Scotch College Science: The Universe & Our Changing Earth

Scotch College Science

STUDENT NOTES
Unit DVD available on order
THE UNIVERSE & OUR

CHANGING EARTH
Year 8
2010
PAGE 2 ___ THE UNIVERSE & OUR CHANGING EARTH_____________________________
SCOTCH COLLEGE SCIENCE
YEAR 8 Astronomy & Our Earth
OUTLINE
This unit looks at some of the more familiar objects in our solar system. You will study the stars,
specifically our Sun and how it provides us with energy and our seasons. We will also look at the
moon and other heavenly bodies such as asteroids. The science of geology is introduced by looking at
our Earth, how it was formed and is constantly changing. You will investigate the different types of rocks that
occur on the earth and find out how and where they form.
At the end of this unit you should be able to:

• Understand how the Sun provides energy for our world.
• Understand what causes sunspots and solar flares.
• Understand how the Sun causes the seasons.
• Recall the characteristics of the moon and its surface.
• Explain the cause of the phases of the Moon.
• Explain the effect of the Moon on the tides.
• Understand what is meant by a meteor, a comet and a planet.
• explain what sedimentary rocks are, and the difference between types of sedimentary rock eg
conglomerate, sandstone, and mudstone.
• explain how sedimentary rock layers form following erosion and deposition.
• describe the conditions in which each type of sedimentary rock will form (eg fast moving river, deep
lake).
• explain the consequences of the folding of sedimentary rock.
• explain what igneous rocks are, and the difference between types of igneous rock, such as obsidian,
granite and basalt.
• describe the conditions in which each type of igneous rock will form (rate of cooling of
magma/lava).
• distinguish between a sedimentary rock and an igneous rock under a microscope.
• explain what metamorphic rocks are, and how they form.
• recall that slate and marble are metamorphic rocks formed from mudstone and limestone
respectively.
• describe the processes that occur in the rock cycle.
• work out the geological history of the area from a block diagram (ie a cross-section showing the
arrangement of rock layers in the ground) or similar information.
Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

THE UNIVERSE & OUR CHANGING EARTH PAGE 3
SCIENCE AND THE UNIVERSE
How big is the Universe, how old is it, how was it formed, what will happen to it? These are questions which
astronomers and cosmologists try to answer. There are no simple answers and any answers suggested cannot be
proved. At this stage, many different answers (or theories) have been put forward.
To try to put a scale to the universe defies imagination. Distances, and the time taken to travel them, are so great
that they become meaningless.
Scientists have put forward many models of the Universe in attempts to explain how it could have formed.
Although no one model can be said to be proven, some have been more convincing than others.
Q1. What is the current most convincing scientific theory regarding the origin of the Universe?
EXPERIMENT 1: “TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR!”
4 groups
Aim: to investigate why stars ‘twinkle’.
Method:
1. Half fill a pneumatic trough with water
2. Lightly crinkle a sheet of aluminum foil with your hands then open it up again.
3. Place the foil on the table and place the tank on the foil.
4. Darken the room and shine a torch down into the water.
5. Place your head next to the torch and look at the reflected light.
6. Stir up the water gently and see what happens to the image.
Discussion:
1. What do you notice about the foil image when the water is calm?
2. What happens to this image when the water is turbulent?
3. How is the light affected as it travels from air straight down through calm water?
4. Is our view of the night sky in any way distorted? Explain your answer
Conclusion:
Light from the star travels through the vacuum of space, in a straight line. When it enters the Earth’s atmosphere
and hits the air currents, which have been stirred up by the heat of the Sun, the light gets bent slightly in different
ways and appears to ‘twinkle’ to the observer.
Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

MASSIVE STAR LIFE CYCLE Computer access is required. Details on Learning Point.
Stars are born in nebulae. Huge clouds of dust and gas collapse under gravitational forces, forming protostars.
These young stars undergo further collapse, forming main sequence stars. Stars expand as they grow old. As the
core runs out of hydrogen and then helium, the core contacts and the outer layers expand, cool, and become less
bright. This is a red giant or a red super giant (depending on the initial mass of the star). It will eventually
collapse and explode. Its fate is determined by the original mass of the star; it will become either a black dwarf,
neutron star, or black hole. These images show photographs of stars at various stages in their life cycle.
1. Open the File “Massive Star Life Cycle” on Learning Point. Use the links to find out what each picture shows and enter it
in the table.
2. Label the pictures in order from youngest to oldest (1 for youngest, 9 for oldest).
A _______(info) B________(info) C________ (info)
nebula stars like our sun white dwarf stars
D________(info) F________ (info)

E________(info)
supernova super massive star red super giant
I________ (info)
G________(info) H________(info)
red giant newborn stars emerging from cloud of dust neutron star

Q 1. There appear to be several paths for the life cycle of a star. What is the major determining factor as
to which path the stars follow?
The path followed depends on the mass of the original star.
Q 2. Draw a simple flow chart showing how the pictures shown (A-I) should be arranged according to
the different life-cycle paths.
H→B→G→A→C
AND
H→E→F→D→I
Q 3. Write a paragraph or two describing the sequence of star formation, life cycle and death.
• collapse of a hydrogen cloud, generating high temperature
• the star is ‘born’ when fusion of its hydrogen fuel begins
• when the hydrogen fuel is depleted the star contracts
then, depending on the mass of the star:
• For small stars this contraction causes a temperature increase that starts further fusion (of helium etc) and this causes
the star to swell to a red giant. Eventually the star runs out of useable fuel and contracts. The heat generated by the
contraction blasts off the suns outer layers to form a nebula, and the very hot white dwarf star left behind glows for a
while before finally ‘dying’.
• For very massive stars several cycles of contraction and expansion can occur before the final collapse generates so much
heat that the star explodes (actually implodes) as a supernova. This scatters all sorts of material into space and
leaves behind a very dense object such as a neutron star or a black hole.
Q 4. Use the Internet to find out: exactly what is a black hole?

