Strand: Geography/ Earth and Space Name: …………………………….…………………………………..

Topics = 17

Unit 8.8 Earth and The Solar System

Unit 9.9 Earth and beyond
Grade - Unit-Topic – Book- Starting page
Grade 7 book Grade 8 Book Grade 9 book
7 topics 7 topics 3 topics
Unit 3.1 gravity, weight and mass 75 5.3 weather and climate 165 6.3 formation of the moon 224
Unit 3.2 Formation of the solar system 85 5.4 climate and ice ages 171 6.4 nebulae 229
Unit 3.3 Movement in space 91 5.5 atmosphere and climate 177 6.5 tectonics 233
Unit 3.3 tides 97
Unit 6. 3 Structure of the earth 211 6.6 galaxies 217
Unit 6.4 Changes in the earth 216 6.6 rocks in space 222
Unit 6.5 solar system 222 9.1 magnetic fields 293
9.2 the earth is as a giant magnet 300

Introduction to Secondary Geography (Earth and Beyond)

Page 1 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Solar and Lunar Eclipses – 7 p 222- 232
NB: if an opaque object like moon or earth; moves into the path of light,
it blocks light and a shadow is formed; because light travels in a straight line;

Eclipse:
 Period when a heavenly body moves into a shadow of another heavenly body;
 Occurs when sun, earth and Moon are in a straight line;

A total solar eclipse:

 Where the heavenly bodies are in one direct line;
 It’s the middle of the shadow;

A total solar eclipse:

 Where the heavenly bodies are not in perfect line;
 It’s a way from the middle of the shadow;

Two types:
1. Solar Eclipse: Moon is between Sun & the Earth (New Moon) – MSE
Earth moves into the shadow of the Moon
2. Lunar eclipse the Earth is between sun & the Moon (Full Moon) ESM
Moon moves into the shadow of our earth

Solar Eclipse: Moon is between Sun & the Earth (New Moon) – MSE
Earth moves into the shadow of the Moon
Sin’s light is blocked by Moon from reaching earth
Total solar eclipse:
 Occurs where the Moon, sun and Earth
 are in direct line;
 It’s the center of Moon’s shadow on Earth;
 The sky becomes very dark, as if it were night;
 is only visible from a small area on Earth.

NB:
Solar & Lunar eclipses
Don’t occur every month
Because the Moon’s orbit
around the Earth
is slightly tilted;
Compared to Earth’s
Orbit around the sun;

So there are many months

when the Moon passes
below or above the Earth;
During these months the
Earth can be behind the
Moon but light still reach
the earth; or
The Moon can be behind the Earth but light but light from the sun still reach the Moon;

Page 2 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Solar and Lunar Eclipses – 7 p 222- 232
Partial solar eclipse.
 This happens when the sun, moon and Earth are not exactly lined up.
 The sun appears to have a dark shadow on only a small part of its surface

1. Explain why a solar eclipse can only ever be seen in the daytime.

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2. Write true or false for this statement.

A total lunar eclipse can only ever be seen in the daytime.

………………………….

Explain your answer.

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Lab: -7 p227 -230

Check progress – 7 p231-232

Page 3 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Rocks In Space – 8 p 223- 228
Asteroid:

 Rock up to 975 km across;

 that orbits the sun;
 Most have irregular shapes like potatoes;
 Most asteroid in the Solar System are in the Asteroid Belt;
 Asteroid Belt is Between Mars and Jupiter

 There are millions of asteroids;

 Some have been studied and named;
 Smallest one that has been studied was 2m;
 The largest asteroid was discovered in 1801
 It is called Ceres & was initially thought to be a planet;
 Latter it was seen to be smaller than a planet;
 Then the term Asteroid was introduced;
 Ceres diameter is 975 km;
Ceres
 Has Core
 Has Mantle
 Has Crust
 its surface has craters;

NB: Hard Ceres continued to grow

 during formation of the solar System,
 It would have probably become a planet
Itokawa:
 One of the smallest asteroids to be visited by a spacecraft;
 Its 530 m long & 250 m wide;
 Samples from Itokawa have been studied;
 Which have given us more evidence
 about the formation of the solar system;
 It has lumps of rocks on Itokawa’s surface
 appear to have come from impact from
 other small planets or moons;
 The lumps of rocks on Itokawa are held by weak forces;
 Because Itokawa is small in size;

If a small Asteroid like Itokawa passes near a large object like a planet
Gravity from the large object changes the shape of the asteroid

Scientists know that an asteroid is made of one piece of rock if:

1. It is small in side
2. Spins quickly
So force of gravity would be too small to hold separate pieces of rocks together

Page 4 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Asteroids – 8 p 225- 227 continued ….
 Large asteroids impact the earth every 130 000 years
 Smaller asteroids impact the Earth more frequently

 The map shows asteroid impact between 1994 – 2013

Two reasons why asteroids impact the Earth:

1. Many Asteroids have orbits that are relatively close to the Earth
2. Earth force of gravity is strong enough to pull the passing asteroids

When an asteroid enters earth’s atmosphere:

Its moves so fast
High friction between it and atmospheric air
Generate a lot of heat
The asteroid ignites

Movement in Space:
 Neptune is 30 times further from the Sun than Earth
 Neptune has a mass which is 17 times larger than the Earth
 Sun is the Largest object in the solar system in terms of mass;
 330 times greater than the Earth
 All planets in the solar system could fit into the Sun
 And still leave some space!

