Earth and Space
Each subtopic includes About section, revision page link, 10 preview questions, and practice CTAs.
The movement of the Earth and Moon
SubtopicThe movement of the Earth and Moon under Earth and Space for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What is the Sun made of?
A.Solid rock
B.Hot glowing gases
C.Liquid water
D.Ice and dust
- 2.
Which of these is NOT a phase of the Moon?
A.Full Moon
B.Half Moon
C.Square Moon
D.Crescent Moon
- 3.
What would change if the Earth took longer to orbit the Sun?
A.A day would be longer
B.A year would be longer
C.A month would be shorter
D.Shadows would stop moving
- 4.
What is the period of time called when the Sun is below the horizon?
A.Day
B.Night
C.Year
D.Month
- 5.
Which instrument is best for seeing the craters and details on the Moon's surface from Earth?
A.A microscope
B.A stethoscope
C.A telescope
D.A magnifying glass
- 6.
What is the name of the phase when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, and we cannot see any of the lit-up side from Earth?
A.Full Moon
B.Crescent Moon
C.New Moon
D.Half Moon
- 7.
Why does the Moon's position in the sky appear to change if you look at it at 8 PM and then again at 11 PM on the same night?
A.The Moon is moving very fast around the Earth
B.The Earth is rotating on its axis
C.The Moon is getting closer to Earth
D.The Sun is pushing the Moon
- 8.
What determines the length of a 'month' on Earth?
A.The time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun.
B.The time it takes for the Moon to orbit the Earth.
C.The time it takes for the Sun to rotate once.
D.The time it takes for the Earth to rotate times.
- 9.
Which of the following correctly orders the Earth, Sun, and Moon from smallest to largest in size?
A.Moon, Earth, Sun
B.Earth, Moon, Sun
C.Sun, Earth, Moon
D.Moon, Sun, Earth
- 10.
Why do we have a leap year every four years?
A.Because the Moon's orbit changes slightly every year.
B.Because the Earth takes about and a quarter days to orbit the Sun.
C.Because the Earth's rotation slows down over time.
D.Because the Sun moves further away from the Earth every four years.
Download the worksheet for Earth and Space - The movement of the Earth and Moon to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
The Sun as a star
SubtopicThe Sun as a star under Earth and Space for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these is a safe way to watch a solar eclipse or study the Sun?
A.Using regular sunglasses
B.Looking through a dark cloud
C.Using special solar filters or pinhole projectors
D.Squinting your eyes
- 2.
If you look at the stars at night, they look like tiny points of light because:
A.They are smaller than a marble
B.They are very far away
C.They are not as hot as the Sun
D.They are behind the Moon
- 3.
The Sun is essentially a very large ______.
A.Planet
B.Comet
C.Star
D.Asteroid
- 4.
What do we call the moment when the Sun first appears in the morning?
A.Sunset
B.Noon
C.Sunrise
D.Midnight
- 5.
The Sun is a star. It is just one of many billions of stars that are grouped together in a giant 'star city' called a galaxy. Look at the diagram. What is the name of the galaxy that our Sun belongs to?
A.The Moon
B.The Milky Way
C.The Solar System
D.The Atmosphere
- 6.
What gives the Sun its yellow-white appearance to our eyes?
A.The reflection of the Earth's oceans
B.The intense heat and light it emits
C.The dust in the Earth's atmosphere
D.The way the Moon reflects sunlight
- 7.
Why do we see the Sun during the day and other stars at night?
A.Other stars are too far to see when the Sun's light fills our atmosphere
B.Other stars only come out when the Sun goes to sleep
C.The Sun is a planet and other stars are not
D.The Sun is much smaller than the other stars
- 8.
What prevents humans from sending a spacecraft to land on the surface of the Sun?
A.The Sun has no solid surface to land on.
B.The Sun is too far for any rocket to reach.
C.The Sun's gravity is too weak to hold a spacecraft.
D.The Sun is made of solid ice which would be too slippery.
- 9.
Which of these is a true fact about the Sun's energy?
A.The Sun produces more energy in one second than humans have used in history.
B.The Sun only produces energy during the daytime.
C.The Sun's energy comes from burning oxygen.
D.The Sun is slowly cooling down and will be frozen by next year.
- 10.
If the Sun is so much bigger than the Moon, why do they look roughly the same size in our sky?
A.The Moon is actually the same size as the Sun.
B.The Sun is much further away than the Moon.
C.The Earth's atmosphere shrinks the Sun's appearance.
D.The Sun's light reflects off the Moon to make it look larger.