A black hole is a region of space resulting from the collapse of a star. It has an extremely high gravitational field so
strong that the escape velocity exceeds the speed of light

GALAXIES
Often, a point of light in the sky is not a star but a group of stars. The single point could be a far-off galaxy with
thousands of millions of stars in it.
CLASSIFICATION SCHEME
No ‘correct’ answers. Classification criteria should come out of discussion.
Galaxies are some of the most beautiful and intriguing objects in the night sky. They are also the leviathans of the
Universe, spanning tens to hundreds of thousands of light years in size. Yet we know little about how they
formed and developed over cosmic time into the objects we see today. The problem with galaxies is, every galaxy
looks different. What we would really like is to categorize galaxies in a way that gave us some insight into the
physics that made these objects become what they are.
One way of classifying galaxies is by their shape. We can tell this from the visible light they send to Earth.
Another way is to look at the spectra of the non visible radiation they send to Earth.
These are the images of nine near galaxies:
A B C
D E F
G H J
Credits: CCD Images (Bj or g band) from Frei et al. (1996)


Your task it to take these 9 images and sort them, by eye, according to some criteria which will become your
classification scheme. In the results table list the galaxies you grouped together and the reason you classified
them this way.
Galaxies Criteria for classification
criteria could include spirality, symmetry, smoothness

It doesn’t matter – the discussion’s the important thing.
Q 5. What problems could occur with a classification scheme based on visual observations such as this?
Problems occur with visual classification schemes because of clarity of image, different interpretations of descriptions etc.
Q 6. Edwin Hubble developed a galaxy classification scheme consisting of four types:

• elliptical (show no spiral character)
• spiral (outstretched curving arms)
• barred spiral (spiral structure but
with prominent bar through
nucleus)
• irregular (collection of stars with
no obvious order). How do you
think this scheme compares to
your schemes.

OUR SUN
The Sun is a massive ball of gases, which are reacting with the power of 15 million nuclear reactors. Each second
the Sun converts 4 million tons of matter into energy. This energy takes 8.5 minutes to reach the Earth and is the
ultimate source of all the energy we use on Earth.
(Chap 1 in Spacefiles DVD – Inner Solar System) 9:52 mins
Watch the DVD and answer these questions:

1. What are the main gases in the Sun and how much of each is there?
Main gases are Hydrogen 70% and helium 28% - other substances include iron.
2. Name the three main regions of the Sun and what is their temperature?
Region Chromosphere, Corona Photosphere Core
Temperature 2 million Surface, 6000 15 million
3. How was the Sun formed?

The Sun (and the planets) was formed from the collapse of a supernova.
4. What is a sunspot?
A sunspot appears as a darker region on the surface of the sun – it is much cooler than the surrounding photosphere. Sunspots indicate
magnetic activity and correspond to where magnetic force lines enter and leave the Sun.
5. What is the length of the sunspot cycle?

Sunspot cycle is 11 years.
6. Why are the magnetic field lines in the Sun distorted?
The magnetic field lines are distorted because the surface of the Sun moves at different speeds rotates once in 26 days at the equator and
once in 37 days at the poles.
7. What are solar flares?
Solar flares are large eruptions of gas powered by magnetic releases deep below the surface of the sun. They have the energy of 10 million
hydrogen bombs.
8. What is the effect of the solar wind?
The solar wind is ejections of particles from the corona fuelled by solar flares. The solar winds batter spacecraft and affect
communications. They also interact with particles in the upper atmosphere of the Earth near the Poles, creating the auroras.
9. Describe the death of our Sun
When our Sun dies it will firstly expand to 200 times its normal size becoming a red giant. It will vaporize Mercury, Venus and Earth.
Then there will be convulsions which will spew out nebulae and eventually expose the white hot core. This will collapse to Earth size forming
a white dwarf star. Eventually this will cool to become a dead black dwarf star.

SUNSPOTS
Since the sun is so close to Earth (only 149 598 000 km away) a number of its features can be studied. One
feature of the sun that has been studied for nearly four hundred years is the formation of sunspots. Sunspots
are relatively cool areas on the Sun's surface that appear as dark spots. They are formed when magnetic
regions just below the surface are twisted and poke through the surface. The temperature in the dark spots is
approx. 3,500°C compared to the surrounding surface which is approx. 5,500°C.
Sunspots vary in size and have been recorded as large as 96,000 km (60,000 miles) across. They usually are
present for several days, although larger ones have been visible for several weeks. The number of sunspots
changes from year to year, forming a solar cycle.
The solar minimum is the lowest number of sunspots visible during the solar cycle and the solar maximum is
the highest number of sunspots visible. To date, the number of sunspots has ranged from 0-190. During the
solar maximum there is a high amount of solar activity that affects the Earth and the space around it.
ACTIVITY (EXCEL TASK): INVESTIGATING SUNSPOT ACTIVITY
Your challenge is to predict when the next solar maximum and solar minimum might occur. You will
• chart data concerning the number of sunspots visible each year since 1900;
• analyse the data for a pattern or a cycle; and
• predict sunspot activity that might affect a future space mission.
3. Open the Excel file Sunspots.
4. Highlight the data and draw a scatter graph with smooth lines to
illustrate the data.
To focus on specific time periods (e.g. 1970-2010), you will
need to change the scale of the x-axis. To do this:
5. Right-click on the x-axis.

6. From the pop-up menu, select Format Axis….
7. In the Format Axis dialog box, click on the Scale tab.
8. In the Value (X) axis scale section, set the Minimum: to 1970 and the Maximum: to 2010.
Q 7. What is the average number of years between the solar minimums?
11 years
Q 8. What is the average number of years between the solar maximums?
11 years
Q 9. Based on the data from 1900 onwards, in what year will the next solar maximum and solar
minimum occur?
next solar maximum in 2011, next solar minimum in 2007
Q 10. Research how the sun affects the Earth and space around the Earth during a solar maximum.
The solar maximum produces increased magnetic storms and auroras.
After your research, respond to the following:
“How might a solar maximum affect a mission to the International Space Station?’
Magnetic storms affect radio communication, so communication with the ISS would also be affected.

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
The fact that our solar system contains considerable quantities of

elements heavier than iron indicates that it condensed from a
cloud of gas and dust produced elsewhere in a supernova.
Everything on earth – air, soil, oceans, plants and animals – is
made of elements produced billions of years ago by an exploding
star in an unknown corner of our galaxy.
Our solar system is believed to have been formed 5 billion years
ago from a swirling gas cloud. Most of the material accumulated
at the centre to form the Sun, but some material settled in orbits
as ‘planetesimals’, which ultimately collided and formed the
planets and their moons.
WHAT MAKES A PLANET A PLANET?
The solar system is made up of 8 planets and their associated moons, asteroids, comets, dust and
gas. The planets, asteroids and comets travel around the Sun along nearly circular orbits in an
anticlockwise direction.
The order of the planets from the Sun is..
What makes a planet a planet?

On August 24th, 2006 the International Astronomical Union redefined the word “planet”. This new
definition meant that Pluto, which we had always considered to be a planet, no longer fits the
definition and so instead of 9 planets in the solar system we now have 8.
Read the following articles about the demotion of Pluto as a planet.