 Gravity of the Earth is about 10 N/kg

 Gravity of the Sun is about 270 N/kg
 This is 27 time stronger than Earth’s gravity!
 An stronger that that of all objects in the Solar System;

 Sun’s gravity holds all planets &

 other celestial bodies in the Solar System in their orbits;
 Though as distance increase between the Sun & other planets,
 Sun’s gravity is still strong enough to keep all planets in their orbits;

Orbits of Planets:

 Are almost circular;

 Gravity from Sun keeps Planets in their orbits
 This prevents planets from traveling in a straight line
 Off into space;
 Planet’s initial velocities the planets had when they were formed
 Prevent the planets from being sucked into the Sun;

Page 5 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Speed in Space:

 On Earth, forces like Air resistance (drag)

 Slow movements of objects;
 Air resistance acts in opposite direct to moving objects;
 Moving objects have to push against particles in air;

 The faster the object the greater the air resistance;

 NB: Shape of airplane wing can be changed

 to increase air resistance and slow down Aeroplane;

 Space with no air particles = vacuum;

 In outer space where it is a vacuum, Juno probe Aeroplane

 Doesn’t face air resistance and so can reached speed of 266 000 km / h
 As it passed Jupiter.
 It became the faster object humans had ever made;

 Air resistance on Earth’s atmosphere wouldn’t allow such speed;

 Earth & other planets are also moving in a vacuum

 The main force acting on the planets is the Sun’s gravity;

Mercury:

 The closet – planet to the Sun feels the strongest pull of the Sun’s gravity;
Result:
 Mercury has highest speed of all planets
 At 170 000 km/h
NB:
Earth’s average speed around the Sun = 100 000 km/h

Page 6 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Quiz: - 8 p 94 - 96
1. In which direction does gravity from the sun pull the planets?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. Other objects like asteroids and comets also orbit the Sun.
Suggest what keeps them in their orbits around the sun.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Name the object with the strongest gravity in the Solar System. ………………………………………………………..

4. Suggest which object in the Solar System has the second strongest gravity. …………………………….………….

Discuss your answer in pairs and write your reason(s).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. State the word used to describe a space with no air particles in it. …………………………………………………….

6. Voyage 1 is a space probe launched in 1977. It is now outside the Solar System and is travelling at
64 000 km/h.
Explain why Voyage 1 could not travel at this speed on Earth.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7. Which of these forces acts on the Earth as it orbits the Sun?

Gravity only Air resistance only Gravity and Air resistance Gravity, air resistance & friction

8. Planets orbits are not exact circles. Distance from each planet to the Sun varies slightly as planets
revolve around the Sun. This change in distance makes speed of planets change slightly.

Suggest how speed of a planet changes with distance from the Sun during its orbit.

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Page 7 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Quiz: Movement in Space continued …. - 8 p 94 - 96
Planet speeds:

Study the table below.

Name of Planet Speed of orbit in km/s
Mercury 48
Venus 35
Earth 30
Mars 24
Jupiter 13
Saturn 10
Uranus 7
Neptune 5
Draw a bar graph using the information.

1. State the relationship between distance from the Sun and the planets’ speeds of orbit.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Explain the advantages of presenting this information in a graph rather than in a table.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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3. Explain the reason for the trend in your graph.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Explain why a bar graph is used for this information rather than a line graph.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Page 8 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Quiz: Movement in Space continued …. 8 p 94 - 96
In this task you will find out how scientists discovered the planet Neptune.
The planet Uranus was discovered in 1781. It was thought to be the most distant planet from the Sun.

In 1821, a French Scientist called Alexis Bouvard made calculations about the orbit of Uranus. He
worked out where Uranus would be at different times.

1. The actual orbit for Uranus was different to the calculations.

Underline the one word that best describes these calculations.
Observations predictions conclusions measurements

2. The planet was seen to move further away from the Sun at regular times.
These results were recorded.
Underline the word/ phrase that best describes these results?
Observations predictions conclusions secondary information

3. Scientists thought that another source of gravity was pulling Uranus further from the Sun.
Underline word/ phrase best describes this statement?
Observations predictions conclusions secondary information

4. Scientists then made predictions about another planet further away than Uranus.
They used the results from the orbit of Uranus to predict where this other planet would be.
Then, in 1846 , scientists found another planet, which they called Neptune.
Neptune was very close to where they predicted it would be.

Use words from the list to complete these sentences.

Uranus moving further away from the Sun ……………………………… the original prediction about its orbit.

Scientists found Neptune using careful ……………………………………. .

Testable a fair test contradicted results

Observations supported conclusions measurements

End
Page 9 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023
 Quiz: Asteroids – 8 p 225- 227

1. What is meant by the term “asteroid”?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Some asteroids have diameters between 300m and 500m.

Explain why these asteroids are classed as small objects in the solar system.