Download the worksheet for Earth and Space - The Sun as a star to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Day and night cycles
SubtopicDay and night cycles under Earth and Space for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
If you are facing the Sun at noon, which direction is behind you?
A.East
B.West
C.North
D.South
- 2.
Which star is responsible for providing light to the Earth during the day?
A.The North Star
B.The Sun
C.The Big Dipper
D.The Moon
- 3.
When the Sun is very low in the sky, how does a shadow look?
A.Very short
B.Very long
C.It disappears
D.It becomes a circle
- 4.
What do we call the 24-hour cycle of light and dark?
A.A month
B.A year
C.A day
D.A week
- 5.
The diagram shows a model of the Earth spinning. If a person is at Point A and is moving from the side facing the Sun toward the side in shadow, what part of the day-night cycle are they experiencing?
A.Noon
B.Sunrise
C.Sunset
D.Midnight
- 6.
Which of these is a true fact about the axis of the Earth?
A.It is a physical wooden pole
B.It is an imaginary line the Earth rotates around
C.It changes position every hour
D.It runs from East to West
- 7.
If you are walking away from the Sun, where will your shadow be?
A.Behind you
B.In front of you
C.To your left
D.To your right
- 8.
If you are in a dark room with a globe and a flashlight, where should you shine the light to represent the Sun correctly?
A.Shine it from directly above the North Pole
B.Shine it from the side, hitting exactly half of the globe
C.Move the light in circles around the globe
D.Shine the light from inside the globe
- 9.
Which of these is a direct consequence of the Earth being an opaque (non-see-through) sphere in space?
A.The Earth has an atmosphere
B.Only one half of the Earth can be lit by the Sun at any time
C.The Earth orbits the Sun in an oval shape
D.The Moon has phases like a crescent or full moon
- 10.
Look at the table of sunrise times for a week. What is the most likely reason the times are slightly different each day?
A.The Earth is spinning faster every day
B.The Earth is at a different point in its orbit around the Sun
C.The Sun is moving further away from the Earth
D.The Moon is pulling the Earth to slow its spin
Download the worksheet for Earth and Space - Day and night cycles to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Introduction to the Solar System
SubtopicIntroduction to the Solar System under Earth and Space for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Why can't we see the other stars in the sky during the daytime?
A.They go away during the day
B.The Moon hides them
C.The Sun is so bright it hides their light
D.The stars turn off their light
- 2.
Roughly how many days does it take for the Moon to travel once around the Earth?
A.1 day
B.7 days
C.28 days
D.365 days
- 3.
Which part of the Earth is experiencing daytime?
A.The part facing away from the Sun
B.The part facing the Sun
C.The top and bottom only
D.The part covered by the Moon
- 4.
If a planet is very far away from the Sun, how would you describe its temperature?
A.Very hot
B.Very cold
C.Boiling
D.Warm and sunny
- 5.
In our solar system, there is a large region located between the planets Mars and Jupiter that contains millions of rocky objects. Based on the diagram, what is the name of this region?
A.The Milky Way
B.The Solar Ring
C.The Atmosphere
D.The Asteroid Belt
- 6.
The Sun has a very strong pull that acts like an invisible tether, keeping all the planets moving around it in their orbits. What is the name of this pulling force?
A.Magnetism
B.Gravity
C.Friction
D.Static Electricity
- 7.
Why does the Sun look much larger and brighter than any other star we see in the night sky?
A.It is the biggest star in the universe
B.It is much closer to Earth than other stars
C.It is the only star made of gas
D.It is the newest star in the galaxy
- 8.
A space probe is sent on a long journey starting from Neptune and traveling in a straight line towards the Sun. Based on the diagram of the probe's path, which list shows the correct order of the four planets it would encounter?
A.Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, Mars
B.Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars
C.Uranus, Jupiter, Saturn, Earth
D.Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Venus
- 9.
Which of these statements about the solar system is FALSE?
A.All planets orbit the Sun.
B.The Sun is the most massive object in the solar system.
C.The Moon orbits the Sun directly, not the Earth.
D.Comets orbit the Sun in very long paths.
- 10.
If you lived on Mercury, why would the Sun look much larger than it does from Earth?
A.Mercury is much closer to the Sun than Earth is.
B.The Sun grows larger every day.
C.Mercury's atmosphere acts like a magnifying glass.
D.The Sun is actually smaller when viewed from Earth.
Download the worksheet for Earth and Space - Introduction to the Solar System to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
The shape of the Earth, Sun and Moon
SubtopicThe shape of the Earth, Sun and Moon under Earth and Space for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Complete the sentence: The Moon is a ________.
A.Circle
B.Sphere
C.Square
D.Cube
- 2.
Why is the Sun spherical?