Video called ‘Bye, Bye Pluto’ is available on Clickview which would be suitable for discussion on this topic.

Farewell, Pluto — we thought the world of you

Stephen Cauchi
August 26, 2006
THE WORLD is coming to grips with the news that Pluto is a planet no more.
Thursday's decision by the International Astronomical Union to strip Pluto of its planetary status, held since its discovery in
1930, has saddened those with a sentimental attachment to it. But most astronomers applaud the decision.
"The problem with Pluto is that it has tremendous emotional overload, a bit like Princess Diana," said Ross Taylor, a planetary
scientist at the Australian National University.
"It's got Walt Disney and Pluto the dog, Pluto, god of the underworld … The whole thing's got this tremendous sentimental,
historical, emotional kind of attachment." Author Dava Sobel, the only non‐scientist on a union committee of seven last month
charged with the task of defining what should be deemed a planet, agrees.
Ms Sobel, author of The Planets, who is in Melbourne as a guest of the Melbourne Writer's Festival, has been inundated with
emotional emails.
"Pluto," she writes, "retains an emotional hold on planethood. People love Pluto. Children identify with its smallness. Adults
relate to its inadequacy, its marginal existence as a misfit.
"Anyone accustomed to a quota of nine planets — anyone averse to changes in the status quo — baulks at disqualifying Pluto
on a technicality."
Her committee came up with a definition that kept Pluto in, but is not overly worried by its demise, which has been slow and
painful. When Pluto was discovered in 1930, astronomers thought it was a medium‐sized planet, like Earth.
By the late 1970s, they realised it was tiny — a diameter of 2300 kilometres, a fifth of that of Earth. It was the smallest planet
in the solar system, smaller than many moons, including Earth's moon and four of Jupiter's.
It is not the first time astronomers have downgraded a planet. In 1801, Ceres was proclaimed a planet when it was discovered,
but about 50 years later it was considered a large asteroid. Last year, astronomers discovered a dwarf planet — nicknamed
Xena — that was slightly bigger than Pluto.
This forced a decision. Either Xena was a proper planet, or Pluto was a dwarf planet.
The decision by the union, which for the past two weeks has been meeting in Prague, was not without controversy. Last week,
a union committee urged a vote the other way.
This would have meant Pluto, Xena and two other dwarf planets — Ceres and Charon — would have been classified as proper
planets, bringing the solar system's total to 12.
Under this definition, a planet was any object that circled the sun and was large enough to be round. Under the new definition,
an object is a planet if it is the only large body in its orbit. Tanya Hill, curator of astronomy at Melbourne Planetarium, was
another supporter. "I certainly agree with the decision," she said. "I do like the changes they've brought about in the new
resolution because it very clearly sets up our eight classical planets and then the dwarf planets."
Not all astronomers are won over. "They should have gone with something clean, like a size criterion," said Karl Glazebrook,
from John Hopkins University in the United States. "Seems to me like a muddled compromise."
Source: The Age- online Accessed: 21sh January 2010

QUESTIONS:
1. When was Pluto discovered?
2. List the three conditions which must now be satisfied by a planet.
3. Give two reasons why Pluto is no longer a planet.
4. What is Pluto’s largest moon called?

5. Name the icy object discovered in 2003 that started the controversy regarding the definition
of a planet.
6. Name the asteroid that was considered a planet until 1801.
7. There are now only 8 known planets orbiting the Sun. Write a mnemonic (eg My Very
Excellent Memory Jogger Sadly Useless Now) to help you remember them.
8. This is a cartoon about

Pluto’s demotion –
design one of your
own in the box below
or use
www.toondoo.com

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMETS, METEORS AND ASTEROIDS
This task can be used as research or discussion with the class

Add the characteristics listed below to the appropriate location in the Venn diagram.

ACTIVITY (RESEARCH): HOW DOES EARTH COMPARE TO THE OTHER PLANETS?
Our Solar system consists of eight planets which orbit the Sun. Each has its own characteristics which distinguish
it from the others. However there are some similarities.
Begin by watching the Video: The Nine Planets On the Unit DVD -
1. Fill in the grid with information on each of the planets. The following websites might be a good place to start:
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/nineplanets.html
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=kids _space/distance.html
2. Complete the PowerPoint template Space Explorer and insert the hyperlinks to make it active.
3. Now that you have explored the solar system, use the information gained to answer the following questions:
Q 11. What keeps the solar system together?
The Sun’s strong gravitational effect holds the solar system together.
Q 12. How can an observer from Earth distinguish planets from stars?
The planets move more quickly across the sky in relation to the stars and hence change position over time.
Q 13. List 5 major differences between Earth and the other planets.
5 major differences between Earth and other planets – size, atmosphere, gravity, water, life etc…
Q 14. Which planet is most likely to sustain life as we know it and why?
The planet we believe is most likely to sustain life is Mars – due to temperature, gravity and presence of water (albeit frozen).
Q 15. If light travels at 299,792 kilometres (186,282 miles) per second, how long does it take light to reach
the Earth?
Light takes 8 min to reach Earth.
Q 16. Which planet has the most number of moons? What factor about the planet can explain this?
[Students will have many different answers for this and it is a good time to point out the value of looking at the date of a website they
get information from]
According to this website http://www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Moons/MoonsSolSys.html (2003) Jupiter has the most with 61, but they
may find a more up to date site. This is due to the large gravity of the planet.
Q 17. Some astronomers believe there is another planet referred to as Planet X. What evidence are they
forming their belief on?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,114178,00.html
There is evidence that two scientists found a body they called Sedna beyond Pluto which could be the other planet. It orbits the sun every
10,500 years. However the definition of a planet is still a bit woozy and so there is controversy as to what it exactly is.

THE MOON (Chap 4 in Spacefiles DVD- Inner Solar system)
Watch the DVD ‘The Moon” and answer the following questions:
1. How was the Moon formed?

Moon was formed by collisions of Earth with another body about the size of Mars.
2. How long is the lunar day ie the time for one rotation?
The lunar day is 27 1/3 days (28 Days)
3. How big is the Moon compared to Earth?

The Moon is ¼ size of Earth
4. What causes the phases of the Moon?

The Sun shines on the surface of the Moon and we see that reflected light. As the Moon passes the Earth it casts a shadow
and we can sometimes only see part of the surface.
5. What do we call the dark patches on the Moon and what causes them?
They are called craters and are caused by meteors having collided with the surface.
6. Why don’t the craters on the Moon erode?

Since there is no wind or rain on the moon there is nothing to erode the craters.
7. What type of experiments did the astronauts perform on the Moon.
The astronauts collected rock samples and did some experiments to show that a hammer and a feather fall at the same rate
without air resistance.
8. What causes the tides?

