeny tiny scale model of the solar system. Students will create a scale model of the solar system from the Sun by either calculating the distance themselves with the information given, or using the version where the distance has already been calculated. And of course, this needs to work for the Science Interactive Notebook, so I’ve included a pocket template that fits behind the data table so the students can safely secure their solar system! Color and black and white versions of the printable have been included along with a mini-quiz. Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Scale Model of Solar System Directions: Using the table below, create a scale model of the solar system showing the average distance of the planets from the Sun. For this activity, Earth, which is 1.00 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, will be represented as 2.54 cm on the scale.

Use this measurement to calculate the scaled distances for the remainder of the planets.

For example to calculate Mercury:

2.54 cm AU

X 0.39 AU = .99 cm

Once the distance (cm) has been calculated for all the planets, you will create a scale model of the solar system using the following directions: 1. Cut out the following diagrams of the Sun and planets, along with the data table and the pocket template. 2. Take the Sun and paste a piece of string to the back, making sure the string is long enough for the entire model. 3. Beginning with Mercury, measure out the calculated distance from the Sun and mark string.

Place glue

on back of planet cut-out and wrap around point on string, making sure to put the fold of the cut-out along the string.

Press glued sides together so it holds in place on model.

4. Repeat step 3 with the remainder of the planets making sure to measure from the SAME point on the Sun for each planet in order to make your scale model as accurate as possible. 5. When your model is complete, paste the Sun down in your Science Interactive Notebook and glue in the pocket cut-out at bottom of page to collect the extra length of your model. 6. Finally, glue your data table to the front of your pocket to use as a reference for your scale model.

Data Table 1: Planet

Distance from

Distance from

the Sun (AU)

the Sun (cm)

Mercury

0.39

Venus

0.72

Earth

1.00

Mars

1.52

Jupiter

5.20

Saturn

9.54

Uranus

19.18

Neptune

30.06


2.54

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Cut-outs


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Cut-outs


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Section 5: Stars and Galaxies

Description: Students are given a short reading on the Life Cycle of Stars and need to use the information from the passage to help them cut and paste the different stages of a star’s life cycle in the proper sequence. I think it’s important to have students glue the reading into their Science Interactive Notebook to use as a reference for review. A colored and black and white version of the printables have been included along with an answer key and a mini-quiz.


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LIFE CYCLE OF STARS Stars begin as a large cloud of gas and dust called a nebula. FOLD AND PASTE THIS REFERNCE PAGE ONTO LEFT MARGIN OF LIFE CYCLE OF STARS SCIENCE INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK PAGE

As gravity exerts a force on the particles of dust and gas, the nebula contracts, increasing pressure and temperature inside the core to initiate nuclear fusion.

For low-mass stars up to 8 solar

masses (or about 8 times as massive as the Sun), the outer layers swell into a red giant. Over time the star ejects its outer layers returning to gas and dust while the interior collapses into a white dwarf.

Ninety-nine percent of

the stars that you see end their lives like this.

Eventually, after billions

of years, the white dwarf will cool and stop giving off light. High-mass stars, or those more than eight times the mass of the Sun, become red or yellow supergiants and begin to expel stellar matter. Eventually the core takes on so much iron that it cannot release energy through fusion.

This causes the star

to collapse in on itself violently, and a shock wave travels outward exploding as a supernova. Its core becoming a neutron star that is so dense that one teaspoon would weigh more than 600 million metric tons on Earth. If a star is so massive that the remaining core from a supernova is more than three solar masses, the gravity near this mass is so strong it creates a region where nothing can escape from, not even light. Therefore, this region is called a black hole. The matter ejected during a star’s life cycle will provide material for nebulas that will form new stars, planets and other celestial objects.

The matter in stars is recycled

many times.


