Space, seasons, space objects, moon, stars, planets, solar system, gravity Misconceptions

Concept

Space

Misconceptions

• There is sound in space.
• There is air in space.
• Jets can fly in space
• Space craft are hot when they come back to Earth because they were going fast (speed only not interactions with air).
• Stars predict the future.

Concept

Seasons

Misconceptions

• Seasons are caused by the distance of the Earth from the sun. In the summer the Earth is closer to the sun.
• The distance of different parts of the Earth, caused by the tilt of the Earth on its axis, causes the seasons

Concept

Moon

Misconceptions

• Phases of the moon are caused by the moon being in the Earth's shadow, Sun’s shadow
  Clouds, weather...
• Half of the moon is always in the dark.
• The moon does not rotate
• The moon's rotation causes the phases
• The moon is a planet
• The moon follows you
• You can't see the moon in the daytime.
• The moon is blue during the daytime, that is why you don't see it.
• The moon has no gravity.
• Different places on Earth see different phases of the moon on the same day.
• The moon chases the sun across the sky.
• The moon is larger on the horizon because it is closer to Earth, We compare it to foreground objects and
• it looks bigger. The gases, dust, in the atmosphere make it look that way.
• The moon only shows one face to Earth because it is not rotating.

Concept

Stars

Misconceptions

• Stars are not out in the daytime
• Sun is a planet
• Are made of foil or something shiny
• Like an asteroid
• Stuff that reflects light
• Balls of fire
• Balls of fire and gases
• The Sun and the Earth are the same size.
• Stars have pointed tips.
• Stars are different colors because of distance, size of stars, different matter,
• The Sun is not a star.
• Stars are burning hydrogen

Concept

Planets

Misconceptions

• Planets are in a straight line
• Planets are in a plane.
• All planets travel at the same speed.

Concept

Solar System

Misconceptions

• Sun’s relationship to Earth: Where is the Sun at night? Sleeps, runs away from the moon, goes away at night, on the other side of the Earth, (Sun orbits the Earth) goes to the Chinese side, It sets on the other side of the Earth, but I don’t know how it gets back to the other side. It must cross the sky at night.
• The Earth goes around the Sun and is on the dark side at night.
• Milky Way is at the center of the solar system
• Earth is the center of the solar system
• Earth is the largest planet in the solar sytem
• Stars are in the solar system
• Stars predict the future.

Concept

Gravity

Misconceptions

• Weightlessness means no gravity.
• Heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones.
• Gravity is a very strong force.
• There is no gravity in space, on the moon, in a vacuum,
• Gravity is caused by Earth’s spin, air pressure, push from above.
• Gravity is weaker under water.
• Gravity is stronger the higher you are in a building or mountain that’s why it is easier to fall.
• Gravity will be stronger the longer and object falls.
• Shape affects gravity
• Gravity is weaker the higher you go. That’s why things fall faster the farther they fall.
• Astronauts are weightless because they are beyond Earth’s gravity.
• Gravity is the attraction of the larger body. The Earth and me are not attracted by other objects pulling up.
• Gravity causes objects to fall down through the center of the Earth and out the other side if there was a hole in through the Earth.
• Gravity pulls objects towards the south pole and if the Earth would not stop it they would go off into space away from the south pole.
• Gases are not affected by gravity.

Robert Sweetland's Notes ©