The Moon pulls on the waters of the Earth causing 2 high and 2 low tides per day. There is also an effect of the
gravitational force of the sun.
9. Why is the Moon moving away from the Earth?

The moon is moving away from the Earth due to tidal drag.
10. What would be the effect on the Earth if we lost the Moon altogether?
If the Moon was lost the Earth would wobble on its axis and become unstable. This would affect the climate and cause the
deserts to cool sometimes and ice to form at the equator sometimes.

ACTIVITY: HOW BIG IS THE MOON?
About twice a year the Moon is eclipsed

by the Earth. This means that the Earth
passes between the Sun and the Moon
and casts a shadow on the Moon. The
Earth’s shadow is divided into two
sections: the penumbra, from which a
portion of the Sun could be seen, (if you
were in the Moon), and the umbra where
the Sun is totally eclipsed by the Earth.
The diameter of the Earth’s umbra is almost exactly the same as the Earth’s diameter because the Sun is so far
away. If we know that the actual diameter of the Earth is 12, 750km, we can use this shadow to estimate the size
of the Moon.
1. The shadow shown on the moon is part of the circular shadow cast by the
Earth. Part of the edge of this circular shadow is shown by the dotted line.
2. Estimate the diameter of this circular shadow in cm.
3. Measure the diameter of the image of the Moon in cm.
Diameter of Earth shadow image (cm) ~ 9 – 12 cm
Diameter of Moon image (cm) ~ 3.0 cm
Moons image diameter

Diameter of Moon = x Earth diameter (km)
Earths shadow diameter
= about (3.0/12.0 x 12750) = ~ 3200 km (actual diameter is 3476 km)
Extension (Try this at home on the next clear night with a near full moon)
Hold a ten cent piece in front of you until it just obscures the Moon. Measure the distance from your eye to the 10
cent piece. Use the diameter of the Moon you calculated previously to work out the distance from the Earth to the
Moon.
10 cent piece Moon

How does Earth interact with the Solar system?

The Sun is the centre of our solar system and is vital to life on Earth. Solar energy from the Sun provides both
heat and light. The tilt of the Earth’s axis creates the seasons. Night and day is created by Earth’s 24-hour rotation
on its own axis. The pull of the Sun’s gravity is responsible for keeping all of the planets orbiting around it.
Gravity from the Sun and Earth’s Moon also controls ocean tides on Earth.
THE SEASONS
See the PowerPoint on Astronomy for an animation of how the seasons work or demonstrate it with tennis balls
The Seasons of the year – Summer, Winter, Autumn and Spring are caused because the Earth tilts on
its axis as it revolves around the Sun.
CHOOSE THE WORD FROM THE WORDLIST TO COMPLETE THE STORY ABOUT THE SEASONS.
Longer shorter winter summer axis rises sets tilts seasons

toward away from summer solstice Winter equinox spring
autumn December June winter solstice
It is all due to the way the Earth spins on its axis while it travels around the sun each year. We wouldn’t
have any seasons at all if the Earth’s axis was straight up and down. But because the Earth’s axis tilts,
the amount of sunlight each part of the Earth gets, changes each year.
There are four seasons during the year: summer, autumn, winter and spring. When it is summer south of
the equator, it is winter north of the equator. That is because the South Pole is pointed towards the Sun and
the North Pole is pointed away from the Sun. During the summer, the rays of the Sun are more direct and
the days are longer. During winter the days are shorter. When daylight saving comes in during the summer
we add an hour to the clock time. During winter we subtract an hour to get back to real time.
The longest day of the year south of the equator is called summer solstice. This occurs in the month of
December. The days ahead are hot and great for swimming. The shortest day is called the winter solstice.
Each day from the summer solstice to the winter solstice gets a little shorter.
Halfway between each solstice is an equinox. On those days, the daylight and night are both 12 hours
long. In spring, at the vernal equinox, the sun rises at the South Pole for the first time in six months. The
Poles have six month long days and nights.

PHASES OF THE MOON The PowerPoint has an excellent simulation of this or you can use a torch, ball and basketball as a
demonstration.
The phases of the moon are caused by the relative

positions of the earth, sun, and moon. The sun
always illuminates the half of the moon facing the
sun (except during lunar eclipses, when the moon
passes thru the earth's shadow). When the sun and
moon are on opposite sides of the earth, the moon
appears "full" to us, a bright, round disk. When the
moon is between the earth and the sun, it appears
dark, a "new" moon. In between, the moon's
illuminated surface appears to grow (wax) to full,
then decreases (wanes) to the next new moon. It
takes the moon approximately 28 days to rotate
around the Earth. We see the moon because it
reflects the light from the sun. However we cannot
always see the whole face of the moon because we are seeing it from different angles.
The main phases of the moon appear below:
TIDES
Tides are caused by the gravitational interaction between the Earth and the Moon (and to a lesser extent the
sun as well). The gravitational attraction of the moon
causes the oceans to bulge out in the direction of the
moon. Another bulge occurs on the opposite side. Since
the earth is rotating while this is happening, two tides Earth Moon
occur each day.
Gravitational pull of the
moon
Spring
tides are
especially strong
tides (they do not
have anything to
do with the
season Spring).
They occur when
the Earth, the Sun,and the Moon are in a line. The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun both
contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the full moon and the new moon.
Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are
perpendicular to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during quarter moons.

ACTIVITY: MOON AND TIDES
There is a definite relationship between the moon and the tides, but what exactly is it? Is it possible to predict the
tides if you know the phase of the moon? In order to answer this question you will graph data concerning the
fraction of the Moon illuminated by the sun over a period of time. You will plot this against data concerning the
change in sea level for the same period of time to determine if there is a relationship between the phases of the
Moon and changes in sea level.
First we’ll graph some data showing how the fraction of the moon illuminated changes over time.
1. Open the Excel spreadsheet Moon and Tides

2. Complete column C by classifying the phase of the moon according to the amount of lunar illumination eg cell C4 is New
Moon (see data table).
3. Highlight columns A, B and then hold the Control key and highlight column D
4. Draw an XY scatter graph with a line of the data in Column A, B and D labelling the axes and display it as a separate
sheet. The tide graph will be displayed as well as the moon graph.
Now add images to the data points on the chart to represent the different phases of the Moon. This will assist you
in identifying and analysing patterns.
5. Click on the worksheet tab.

