Planet Earth Revision Questions

1. What are the three features that distinguish the Earth from other planets?

2. Describe the makeup of the Earth’s atmosphere.

3. What is the diameter of the Earth?

4.   What is the shape of the Earth?

5. Give six pieces of evidence to suggest the Earth is not flat.

6. Define the term latitude.

7. Describe the Earth’s polar axis.

8. What is the Ecliptic?

9. What is the definition of an equinox?

10. What are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn?

11. What is a Solstice ?

12. What is a Meridian?

13. Define Longitude.

14. Define Zenith.

15. Define Horizon.

16. What are the main causes of skyglow?

17. What is CfDS?

18. What did Eratosthenes do?

19. When did he do it?

20. Describe how he worked it out.

21. What are the benefits of the Earth’s atmosphere

22. What are the drawbacks of the atmosphere for astronomers?

23. Describe the “windows” through which EMR reaches the ground.

24. Describe the effects of the atmosphere on EMR.

25. What are the main functions of a telescope?

26. What are the two fundamental types of telescope?

27. What is the Objective?

28. What are the advantages of large telescopes over small telescopes?

29. Name two considerations when choosing an observing site.

30. What are the advantages of using telescopes in orbit?

31. What are the disadvantages of using Earth orbiting telescopes?

32. What is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope

33. Why do Space telescopes have to be cooled to near absolute 0?

34. What is the size of the objective on the JWST

35. When will the JWST launch?

36. How will the JWST Reduce the amount of coolant needed?

37. Who discovered the Van Allen Belts.

38. Describe the Van Allen Belts.

39. How were the Van Allen Belts discovered?