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recycles back to nebula.


paste them in the appropriate position on the diagram above. Draw lines showing where stellar matter ejects and

Directions: Read the passage on the Life Cycle of Stars. Cut out the following phases of a star’s life cycle and

Section 6: Space Exploration

Description: We’re bringing Science Interactive Notebooks to a whole new level with this pop-up model of a Space Shuttle Mission Sequence. Using the visual directions, students will have so much fun determining the order of the space mission, but then will take their engagment to a whole new level when their page “pops-out” at them. Printables, cut-outs, visual directions, a teacher answer key and a mini-quiz are all included for this concept. Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Space Shuttle Mission Sequence Introduction: Sending humans into space was a major goal of the early space program.

In 1962, NASA sent the first American astronaut, John

Glenn, into space from Cape Canaveral at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and since then, all crewed spaceflights in the United States are launched from there. In order for a space shuttle to have a successful mission, the shuttle must launch during a specific window of time, orbit the Earth to complete its mission, then return to Earth, landing much like an airplane. Directions: This activity features different steps of a mission sequence. Unfortunately, they are all mixed up and your help is needed to place

Landing

them in the correct sequence on the pop-out space shuttle mission sequence model.

Follow these steps to complete the model:

1. First, fold your pop-out model base page into thirds lengthwise following guide lines given on sheet.

The folded paper should look like an

ascending staircase. 2. Carefully, cut all dashed lines on the sheet.

The cut lines on outside

of page will create 3D boxes that will come forward on your model. The cut lines in the middle of the page will create “doors” that you will open to help your model stand to showcase sequence. 3. Next, cut out all diagrams of the sequence on the outside of this page – notice that the beginning ( ) and end (landing) diagrams have been identified for you.

Use the descriptions on your model to help you place

the rest of the sequence in order. 4. When you have sequence in correct order, glue all diagrams in correct order on the model.

All diagrams on this page are in correct

orientation – make sure to take notice before gluing. To help create the 3D effect, ONLY glue BOTTOM half of each diagram on the numbered position.

This will allow for more of a “pop-out” feature on your model.

(*Hint, the step where the rockets parachute to sea, fold so that you glue the water to the page and the rest of diagram stands up in front of space created by cut doors.) 5. When complete, paste the bottom tier of model into your Science Interactive notebook and fold flat when not in use.


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PRE-LAUNCH

SEA

PARACHUTE TO

LANDING

SEPERATE

ROCKETS

EARTH

TANK SEPARATE

BOOSTER

LAUNCHING

ORBIT AROUND

EXTERNAL

SOLID ROCKET

EARTH’S ORBIT

LEAVING

END OF MISSION

OOPERATION

ORBITAL

Visual Directions for Space Shuttle Mission Sequence Model 1.

First, fold your pop-out model base page into thirds lengthwise following

guide lines given on sheet.

The folded paper should look like an ascending

staircase

2. Carefully, cut all dashed lines on the sheet. The cut lines on outside of page will create 3D boxes that will come forward on your model.

The cut lines in the

middle of the page will create “doors” that you will open to help your model stand to showcase sequence.

3. Next, cut out all diagrams of the sequence on the outside of this page – notice that the beginning ( ) and end (landing) diagrams have been identified for you. Use the descriptions on your model to help you place the rest of the sequence in order.

4. When complete, paste the bottom tier of model into your Science Interactive notebook and fold flat when not in use.


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Answer Key


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Question: What causes the cycle of seasons on Earth?

Lesson 1

EARTH’S MOTION

The Sun is the nearest star to Earth and has a diameter 100 times greater than Earth’s.

