Science Class 6 Important Questions Chapter 12 Beyond Earth Curiosity

Fill-ups:

1. The Sun is a __________ that gives light and heat to the Earth.
   • (Answer: star)
2. The Pole Star helps to locate the __________ direction.
   • (Answer: North)
3. The Earth takes about __________ days to complete one revolution around the Sun.
   • (Answer: 365)
4. The planet known as the Red Planet is __________.
   • (Answer: Mars)
5. The star closest to the Earth is __________.
   • (Answer: Sun)

True/False:

1. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky.
   • (True)
2. The Pole Star is visible from the southern hemisphere.
   • (False)
3. Planets do not twinkle like stars.
   • (True)
4. The Moon is a natural satellite of Earth.
   • (True)
5. There are 9 planets in our Solar System.
   • (False, there are 8 planets now)

Question / Answers

1. What is a constellation?

• Answer: A constellation is a group of stars that forms a pattern in the night sky, like animals or objects. For example, Orion looks like a hunter.

2. What is the Pole Star and why is it important?

• Answer: The Pole Star, also called Polaris, stays in the same place in the north sky. It helps people find the north direction.

3. What is the Solar System?

• Answer: The Solar System includes the Sun, eight planets, their moons, and smaller objects like asteroids and comets, all revolving around the Sun.

4. Which star is closest to the Earth?

• Answer: The Sun is the closest star to Earth. It gives us heat and light.

5. What is the difference between stars and planets?

• Answer: Stars make their own light, like the Sun, while planets do not. Planets revolve around stars and look like shining dots in the sky.

6. What is an asteroid?

• Answer: An asteroid is a small rocky object that revolves around the Sun, mostly found between Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt.

7. What are comets?

• Answer: Comets are icy objects that move around the Sun and have long tails when they get close to it.

8. What is the Milky Way Galaxy?

• Answer: The Milky Way Galaxy is the galaxy where our Solar System is located. It has millions of stars.

9. What are natural satellites?

• Answer: Natural satellites are objects that revolve around planets. The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite.

10. Why is the Moon important to Earth?

• Answer: The Moon is Earth’s closest neighbor in space, and it affects things like tides on Earth. It also helps scientists study space.

11. Why does the Sun look bigger than other stars?

• Answer: The Sun looks bigger because it is much closer to Earth than other stars, even though some stars are actually larger than the Sun.

12. What is the Big Dipper?

• Answer: The Big Dipper is a well-known pattern of seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major. It helps in finding the Pole Star.

13. What are planets made of?

• Answer: Inner planets like Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Venus are made of rocks, while outer planets like Jupiter and Saturn are mostly made of gases.

14. What is Pluto and why is it no longer called a planet?

• Answer: Pluto is a small object beyond Neptune. It was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 because it doesn’t meet all the requirements to be a planet.

15. What is a comet’s tail made of?

• Answer: A comet’s tail is made of gas, dust, and ice that evaporate when the comet gets close to the Sun.

16. Why can’t we see stars during the daytime?

• Answer: During the day, the Sun’s light is so bright that it makes it hard to see the other stars in the sky.

17. What is light pollution and how does it affect stargazing?

• Answer: Light pollution is the excessive use of artificial lights that makes it harder to see stars at night, especially in cities.

18. What is the difference between asteroids and comets?

• Answer: Asteroids are rocky objects found mainly between Mars and Jupiter, while comets are icy objects that form tails when they get close to the Sun.

19. What are the inner and outer planets?

• Answer: Inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are smaller and made of rock. Outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are larger and mostly made of gas.

20. What is the importance of the Sun for life on Earth?

• Answer: The Sun provides heat and light, which are essential for life on Earth. It helps plants grow and controls the weather and climate.

21. How long does the Moon take to go around the Earth?

• Answer: The Moon takes about 27 days to complete one revolution around the Earth.

22. What are galaxies?

• Answer: Galaxies are large systems of stars, planets, and other objects. The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System.

23. What is an astronomical unit (au)?

• Answer: An astronomical unit (au) is the distance between the Earth and the Sun, about 150 million kilometers.

24. What was India’s Chandrayaan mission?

• Answer: Chandrayaan is India’s mission to explore the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed near the Moon’s south pole in 2023.