6. Determine the Moon image that best represents the data points on your chart.
7. Select an appropriate Moon Image.
8. From the Edit menu, choose Copy (or <right-click>Copy).
9. Go to your chart. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.
10. Drag the Moon image to the data point that it best represents.
11. Repeat this for the other main Moon phases.
(You do not need to format every point, but do enough for a pattern to become
apparent).
Is there a relationship between the phases of the Moon and the tides? One way to look for relationships between
two sets of data is to plot them against each other. To add the tidal data to the chart you have created carefully
follow these steps.
ANALYSIS. Use your graphs to help you answer the following questions.
MOON PHASE PLOT

Q 1. What happens to the fraction of the Moon illuminated as you move from left to right on the chart?
More of the moon illuminated and then less.
Q 2. What is the amount of time between one new Moon phase and the next?
28 days
Q 3. On what date does the highest fraction of illumination occur? With which Moon phase does this
correspond?
18th Jan – full moon
Q 4. When do you think the next maximum illumination phase will occur?
28 days later – 15th Feb


PLOT OF CHANGES IN SEA LEVEL

Q 5. Describe the shape of the line that represents the changes in sea level.
The graph is sinusoidal.
Q 6. What is the amount of time between two consecutive high peaks?
The time between two successive high peaks is about 11.5 hours
Q 7. When during the month do the largest changes in the sea level occur?
The beginning of the month and the middle of the month
COMBINED PLOTS
Q 8. At what phase(s) of the Moon is the change in sea level the greatest?
Full moon and new moon
Q 9. What phases correspond with the smallest changes in sea level?
Waxing and waning gibbous moon
Q 10. Do you think there are relationships between the changes in sea level and the phases of the Moon?
If so, what are the relationships?
The closer the moon is to full or new, the larger the tide differences. This corresponds to alignment of the Earth Moon and
Sun.
As an extension, research and develop responses to the following:
Q 11. What is the name given to the tides that occur when the change in sea level is the greatest?
Tides which occur when the change in sea level is the greatest are spring tides
Q 12. What is the name given to the tides that occur when the change in sea level is the least?
Least change sea levels are neap tides
Q 13. Why are tides important?

Tides are important to shipping, rock pool animals etc
Q 14. Why do you think people keep track of the tide levels at various locations around the world?
Keeping track of tide levels is important for entering harbours, surfing etc.
Q 15. How might the Moon and tides affect sea life in the world's oceans?
Tidal exposure of rock pool animals and coral
Q 16. What other natural events do you think might affect the sea level?
Melting of icecaps, greenhouse would effect sea levels.

ROCKETS
A rocket in its simplest form is a chamber enclosing gas under pressure. A small opening at one end of the
chamber allows the gas to escape and so provides the thrust to propel the rocket in the opposite direction. The
Science of rocketry began with a book published in 1687 by Sir Isaac Newton. He described three laws which
govern the motion of objects.
Newton’s First Law
Objects will stay at rest and objects will stay in motion in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
Q 1. Explain how a rocket sent to Pluto can carry enough fuel for the journey.
The engines are switched off once the craft is in motion. Once it is moving it continues to move until a force acts on it to
stop it.
Newton’s Second Law
Force is equal to mass times acceleration F = ma

Q 2. A 10kg body has an acceleration of 2m/s2. What is the net force acting on the body?
F = ma = 10 x 2 = 20kgm/s2 = 20 Newton
Q 3. An empty truck with a mass of 2500kg has an engine that will accelerate at a rate of 1.5m/s2. What
will be the acceleration when the truck has an additional load of 1500kg?
F = ma = 2500 x 1.5 = 3750 N produced by the motor
With the extra mass: a = F/m = 3750/(2500+1500) = 0.94 m/s2
Q 4. If a 2000kg van takes 10 sec to accelerate from 20 – 40 m/s, what force is being applied?
gain of 20 m/s over 10 seconds, so a = 20/10 = 2 m/s2
F = ma = 2000 x 2 = 4000 N
Q 5. A 2 kg mass experiences a gravity force of 19.6 N. What will be its acceleration when dropped out
of a second-storey window?
a = F/m = 19.6 / 2 = 9.8 m/s2
Q 6. A motorbike engine produces a net force of 1300 N, causing it to accelerate at 6.5 m/s2 . What is the
motorbike’s mass?
m = f / a = 1300 / 6.5 = 200 kg

Newton’s Third Law
For every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.
Q 7. On the diagram mark in the action force and the

reaction force. Why does the skateboard travel
further than the rider when he jumps off?
The skateboard is lighter – conservation of momentum
EXPERIMENT 2: SODA CAN ENGINES

Students need to supply their own can so may need to give them some warning.
1. Lay a soda can on its side and punch a small hole in the near the bottom with a nail.
2. Push the nail to one side to bend the metal, making the hole slant in that direction.
3. Rotate the can approximately 90o and make a second hole with the slant in the same direction.
4. Repeat this procedure twice more to make four equally spaced holes.
5. Bend the can’s opener lever straight up and tie it to a 40-50cm fishing line.
6. Dip the can in water tub until it fills and suspend it by the fishing line.
Q 8. Why do the cans start spinning?
Q 9. Which of Newton’s Laws explains this phenomenon?
Q 10. What would happen if you increased the number of holes? Try it and explain your result in terms
of Newton’s laws.
Q 11. What would happen if you decreased the size of the holes? Try it and explain your result in terms of
Newton’s laws.
Q 12. Compare the way rockets change direction in space with the results of this experiment.

EXPERIMENT 3: CONTROLLED PROPULSION
Students to work in groups of 4

A balloon can be used to simulate how a rocket engine works. The distance the balloon will travel in a straight
line is related to the amount of air trapped inside the balloon when it is released. This experiment will allow
you to investigate this relationship.
FORMULAE:
Volume of a sphere V = 1/6 x π x (diameter)3
Circumference of sphere C = π x diameter
1. Cut a piece of fishing line approximately 7m long.

2. Slide a drinking straw onto the line.
3. Blow up a balloon and hold it so that no air escapes.
4. Measure the circumference when it is fully inflated using a small piece of fishing line and enter the results in the
table.
5. Have two people hold the line taut and level.
6. Tape the balloon onto the straw with two pieces of tape – the neck of the balloon should be parallel to the string.
7. Pull the balloon to the end of the line and mark the string.
8. Release the neck of the balloon and measure the distance the balloon travels.
9. Repeat steps 3-8, filling the balloon with different amounts of air, measuring the circumference as before.
Amount of Air Circumference Diameter Volume of Distance travelled

(cm) (cm) balloon (cm)
(cm3)
Full
¾ full
Half full
¼ full
Q 13. What conclusion can be made from these results and how does this relate to Newton’s Third Law.
ROCKETS AND NEWTON’S LAWS

An unbalanced force must be exerted by a rocket to lift off from a launch pad or for a craft to change speed or
direction (First Law). The amount of thrust (force) produced by a rocket engine will be determined by the rate
at which the mass of the rocket fuel burns and the speed of the escaping rocket (Second Law). The reaction, or
motion, of the rocket is equal to and in the opposite direction of the action, or thrust, from the engine (Third
law).


