Ancient Greeks and the Spherical Earth

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Questions and Answers

What shape did Aristotle believe the Earth and celestial bodies were?

  • Oval
  • Sphere (correct)
  • Triangle
  • Square

What did Aristotle consider to be the perfect shape?

  • Circle (correct)
  • Rectangle
  • Square
  • Triangle

What was the material that Aristotle believed made up the heavens?

  • Water
  • Fire
  • Air
  • Ether (correct)

Why did Aristotle believe the Earth was imperfect?

<p>Because it was constantly changing (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was one of Aristotle's arguments for the Earth being a sphere?

<p>The Earth's shadow is always circular (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why did Aristotle believe that the Earth's component pieces would form a sphere?

<p>Because of the gravitational attraction towards the center (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who is credited with being the first to propose that the Earth was round?

<p>Pythagoras (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What observation did Aristotle make about the stars in Egypt and Cyprus?

<p>Some stars seen in Egypt could not be seen in Cyprus (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Pythagoras use to support his idea of a spherical Earth?

<p>Aesthetic grounds and the concept of perfect shape (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the basis of Aristotle's argument that the Earth was a sphere?

<p>The perfection of the spherical shape and the heavens being regions of perfection (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Eratosthenes and Aristarchus do together?

<p>Calculated the circumference of the Earth (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Polaris in Pythagoras' idea of a spherical Earth?

<p>It was a star that appeared to shift to a higher position in the sky as one journeyed north (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of astronomy as a science?

<p>Determination of the positions, dimensions, and movements of celestial bodies (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What observation did Aristotle make during lunar eclipses to support a spherical earth model?

<p>The curvature of the earth's shadow on the moon is consistent (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What would a flat penny produce if rotated 90 degrees to the sunlight?

<p>An entirely different shape (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for the changing seasons on Earth?

<p>The planet is slightly tilted on its axis as it travels around the Sun (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Aristotle's observation of lunar eclipses support a spherical earth model?

<p>Because the earth's shadow has a consistent curvature (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when the Sun is at its closest point to the equatorial plane?

<p>Equinox (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

At which point in their orbit do planets move the fastest?

<p>When they are at their closest point to the Sun (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of observing the Pole Star's position in the sky during short travels northwards?

<p>The earth is spherical (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the greatest distance between a planet or other body and the Sun?

<p>Aphelion (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the shape of a sphere differ from a flat penny in terms of shadow production?

<p>A sphere produces a consistent curvature, while a flat penny produces different shapes (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of observing similar curvatures during multiple lunar eclipses?

<p>It proves that the earth is spherical (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following celestial bodies is closest to the Earth?

<p>The Sun (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the antumbra in a shadow?

<p>The lighter part of a shadow that forms at a certain distance from the object casting the shadow (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of eclipse occurs when the Sun or Moon is completely obscured?

<p>Total eclipse (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the origin of the word 'planet'?

<p>It comes from the Greek word 'planetes', meaning 'wanderer' (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which planet is known as the 'Morning Star' or 'Evening Star'?

<p>Venus (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a unique feature of Jupiter?

<p>It has a massive storm, the Great Red Spot (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many confirmed moons does Saturn have?

<p>146 moons (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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