Recently, we learned about what causes high and low tides, and the difference between spring and neap tides. Do you remember the tides? We've also learned about planetary motion, the cause of seasons (generally how it's been so cold lately!), and the phenomena of moon phases and eclipses (both solar and lunar). Phew! That's a lot of stuff. The audience of this blog must be imparted with this knowledge as well. Give it to them, Crazies.
The following scenarios and questions are actually part of your standard check of these concepts. This is the short answer/essay portion.
Scenario 1:
Using these pictures and the following info, attempt to answer the numbered questions.
- Both pictures were taken from the same exact spot (The zoom for both snapshots was the same, too). The picture on the left was taken at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The picture on the right was taken 5 1/2 hours later, at 7:30 pm.
- The moon phase on this particular day was a "First Quarter Moon".
Scenario 2: The moon is closer to the Earth than it actually is. Normally the moon is approximately 240,000 miles away. In this scenario, the moon is only 160,000 miles away.
Question 2: What would happen to the length of time it takes our moon to progress through all of its phases (from new moon back to another new moon)? Would the length of our month be longer, shorter, or the same? Why? (Hint: Use your knowledge of Kepler's Laws to answer this one.)
Scenario 3: The Earth's axis is not tilted. It normally tilts at a 23.5 degree angle. In this scenario, there is no tilt (0 degrees).
Question 3: Would we experience a change of seasons if Earth’s axis was not tilted? In your answer, be sure to include at least two factors that cause winter temperatures to be colder than summer temps, and why this seasonal change in temperature would or would not be felt if Earth's axis was not tilted.
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