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3. Asteroid Ceres is covered with craters.

Suggest how the craters were formed.

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4. Describe where the rocks came from to form asteroids.

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Model of Asteroid - 8 p 225 - 228

Page 10 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Solar and Lunar Eclipses – 8 p 217 - 221
Universe = space & everything in it
Galaxy = Greek for Milky
Galaxy:
Is a collection of:
 Stellar Dust, Gases
 Millions to Billions of stars
 And star systems like our Solar system;
 All held together by gravity;
NB: Our earth is travelling through a cloud of stellar dust
Estimated to be one dust particle in every 1 million m3 of space;
Shapes of Galaxies:
Spiral, elliptical Irregular
Examples of Galaxies:
The Milky way – where our solar system is;
Canis major – a Dwarf Elliptical galaxy & our closest;
Its 25 000 light years from the Sun;
= 240 000 million km away from us
Sagittarius - Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy & is the next closest;
Its 70 000 light years from the Sun;
Andromeda – closest spiral galaxy;
The large Magellanic Cloud – and irregular galaxy;
The Milky way Galaxy:
Galaxy where our solar system is;
Seen as a milky band across the sky;
Seen on a clear night & away from
lights;
It looks like a band because it’s a spiral
galaxy & we are within it so we can
only see one of its arms;

Milky way is part of 54 group of

galaxies; the Group is called
“Local Group”
Milky way alone has about
250 000 0000 stars;
The sun is just one of them!
Most stars we see are form our galaxy.
Not from other galaxies in our local group
The Milky Way viewed across the sky on a clear night away from lights
Imagine!
The sun is so large all planets in the
Solar system could fit in it and still
Some space would be left
But The Milky way its 1.5 trillion times
larger than the Sun!

Light Traveling at speed of 300 000 km/sec would take 100 000 years to move across the Milky Way!
Scientists counted galaxies in one part of space, multiplied the # up & got an estimate 100 000 000 000 Galaxies
Problems are: 1. Estimates are not accurate 2. No one knows the total volume of Universe

Page 11 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Quiz: Galaxies – 8 p 219
1. List the three different shapes of galaxies.

…………………………………………………….. …………………………………………….. & ………………………………………………..

2. Which of these are found in galaxies?

Planet Star Universe Stellar gas

3. Name the force that holds the parts of a galaxy together. ………………………………………………………………….

4. Explain why most of the stars we see in the night sky are from our own Milky Way galaxy and not
other galaxies.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. Suggest why scientists can only estimate the number of stars in the Milky Way and not know the
number accurately.

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Page 12 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Lab: Estimating Large numbers – 8 p 220 - 2021

This activity is an analogy for how scientists estimate numbers of stars in the Universe.

Materials:

1. Large container (cup/tumbler/beaker) filled with coarse sand or fine gravel for the whole class
2. Hand lens – for each group
3. Piece of white paper for each group
4. Small container for whole class
5. Equipment for measuring mass and volume small volumes (like syringe)
6. Calculator for each group.
7. A measuring cylinder (one for the whole class)
8. A small syringe (one for whole class)
9. Stop clock for each group

Stars in galaxies are too many to count.

But an estimated number can be found.
You will estimate number of sand grains in your container

Method:

1. Start the stop clock

2. Put small quantity of sand / gravel from the large container onto a piece of paper
3. Separate the grains
(You should put quantity you can count easily)

4. Count the grains

5. Record the number
6. Stop the stop clock
7. Put the grains into a smaller container (measuring cylinder)
8. Repeat with more sand/gravel from the larger container
9. Add the sand/gravel to the one in the smaller container (measuring cylinder)
10. Write down total number of grains your group put in the small container

11. As a class measure total volume (can use a small syringe)

12. Measure total mass (a sensitive balance can be used)

13. Put the grains back into the large container

14. Measure total mass of the sand/gravel in the larger container
15. Measure the total volume of the sand/gravel in the larger container

Page 13 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Lab: Estimating Large Numbers –– 8 p 220 - 221 continued ….
1. What is the total number of grains the class added to the measuring cylinder? Call this value G.

G = ………………… grains

2. What was the total volume of grains in the smaller container?

Call this value S

S …………………………. cm3

3. What was the total volume of grains in the larger container?

Call this value L

L …………………………. cm3

4. Calculate the value of G x L

S

This number is the estimated total number of grains in the large container.
Explain the advantage of this method compared to counting all grains in the large container.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Give reasons why the estimate may not be accurate.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Suggest some ways that the estimate can be made more accurate.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. Suggest how working as a whole class is an analogy for how scientists who study the
Milky Way work together.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

6. Knowing roughly how long it took you to count your grains in step 3,
estimate how long it would have taken you to count .
Show your workings here.

Answer ………………………………

Page 14 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Lab: Estimating Large Numbers –– 8 p 220 - 221 continued ….

7. Carefully study the Method at the previous page then estimate the number of grains using masses
not volume.

Write (clearly show) all the steps.

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8. What are the things that makes part of a galaxy

1. ……………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. ……………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. ……………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. ……………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

End

Page 15 of 16 Tuesday, December 19, 2023

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