Q1.
Sun and Light
In daytime it is light.
At night it is dark.
Give two reasons why this happens.
Write your answer OR draw it using the diagram below.
WRITE HERE
...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
2 marks
OR DRAW HERE
Q2. Sun
Page 1
(a) The Sun is shining.
Its position early in the morning is shown in the picture.
Draw a Sun on each of the other dotted lines in the picture to show its height at the
times given.
1 mark
(b) Why does the stick form a shadow when the Sun shines?
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
1 mark
(c) At what time would the shadow of the stick be shortest?
......................................................................................................................
1 mark
(d) Explain why the shadow is shortest at that time.
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
1 mark
Page 2
(e) Why does the Sun appear to move across the sky?
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
1 mark
Q3. Orbits
(a) The diagram shows the Sun, Earth and Moon (not drawn to scale).
Write Sun, Moon and Earth in the correct boxes on the diagram.
1 mark
(b) Two orbits are shown.
Write the time taken, in days, for each orbit.
Page 3
2 marks
Q4. The Earth
Sarah and Jack are using two different sized balls as models of the Sun and Earth.
Page 4
(a) The Earth spins on its axis.
Describe ONE other way the Earth moves in space.
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
1 mark
(b) How many times does the Earth spin on its axis in a day?
Tick ONE box.
1 7 24 28 365
1 mark
(c) Jack is now using the globe as a model of the Earth.
He uses the torch as a model of the Sun.
Page 5
Three points A, B and C are marked on the globe.
The arrows in the picture show the way Jack turns the model of the Earth.
When the model Earth is in the position shown in the picture, what times of day are
shown at A, B and C?
Choose ONE of the words below to complete each sentence.
Sunrise midday afternoon
Sunset midnight
One has been done for you.
At A it is midnight.
At B it is ..........................................................
1 mark
At C it is ..........................................................
Page 6
1 mark
Q5. Time on Earth
(a) Our measurements of time are linked to the movements of the Moon and Earth.
How many days does each of the following movements take?
Complete the table below.
Movement Time taken (days)
Earth to spin on its axis.
Earth to orbit the Sun.
Moon to orbit the Earth.
2 marks
(b) Look at this diagram of the Sun and the Earth.
In the diagram above, what is the time in England?
Page 7
Tick ONE box.
6 o'clock (morning) 6 o'clock (evening)
12 o'clock (midday) 12 o'clock (midnight)
1 mark
(c) The diagrams below show the same shadow stick at different times on the same
day.
One circle on each diagram below shows the position of the Sun in the sky when
each shadow is made.
(i) Put a cross in one circle on each diagram to show the correct position of the
Sun.
1 mark
(ii) Draw THREE lines below to match each shadow to the time it is made.
Page 8
1 mark
Q6. The Earth and light
(a) Kate and Ashur are finding out about the Earth, Sun and Moon.
They decide to investigate how shadows change at different times of the day. Kate
measures the length of Ashur’s shadow.
They repeat their test at two other times of the day.
Page 9
Draw THREE lines to match each time of day to the correct length of shadow.
(b) Tick ONE box to show why shadows change length during the day.
The Sun orbits the Earth. The Earth orbits the Sun.
The Sun goes up in the
The Earth spins on its axis.
day and down at night.
1 mark
(c) The Moon does not give out light of its own. It reflects light from the Sun.
Tick ONE box to show which sentence below is evidence that the Moon does not
give out its own light.
The moon is a sphere but appears to change
shape during the month.
Page 10
The Moon is nearer to the Earth than the Sun.
The Moon cannot be seen on cloudy days.
The position of the Moon in the sky changes.
1 mark
(d) Draw TWO arrows on the diagram below to show the direction the light travels so
that a person on the Earth can see the Moon.
2 marks
Q7. Earth, Sun and Moon
(a) Martin is making a model of the Earth, Sun and Moon. He collects some objects that
can be used to model the Earth, Sun and Moon.
Page 11
Write Earth, Sun and Moon in the table below to show what each object should
model.
Object melon pea poppy seed
What it models
1 mark
(b) What shape are the Earth, Sun and Moon in space?
.......................................................................................................................
1 mark
(c) Martin uses his model to show what causes day and night.
How can Martin show what causes day and night using his model?
Tick ONE box.
spin the Earth on move the Earth
its axis around the Sun
spin the Sun on move the Sun
its axis around the Earth
1 mark
Page 12
(d) Complete the sentence below about the Moon’s orbit.
The Moon orbits the Earth once every...........................................................
1 mark
(e) Martin shines a torch on a globe.
It models the Sun shining on the Earth.
Estimate what time of day it would be on the Earth at place A.
Place B and C have been done for you.
Place Time of day
A
B 6 pm
C 9 pm
1 mark
Q8. Shadows and space
Page 13
(a) Jimmy stands a pole in the playground.
There is a shadow of the pole on the playground.
Why does the pole cause a shadow on the playground?
.......................................................................................................................
1 mark
(b) Jimmy records the shadow at 10 am.
He draws his results on squared paper.
Draw the shadow of the pole at 12 noon.
1 mark
(c) Tick ONE box to show which movement in space causes the shadows to change on
Earth during a day.
Page 14
the Sun spinning the Earth orbiting the Sun
the Earth spinning the Moon orbiting the Earth
1 mark
(d) Jimmy and his friends use different sized balls to model the Sun, Earth and Moon.
The marble is moved around the tennis ball.
Which movement is modelled by the marble and the tennis ball?
Tick ONE box.
the Moon orbiting the Earth orbiting
the Earth the Moon
the Moon spinning the Earth spinning
on its axis on its axis
1 mark
Page 15
(e) The children use the tennis ball and the football to model an orbit.
This orbit takes one year.
How should the children move the tennis ball and the football to model the orbit that
takes one year?
.......................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
1 mark
Q9. Moon trip
(a) Astronauts travel to the Moon in a spacecraft.
Rocket engines push the spacecraft away from the Earth.
What name is given to the force that tries to pull the spacecraft back to Earth?
......................................................
1 mark
(b) From the Earth, the Moon looks like a circle.
The astronauts know this is not its real shape.
What shape is the Moon?
Page 16
......................................................
1 mark
(c) The Moon orbits the Earth.
Tick ONE box to show how many days it takes the Moon to orbit the Earth.
1 day 7 days
28 days 365 days
1 mark
(d) The astronauts can see the Earth from space. On one half of the Earth it is night. On
the other half it is day.
How does the Earth move to cause night and day?
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
1 mark
Q10. Jack’s shadow
(a) Class 3 are investigating shadows in the playground.It is a bright sunny day.
Page 17
Susie measures the length of
Jack’s shadow at 9 am.
Then she measures the length of Jack’s shadow at midday.Jack stands in the same
position in the playground.
Which picture shows Jack’s shadow at midday? Tick ONE box.
1 mark
(b) Explain why a shadow forms on the ground when the sunlight shines on Jack.
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
1 mark
Page 18
(c) At 3 pm Jack stands in the same place in the playground. Susie measures Jack’s
shadow again. His shadow has changed position.
What movement in space causes Jack’s shadow to change position?
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
1 mark
(d) The class observed Jack’s shadow on a sunny day.
Tick ONE box to show why the class should not do their test on a cloudy day.
On a cloudy day...
Jack's shadow isvery Jack's shadow
dark. isdifficult to see.
Jack's shadow doesnot Jack's shadow isvery
change position. big.
1 mark
(e) Susie has some ideas about shadows.
Write true or false under each idea about shadows.
Page 19
2 marks
Page 20