The Sun’s core reaches temperatures over

15,000,000ᵒC, with the surface reaching temps of 5,500ᵒC. A small part of this energy reaches Earth as light and thermal energy. Earth orbits, or follows a path, around the Sun making one complete revolution every 365.24 days due to the Sun’s gravitational pull. As Earth revolves around the Sun, it rotates, or spins on it’s rotational axis, or an imaginary line on which the Earth rotates. Because Earth’s surface is curved, different parts of Earth’s surface receive different amounts of the Sun’s energy. Earth’s orbit is an ellipse, or an elongated, closed curve. Because the Sun is not centered in the ellipse, the distance between the Sun and Earth change during the year. The tilt of Earth’s rotation axis, combined with Earth’s motion around the Sun causes the seasons to change. The hemisphere tilted toward the Sun receives more daylight hours than the hemisphere tilted away from the Sun. Earth’s tilt cause the suns radiation to strike the hemispheres at different angles. The hemisphere tilted toward the Sun receives more total sunlight than the hemisphere tilted away from the Sun. solstice – day when Earth’s rotation axis is the most toward or away from the Sun June (Summer) solstice is June 20/21 in the northern hemisphere December (Winter) solstice is Dec 21/22 in the northern hemisphere equinox – day when Earth’s rotation axis is leaning along Earth’s orbit, neither toward nor away from Sun March (Spring) equinox is March 20/21 in the northern hemisphere September (Fall) equinox is Sept 22/23 in the northern hemisphere Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Question: Why does the moon appear to change shape?

Lesson 2

THE MOON – EARTH’S SATELLITE

The moon seems to shine because it reflects the sunlight. The gravitational pull of Earth on the Moon causes the Moon to move in an orbit around the Earth. The changing relative positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun cause the phases of the Moon, eclipse and tides. phases – the different forms the Moon takes in its appearance from Earth; sequence of phases is the lunar cycle lasting 29.5 days new moon – when the moon is between Earth and Sun and can’t be seen a. Waxing Phases – more of the moon’s near side is lit each night waxing crescent – first visible thin slice of moon first quarter – half the lighted side of moon is visible waxing gibbous – more than one quarter is visible full moon – all the moon’s lighted side is visible b. Waning Phases – less of the illuminated half of Moon is visible after a full moon waning gibbous – starts after a full moon when more than half of lit side of moon is still visible third quarter – only half the moon’s lighted side is visible waning crescent – last visible slice before a new moon eclipse – when Earth or the Moon casts a shadow on the other solar eclipse – when Moon’s shadow appears on Earth’s surface lunar eclipse – occurs when the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow Features on the moon’s surface include: maria – dark, flat areas formed from lava 3-4 billion years ago crater – large, round pits caused by impacts of meteoroids highlands – oldest, most highly-cratered regions on the Moon Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Question: Why are planets classified as either inner or outer planets?

Lesson 3

THE PLANETS

Planets are classified according to their location in the solar system. Inner planets are those with orbits between the Sun and asteroid belt; outer planets orbit outside the asteroid belt. Terrestrial planets are made mainly of rocky material and giant gaseous planets are made mainly of ice and gas. MERCURY – planet closest to Sun has no true atmosphere; surface temperatures are extreme has many craters and long, steep cliffs VENUS – second from Sun and similar to Earth in size and mass effect resulting in surface temps between 450ᵒC and 475ᵒC EARTH – third planet from the Sun water exists on Earth as solid, liquid and gas atmosphere protects surface from meteors and Sun’s radiation MARS – fourth planet from the Sun called the red planet because of the iron oxide that is present in the

INNER PLANETS

extremely dense atmosphere of clouds causing intense greenhouse

surface rocks giving them reddish color thin atmosphere causing extreme temperatures, strong winds and global dust storms has polar ice caps, seasons, and other evidence that water is or was once present JUPITER – largest planet in solar system; fifth from Sun atmosphere mostly hydrogen and helium; many high pressure gas storms with the most notable being the Great Red Spot

SATURN – sixth planet from Sun, second largest in solar system thick outer rings of hydrogen, helium, ammonia, methane and water vapor 31 moons, with largest moon, Titan, being larger than Mercury URANUS – seventh planet from Sun; large and gaseous methane in atmosphere gives planet it blue-green color

OUTER PLANETS

has at least 60 moons with four having their own atmosphere

has tilted axis of rotation moving around Sun like a rolling ball NEPTUNE – eighth planet from Sun has surface of frozen nitrogen and geysers that erupt nitrogen gas Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Question: How did the solar system come to be?