OUR EARTH
Although Earth has been described as a solid planet, it began as a ball of molten materials. As it hurtled
through space, the outside layers cooled and solidified. Most of the water liquefied and formed oceans
and rivers. The Earth’s surface has continued to slowly change and is still changing – many rocks have
worn down to form soil
and sand, mountains and
valleys have formed and
the land and oceans have
changed shape. The reason
for this change is the
movement of the molten
rocks from deeper down,
which in places push their
way out and also move
sections of the Earth’s
surface.
The crust is broken into a

number of pieces called
tectonic plates. The
diagram below represents
where the boundaries lie.
This area of study is

covered in greater depth in the Year 9 elective Our Violent Earth.

THE ROCK CYCLE
Magma and lava cool and solidify to form igneous rocks. Other rocks are brought to the Earth’s surface
through the uplifting of land when tectonic plates collide. Sediments are deposited in layers and over
time they cement together under pressure to form sedimentary rocks. When rocks are under extreme
heat or pressure, they
change into very
hard metamorphic
rocks. If too much
heat or pressure is
applied to rocks, they
melt and form
magma and the
whole cycle begins
again.
You will be shown the video “The Rock Cycle”, which will help you to answer the questions below.
IGNEOUS ROCKS
1. What does “igneous” mean?
“Born of Fire”.
2. What do igneous rock formations look like?
Jagged, craggy, with no discernible layers.
3. What do igneous rocks look like under magnification?
Jigsaw-like, interlocking pattern of crystals.
4. How do igneous rocks form?
They form when magma (molten rock) cools down and solidifies. The process involves CRYSTALLISATION.
5. What is granite?
Magma that has cooled slowly beneath the earth’s surface, producing large crystals.
6. What is basalt?
Magma (lava) that has cooled more quickly above the earth’s surface, producing small crystals.
7. Describe the materials found downstream in the river bed.
Particles of a variety of sizes: sand » pebbles » boulders
Variety of rock types: sedimentary and igneous
Variety of shapes, but much more worn and rounded than formations upriver.

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
8. What do sedimentary rock formations look like?
Distinct layers of rocks of different colour, texture, and hardness.
9. What is the process called by which rocks are worn down and carried along by wind or water?
Erosion
10. What is “sediment”?
Particles produced by erosion that are carried by wind/water/ice etc and DEPOSITED, usually at the bottom of a body of
water.
11. How do sediments become rocks? Give some examples.
As sediment layers build up, older sediments are placed under pressure, which generates heat. This heat and pressure
hardens the sediments, which become cemented together by tiny clay-like particles, into rock
eg sand » sandstone, mud » mudstone(shale), lime » limestone
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
12. What do metamorphic rock formations look like?
Often have a layered appearance (foliation), but unlike sedimentary rocks they are clearly composed of crystals.
13. How do metamorphic rocks form? Give some examples.

By the action of heat and pressure underground on existing sedimentary or igneous rocks.
eg limestone » marble, granite » gneiss, mudstone(shale) » slate
14. What can happen to metamorphic rocks if the temperature becomes very high?
They can melt and return to the mantle of magma beneath the earth’s crust.
THE ROCK CYCLE

15. What causes the heating and squeezing that leads to these changes in the rocks in the earth’s crust?
Movement of the plates of the earth’s crust, and the consequent collisions, friction, etc
In the space below complete the flow-chart that summarises how the three rock types are inter-converted over
time. Label each of the arrows to show what processes are involved in each change.
IGNEOUS ROCKS
SEDIMENTS
MAGMA
SEDIMENTARY
METAMORPHIC


IDENTIFYING ROCKS
Q 1. How many different types of rock can you name? DDooeess aa ggeeoollooggiisstt
hhaavvee rroocckkss iinn hhiiss
brainstorm hheeaadd??
Q 2. List some rocks that are used for construction (buildings, garden walls, etc).
They should be able to suggest a few, eg bluestone, slate. Also an opportunity to discuss what rocks are and why bricks,
concrete etc are not classed as rocks.

EXPERIMENT 4: LOOKING AT ROCKS

We’ll take a closer look at some examples of the different types of rock.
1. Collect the five rock samples provided and a hand lens.

2. Describe the general appearance of each: What colour is it? Is it ‘sparkly’ or dull? Is it smooth and consistent or is it
made up of little bits (& what do the little bits look like)? etc.
3. How hard is each rock? How easy is it to scratch each one with your fingernail?
4. Examine each carefully and record your observations in the table below.
Observations:
Rock Appearance Hardness
sandstone
mudstone
basalt
marble
slate
Both sandstone (Rock 1) and mudstone (Rock 2) are examples of sedimentary rocks. They are formed in
much the same way.
Q 3. In what way(s) are these two rocks different from basalt (Rock 3), marble (Rock 4) and slate (Rock 5)?


EXPERIMENT 5: A CLOSER LOOK AT SEDIMENTARY ROCKS.

Teacher’s set of sedimentary rock slides (Demo )
1. Collect a microscope and examine the slides showing a
scraping of Rock 1 and Rock 2. You should be able to see that
sandstone is made up of two parts.
2. Sketch and label a part of what you see at the right:
Emphasise the presence of larger grains amid many tiny clay particles.
3. Carefully scrape a small amount of Rock 2 into a test tube and
shake it up with a little water. What does it look like? Rock 1 Rock2
Muddy water.
Q 1. Where might you find water like this?
Muddy lakes, rivers etc.
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
How are sedimentary rocks formed?
As we have seen, sedimentary rocks like sandstone consist of small bits (such as grains of sand) that have been
cemented together. How does this happen?
The process begins when existing rocks are worn down by wind and weather. The small pieces are washed or
blown along until they settle down as sediment. Gradually, further layers of sediment build up, compressing the
layers underneath.
Over long periods of time the pressure on these sediment layers causes them to harden into rock. Tiny clay
particles between the grains cement them together.
Label the oldest sediments and the youngest

sediments on the close-up of this diagram.

