EARTH, SUN, MOON, TIDES AND OCEAN CURRENTS WEB QUEST

Your work should be done on separate paper. Staple pages together before handing in and put your name and class period on top of each page. Please use the numbering format below. Write the title of each section above the answers to that set of questions (so it is easier to grade). You do not have to re-write the question, however the question itself should be implied in the answer. Be thorough and accurate with your answers to get the most points.
A) Tutorial on Earth-Sun relations
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/mclass/eclipticsimulator.swf
QUESTIONS
A1. What day(s) are the Summer (or June) solstice?
A2. Where is the Sun directly overhead on the summer solstice?
A3. Where does the Sun never rise on this day? (where it is “night time” all day long)
A4. Where does the Sun never set on this day? (where it is “day time” all day long)
A5. What day(s) are the Winter (or December) solstice?
A6. Where is the Sun directly overhead on the winter solstice?
A7. Where does the Sun never rise on this day? (where it is “night time” all day long)
A8. Where does the Sun never set on this day? (where it is “day time” all day long)
A9. What day(s) are the Autumn and Spring Equ?
A10. Where is the Sun directly overhead on the June solstice?
A11. On these two days, what does the entire world have in common?

B) Earth orbiting Sun and the seasons animation
http://esminfo.prenhall.com/science/geoanimations/animations/01_EarthSun_E2.html
Start the animation and observe how and why the seasons change as the Earth orbits the Sun.
QUESTIONS:
When is your birthday?
B1.On your birthday about how many hours of daylight (sunrise to sunset) are there?
B2. On your birthday about how many hours of nighttime (sunset to sunrise) are there?

C) Coriolis Effect
http://www.suu.edu/faculty/colberg/Hazards/Weather/34_Coriolis.html
QUESTIONS:
C1. What causes the Coriolis Effect?
C2. How many degrees was that rocket off track due to the Coriolis Effect?

D) Coriolis Effect , ocean circulation and tides
http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/EarthSC102Notes/102TheOceans.HTM

Scroll down until you see “Ocean Currents” and “The Coriolis Effect”
Read the passage. (it ends just above “Ocean circulation”)
QUESTIONS:
D1. Based on what you just read, why is it important to understand and account for the Coriolis Effect?
Go to the map under “Ocean Circulation”
D2. Using the world map template, draw and label the gyres in each ocean. Use red for warm currents and blue for cold currents.
Go to “Both Moon and Sun cause tides”
D3. Copy the four bullet points for spring tides
D4. Copy the four bullet points for neap tides
Go to “Tides affect Earth’s rotation”
D5. How do tides circulate around the Earth? (use the two world maps to make sense of it)
D6. How do tides slow down the Earth’s rotation on its axis?
D7. How did tides affect the Boston Tea Party in 1773?
D8. How did tides affect the Battle of Tarawa in 1943?

E) Lunar phases interactive
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/007299181x/student_view0/chapter2/lunar_phases_interactive.html#
QUESTIONS
Select the link for the lunar phases interactive
Play around with it and get used to how it works. You can pause time by clicking the box. You can go forwards and backwards in time manually by dragging the hour hand on the clock. (I find this is the best way to do it). Look at the path of the Sun (yellow) as well as the moon. Notice the phase description and when it changes. Notice the time on the clock. Pause at anytime.

E1. The waning crescent is a phase that most of us don’t see. Why is that? (go to this phase in the animation and figure out why)
E2. When the moon is half or more ‘lit up’ you can normally see it during the day. Explain why this is the case.
E3. What are the rising and setting times of the first quarter phase?
E4. What are the rising and setting times of the last quarter phase?
E5. These phases have the common name “half moon.” Now that you are experts on moon phases, why is “half moon” not such a good name?


F) Excellent solar eclipse animation by NOVA with subtitles
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.totaleclipse/
QUESTIONS
Select “view” the animation and choose caption (the button on the lower left in the tool bar) It’s just over a minute long. Watch it a few times.
F1. What is the ‘remarkable coincidence’ that allows us to view a total solar eclipse? (You will be surprised!)
F2. What is the frequency of total solar eclipses?

G) Eclipse of the Century
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.eclipse1991/
Select “view” and watch with captions (the button on the lower left in the tool bar)
The first part of it is the same as what you watched previously. The account of the eclipse of the century begins right after that. Remember to select and read the captions!

QUESTIONS
G1. Where was this eclipse observed and recorded?
G2. What nearly prevented this eclipse from being viewed? (the eclipse observer’s nightmare)
G3. What happened that allowed the eclipse to be viewed after all?


H) The LAST GREAT solar eclipse – May 2012
http://www.eclipseguy.com/news/the-next-eclipse

QUESTIONS
H1. What is the date and time duration that the last big solar eclipse happened over the United States?
H2. What states did the path of totality pass over (in order)?
H3. What is an annular eclipse and how is it different from a total solar eclipse?
H4. Why can’t the Sun’s corona be seen?
H5. How do you think astronomers know exactly when eclipses will happen, their exact paths, time and duration (how long they last)?


J) Observation of night sky looking south from same location throughout the year
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0407/es0407page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization

This animation shows a southern view towards the ecliptic (the path of the Sun, Moon and planets in the sky). Along the ecliptic are the twelve zodiac constellations.
You can press the play button or drag the oval thing along the line. (I prefer to do it that way – easier to pause and you can go backwards).
This animation shows the night sky in Chicago at midnight one week at a time throughout the year.
QUESTIONS
J1. Go to the date closest to your birthday. What zodiac constellation is highest in the sky (due south) at midnight?
J2. Go to the date that represents your “half birthday” or opposite time of year. What are the zodiac constellations that are closest to due south on that day?
J3. What is your zodiac sign?
J4. Where is your zodiac constellation in the sky at the time of your birthday?
J5. Why were the zodiac constellations important to ancient civilizations on Earth

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