Lesson 4

SOLAR SYSTEM

Geocentric (Earth-centered) model – early Greeks thought planets, the Sun, Moon and stars rotated around the earth Heliocentric (Sun-centered) model – Nicholas Copernicus and Galileo Galilei observed that the Moon revolved around the Earth and that Earth and the other planets revolved around the Sun. Astronomical units (AUs) – measure distances among the objects in the solar system: 1 AU = 150 million km, the avg distance from Earth to the Sun Astronomers believe the solar system began 4.6 billlion years ago. - A cloud of gas, ice and dust formed slowly. - Shock waves (possibly from a supernova, or exploding star) might have caused the cloud to compress. - Cloud became more dense, rotated faster, heated up, and flattened to form a disc - Heated material from contracting cloud triggered nuclear fusion, forming the Sun, material left behind became objects of solar system Objects that orbit the Sun: planets – a planet must orbit the Sun, have a nearly spherical shape and have a mass much larger than the total mas of all other objects dwarf planets – spherical-shaped object that orbits the Sun but does not have more mass than the objects in nearby orbits asteroid – millions of small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun in an asteroid belt; range in size from < 1 meter to several hundred km comet – made of gas, dust and ice and moves around the Sun in an oval-shaped orbit meteoroids – debris left by colliding asteroids or dispersing comets Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Question: What does the life of a star depend on?

Lesson 5

STARS AND GALAXIES

Ancient Greeks, Romans and other early cultures observed patterns of stars in the night sky called constellations. Stars in the sky can be found at specific locations within a constellation. Characteristics used to classify stars include color, temperature, size, composition and brightness. absolute magnitude – measure of the amount of light a star gives off apparent magnitude – measure of the amount of light received on Earth light-year – distance that light travels in one year; light travels at 300,000 km/s or about 9.5 trillion km in one year. Scientists study the spectra, or range of wavelengths, stars emit using an instrument called a spectroscope which can spread the light into different wavelengths. A star is “born” when the contracting gas and dust from a nebula, or large cloud, become so dense and hot that nuclear fusion starts. After a star runs out of fuel, it becomes a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. Most stars are members of groups of two (binary) or more stars called star systems. galaxy – huge group of single stars, star systems, star clusters, dust and gas bound together by gravity; astronomers classify most galaxies into the following types: spiral – has bulge in middle and arms spiral outward; Milky Way elliptical – round or flattened balls; contain only old stars irregular – no regular shapes; generally bright, young stars quasars – active young galaxies with black holes at their centers Big Bang Theory – universe probably began about 13.7 billion years ago with an enormous explosion – galaxies still expanding from explosion Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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Question: What is one goal of space exploration?

Lesson 6

SPACE EXPLORATION

Optical telescopes – use light to produce magnified images refracting telescopes – uses convex lenses to concentrate light from a distance object reflecting telescope – uses a concave mirror to see distant objects radio telescope – telescope that collects radio waves and some microwaves using an antenna that looks like a TV satellite dish; used to detect objects in space, map the universe, and look for signs of life on other planets Hubble Space Telescope – first optical space reflecting telescope that orbits Earth Space telescopes work better since they can collect energy at all wavelengths, including those that cannot penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere Early history of space exploration technology included: rockets – helped launch objects into space by propelling itself by ejecting exhaust gas from one end satellite – object that revolves around another object in an orbit; first artificial satellite was launched in 1957 by the former Soviet Union space probes – an unscrewed spacecraft sent from Earth to explore objects in space space shuttles – reusable spacecraft that transport people and materials to and from space - A space shuttle, Apollo 11, was used to send Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon, with 11 other astronauts for the first time in 1968. In 1998 the United States joined 15 other nations to begin building the International Space Station. Occupied since 2000, many astronauts live and conduct research on this Earth-orbiting satellite. Recent and future space exploration include missions to inner planets, as well as the outer planets and beyond. Astrobiology – the study of life in the universe, including life on Earth and the possibility of extraterrestrial life Nitty Gritty Science © 2015

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