Types of sedimentary rock

Perhaps the most important difference between types of sedimentary rock is the size of the grains that make
them up.
Look at samples provide
sediment particles sedimentary rock formed
pebbles conglomerate
sand grains sandstone
tiny mud & clay mudstone/shale

particles
From the size of the sediment particles in a sedimentary rock we can hypothesise about where and how the
sediment layers were originally deposited.
DEMONSTARION 1: DEPOSITION OF SEDIMENTS
You will be shown a jar containing water and a range of sediment

particles of different sizes. Record what happens after the jar is shaken
(complete the diagram) and then answer these questions:
Q 1. Which material deposited most quickly?
coarse material (sand grains) - within a few seconds
Q 2. Which material deposited most slowly?

fine material (mud/clay particles) - several minutes to hours until complete
Q 3. In rivers, streams, and shallow ocean regions the water moves quite quickly. What types of sedimentary
rocks would you expect to form from sediments deposited in these areas? Why?
Conglomerates and coarse-grained sandstones.
Movement and turbulence in the water prevents the finer particles settling out.
Q 4. In large lakes and seas the water in the deeper areas moves slowly. What sedimentary rocks would you
expect to form from sediments deposited in these areas?
Mudstones.

Folding of sedimentary rocks

Sediments deposited on the sea floor will naturally form horizontal layers of rock as the sediment hardens. These
layers are usually easy to see when the rocks become exposed on the surface.
Online activity available to demonstrate this.
Most materials will undergo plastic deformation when warm and brittle deformation when cold. If a force is
applied rapidly the material will break, but if force is applied slowly the material will deform plastically.
Q1. When rock layers are deformed plastically we call it a fold. Under what conditions do you think rocks
might be bent into a fold:
a. When they are hot or cold?
b. When force is applied slowly or rapidly?
Q2. When rocks are broken it is called a fault. Under what conditions do you think a fault forms?
Q3. Look at these photographs. Which one shows a fault and which one a fold?
Q 4. Given that the layers of sedimentary rock visible in these photographs would originally have been
laid down horizontally, what must have happened since?
The layers have been tilted and folded after their formation by changes in the earth's crust.
Folding and tilting of sedimentary rock layers has produced the important mountain chains on the earth. The
folding process is accompanied by the most dramatic processes that occur at the earth’s surface: earthquakes and
volcanoes.
The eastern highlands of Australia were produced in this way. When their formation was completed (around 350
million years ago) this mountain chain stretched from the Cape York Peninsula to Tasmania, and was probably as
large as the largest present-day mountain chains (such as the Andes, which are about 6 km high).
Q 5. Today, the eastern highlands are relatively small compared to the world’s largest mountains. What
has happened since their formation?
A long period of erosion has worn them down to roughly their present size.

EXPERIMENT 6: INVESTIGATING WEATHERING
Aim: To observe the effect of 1. Heating and cooling on a sandstone rock, and 2. acids (chemical) on limestone
rocks.
Method:
1. Hold a small piece of a sandstone rock with a metal tongs, and heat it in the blue flame of the Bunsen
burner for about 30 seconds.
2. Then dip the hot rock in a beaker of tap water. Repeat this process of heating and cooling at least three
times.
3. Place a filter paper in a funnel and filter the water containing fragments of rocks. Remove the filter paper,
allow it to dry and examine the fragments of rock using a magnifying glass.
4. Label 4 test tubes A to D and place them in a test tube stand. Place 4 pieces of limestone of similar size into
these test tubes.
5. Pour 5 mL hydrochloric acid into test tube A. Pour 5 mL of soda water into test tube B. Pour 5 mL vinegar
into test tube C. Pour 5 mL tap water into test tube D.
6. Leave the limestone rocks for at least 10 minutes in the test tubes and observe the reaction. Record your
results in the table.
Results:
Observation of heating the sandstone:
State whether there is a fast, a slow, or no reaction of the limestone.

Test Tube Rate of Reaction
A hydrochloric Acid
B Soda water

C Vinegar
D Water
QUESTIONS:
1. What causes the following types weathering?
a. Physical
b. Chemical

IGNEOUS ROCKS (There are samples for the class to look at.)
How do igneous rocks form?

Igneous rocks form when magma, the mixture of molten minerals beneath the earth’s crust, cools down. When
this happens the different minerals form crystals, and these crystals pack together as the rock solidifies.
The type of igneous rock that forms depends on how long the magma takes to cool down and crystallise.
time of cooling
MAGMA
Trapped Gases no crystals small crystals large crystals

eg pumice eg obsidian eg basalt eg granite
Note: stick to these examples for simplicity.
The diagram below shows four different ways that magma can cool down and solidify.
4 molten magma or lava
solidified igneous rock
2 magma
Q 6. What type of igneous rock you might expect to find at each site. Look at each sample and explain your
choice.
1 Basalts, as the lava will cool moderately quickly in air, producing small crystals.
2 Granites, as the magma, being blanketed by the surrounding rock, will cool slowly, resulting in large crystals.
3 Fine basalts or obsidian, as the water will cool the magma very quickly, resulting in very small or no crystals.
4 Pumice, formed from rapidly cooled magma, trapping gases during an explosive volcanic eruption.

DEMONSTRATION 2: JELLY VOLCANO
PURPOSE: To understand how magma moves inside volcanoes to create channels and chambers such as dykes
and sills and to see how these channels can influence a volcanic eruption.
METHOD:
1. Set up the 2 bricks on the safety mat and place pegboard on top.
2. Turn jelly out on top of the pegboard between the two bricks with the collecting tray underneath.
3. Using red food dye, prepare coloured water (magma).
4. Predict what will happen when the red water is injected into the jelly volcano. What shape will it take? What
direction will it go in? Will the magma move outwards and upwards? What influences this?
5. Fill the syringe with the coloured water. Remove any air bubbles. (Air tends to fracture the jelly).
6. Place the end of the syringe up through one of the holes in the pegboard and gently inject the magma into the
jelly.
7. Refill the syringe and repeat the same process in several other positions along the pegboard. Compare the
magma migration each time. Are there differences in the direction the magma moves during injections in the
central part of the jelly volcano compared to injections near the edges?
8. Use a sharp knife to cut the jelly volcano in half. Examine the cut surface. Note the traces made by the red
magma; these are similar to what we see in highway road cuts.
EXPERIMENT 7: A CLOSER LOOK AT IGNEOUS ROCKS

Teacher’s set of Igneous Rock Slides with notes
1. Collect a microscope and examine the slide of basalt showing a
section of Rock 3. You should be able to see a number of different
coloured crystals. The colours may be clearer with a dim light. Sketch a
part of what you see in the space at the right.
2. Using the Key below, try to label a few of the crystals you have drawn.
mineral description
feldspar colourless crystals
augite pale green crystals (hard to see)
olivine rounded crystals with brown edges
magnetite small, black crystals
Many Melbourne suburbs sit on basalt, and it has been a commonly used building material.
Q 7. What is basalt like this better known as?