A.Because it is very hot
B.Because gravity pulls it into that shape
C.Because it is far away
D.Because it is made of gas
- 3.
Which of these space objects is NOT a sphere?
A.The Sun
B.The Moon
C.The Earth
D.None of the above (they are all spheres)
- 4.
If we say the Earth is a sphere, we mean it is:
A.Flat
B.Pointy
C.3-dimensional and round
D.2-dimensional and round
- 5.
The Sun is made of hot gases, while the Earth and Moon are made of solid rock. What scientific fact explains why they all have the same spherical shape?
A.Because the Sun's heat melts all rock in space into a round shape.
B.Because gravity pulls all large amounts of material toward the center from every direction.
C.Because all objects in space are forced to be the same size and weight.
D.Because they all have the same amount of water on their surfaces.
- 6.
When people used to think the Earth was flat, what was their biggest mistake?
A.They thought the Sun was a sphere
B.They didn't realize the Earth was too big to see the curve from the ground
C.They thought the Moon was made of cheese
D.They didn't know how to sail ships
- 7.
Which of these is the most correct summary about the shapes in our solar system?
A.Only planets are spheres
B.Large objects like the Sun, Earth, and Moon are spheres due to gravity
C.The Sun is the only sphere; the rest are flat
D.Everything in space is a cube
- 8.
A scientist uses a diagram to show how a force called gravity acts on large objects like the Earth, Sun, and Moon. Based on the diagram and what you know about gravity, which statement best explains why these objects are spheres?
A.Gravity pulls outward from the center, stretching the object into a thin, flat disc shape.
B.Gravity only pulls from the top and the bottom, which creates a long tube shape.
C.Gravity pulls inward equally from all directions toward the center, which naturally forms a round shape.
D.Gravity moves in a spinning circle around the outside, pushing the edges into a square shape.
- 9.
Which of these objects has a shape most different from the Earth, Sun, and Moon?
A.A basketball
B.A marble
C.A book
D.An orange
- 10.
What would the shadow of a cube look like if the Sun shone on it from directly above?
A.A circle
B.A square
C.A triangle
D.A sphere
Download the worksheet for Earth and Space - The shape of the Earth, Sun and Moon to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
The Moon and its phases
SubtopicThe Moon and its phases under Earth and Space for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these is the best way to describe the Moon's light?
A.Natural glow
B.Reflected sunlight
C.Electricity
D.Burning gas
- 2.
Why do the phases repeat every month?
A.Because the Moon finishes one orbit around Earth
B.Because the Earth finishes one orbit around the Sun
C.Because the Sun finishes one orbit around the Moon
D.Because humans change the Moon
- 3.
Does the Moon have its own gravity?
A.Yes, but it is weaker than Earth's
B.No, it has none
C.Yes, it is much stronger than Earth's
D.Yes, it is exactly the same as Earth's
- 4.
The word 'lunar' refers to which object?
A.The Sun
B.The Earth
C.The Moon
D.The Stars
- 5.
Imagine the Moon began to move much faster in its orbit around the Earth, as shown in the diagram. How would this affect the Moon's phases?
A.The phases would change more quickly than they do now.
B.The phases would change more slowly than they do now.
C.The Moon would stay as a Full Moon all the time.
D.The Moon would stop changing its appearance entirely.
- 6.
A student is tracking the Moon's cycle on a calendar. If they observe a First Quarter moon on the 7th day of the month, on what day will they most likely see the next First Quarter moon?
A.The 14th day
B.The 21st day
C.The 35th day
D.The 45th day
- 7.
Which of the following diagrams correctly shows the path that light takes so that people on Earth can see the Moon at night?
A.Light travels from the Earth to the Moon, and then to the Sun.
B.Light travels from the Sun to the Moon, and then to the Earth.
C.Light travels from the Moon to the Sun, and then to the Earth.
D.Light travels from the Sun to the Earth, and then to the Moon.
- 8.
How much of the Moon's surface is illuminated by the Sun at any given moment?
A.A different amount every night.
B.Always exactly .
C.Always .
D.Only the part that we can see from Earth.
- 9.
Which of these is a correct description of a 'Waning Crescent'?
A.The Moon is mostly lit and getting bigger.
B.The Moon is a small sliver and getting smaller.
C.The Moon is exactly half lit and getting bigger.
D.The Moon is invisible in the sky.
- 10.
Does the Earth have phases if viewed from the Moon?
A.No, only the Moon has phases.
B.Yes, the Earth would appear to go through phases just like the Moon does.
C.Only during the daytime.
D.Yes, but only once a year.
Download the worksheet for Earth and Space - The Moon and its phases to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.