Bluestone
Q 8. List some examples of the use of this material that you are familiar with.
eg garden edges, old buildings (esp churches)
Q 9. What causes the ‘sparkly’ appearance of basalt?
Reflection from the small crystals that make it up.

Teacher’s set of Metamorphic Rock
EXPERIMENT 8: A CLOSER LOOK AT METAMORPHIC ROCKS Slides with notes
Rocks in the earth's crust are subjected to considerable heat and pressure. These can cause a rearrangement of the
crystals or grains in the rock to produce a new, harder type of rock called a metamorphic rock.
Q 10. What causes pressure within the earth's crust?

Successive rock layers stack up over time and compress the layers underneath..
Q 11. This pressure can itself generate a lot of heat. What is another source of
heat in the earth's crust?
Magma. Rocks in the vicinity of magma are likely candidates for metamorphosis.
Look at the slide provided of the metamorphic rock, gneiss, and sketch a part of what
you see in the space provided.
Both sedimentary and igneous rocks are changed into metamorphic rocks. The type of
rock that forms depends on the 'parent' rock from which it formed.
Here are some examples:
The rock ... is transformed into the metamorphic rock ...
mudstone (shale) slate
granite gneiss
limestone marble
GEOLOGICAL HISTORIES
Examine the profile shown in the block‐diagram below and then answer the following questions.
Recent lava flow

Sill of igneous rock mudstone
Dyke of igneous rock
sandstone
K basalt
A injected igneous rock

B
C
J
D
E
F buried lava flow
I
G
H

Q 1. Which rocks (A-K) are sedimentary rocks?

A, B, C, D, E, F, H

Q 2. Which rocks are igneous rocks?

G, I, J

Q 3. Which rock is the oldest? What type of rock is it?

H. Sandstone (sedimentary).
Q 4. Describe how rocks A-F would have formed. What does the alternation of layers suggest?
By deposition of sediments at the bottom of a sea or lake, followed by hardening of the sediment layers as the result of
pressure and heat over time.
The different layers suggest that the depth of water in which the sediments were laid down changed several times
throughout this period. The mudstone sediments would have been laid down when the water was deeper and less turbulent.
Q 5. How do you think that the age of these rocks might be determined?
By examination of the fossils found in the sedimentary rocks (not the igneous rocks!). Fossils of known species can often be
matched with similar fossils at other sites around the world.
Other techniques, such as carbon-dating, can provide additional evidence of age.

Q 6. How did rock G form?
Probably lava flow from an ancient volcano.
Q 7. When this happened, which of the other rocks had already formed?
Only rock H was present at the time.
Q 8. Which rock has formed most recently?

K, as the result of a recent lava flow.
Q 9. Rocks I and J both formed as magma from below was squeezed into the existing rock. From the
diagram, what is the difference between a "dyke" and a "sill"?
A dyke forms when magma is injected into a fissure or fault that runs through existing rock layers.
A sill forms when magma is injected into the space between two existing rock layers, forming a layer of igneous rock
parallel with existing layers.

Q 10. Why does rock I protrude above the ground?

Rocks A and I are both exposed to the forces of erosion. Rock I is igneous and harder than Rock A, so it erodes more slowly.
ie Rock A has eroded relatively quickly, leaving dyke of Rock I protruding.
Q. What is the evidence for our knowledge of the age of rocks and what can we learn from rocks?
There are a number of activities you may wish to do with your class.
1. Examine the local area of Melbourne and the history of volcanic activity.
2. Dating Fossils (found on Learning Point)
3. Activity on Classifying Rocks (found on Learning Point)
Science to GCSE
Section 4.32: Sun, Earth, Moon and sky. pg 196
Section 4.33: Planets, stars, and galaxies. Pg 198
Section 4.35: Birth and death. Pg 203
Section 4.26: Plates and seismic waves. Pg 184
Section 3.30: Changes in rocks. Pg 132

Scotch College Science: The Universe & Our Changing Earth

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Scotch College Science

THE UNIVERSE & OUR

SCOTCH COLLEGE SCIENCE

YEAR 8 Astronomy & Our Earth

At the end of this unit you should be able to:

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

SCIENCE AND THE UNIVERSE

EXPERIMENT 1: “TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR!”

Aim: to investigate why stars ‘twinkle’.

2. What happens to this image when the water is turbulent?

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

A _______(info) B________(info) C________ (info)

nebula stars like our sun white dwarf stars

D________(info) F________ (info)

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

Q 4. Use the Internet to find out: exactly what is a black hole?

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

These are the images of nine near galaxies:

Credits: CCD Images (Bj or g band) from Frei et al. (1996)

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

Galaxies Criteria for classification

criteria could include spirality, symmetry, smoothness

Q 6. Edwin Hubble developed a galaxy classification scheme consisting of four types:

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

(Chap 1 in Spacefiles DVD – Inner Solar System) 9:52 mins

Watch the DVD and answer these questions:

Region Chromosphere, Corona Photosphere Core

Temperature 2 million Surface, 6000 15 million

3. How was the Sun formed?

5. What is the length of the sunspot cycle?

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

ACTIVITY (EXCEL TASK): INVESTIGATING SUNSPOT ACTIVITY

5. Right-click on the x-axis.

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

The fact that our solar system contains considerable quantities of

WHAT MAKES A PLANET A PLANET?

The order of the planets from the Sun is..

What makes a planet a planet?

Read the following articles about the demotion of Pluto as a planet.

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

Farewell, Pluto — we thought the world of you

Source: The Age- online Accessed: 21sh January 2010

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

2. List the three conditions which must now be satisfied by a planet.

3. Give two reasons why Pluto is no longer a planet.

4. What is Pluto’s largest moon called?

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

6. Name the asteroid that was considered a planet until 1801.

8. This is a cartoon about

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMETS, METEORS AND ASTEROIDS

This task can be used as research or discussion with the class

Teacher’s Guide YEAR 8 SCIENCE Scotch College

ACTIVITY (RESEARCH): HOW DOES EARTH COMPARE TO THE OTHER PLANETS?

Scotch College YEAR 8 SCIENCE Teacher’s guide

THE MOON (Chap 4 in Spacefiles DVD- Inner Solar system)

1. How was the Moon formed?

3. How big is the Moon compared to Earth?

4. What causes the phases of the Moon?

6. Why don’t the craters on the Moon erode?

7. What type of experiments did the astronauts perform on the Moon.

A _(info) B(info) C__ (info)

D(info) F (info)