Chapter 12 of Class 6 Science, Beyond Earth, explains the basic features that make an organism live. Through simple questions and answers, students can easily understand this chapter.
Let Us Enhance Our Learning
1. Match the column:
Column I
(i) Satellite of Earth
(ii) Red planet
(iii) Constellation
(iv) Planet which is commonly called an evening star
Column II
(a) Orion
(b) Venus
(c) Mars
(d) Moon
Answer:
(i) Satellite of Earth — (d) Moon
(ii) Red planet — (c) Mars
(iii) Constellation — (a) Orion
(iv) Planet which is commonly called an evening star — (b) Venus
2.
(i) Solve the following riddle:
My first alphabet is in MAN, but not in CAN
My second alphabet is in ACE and also in FAN
My third alphabet is in RAT and not in CAT
My fourth alphabet is in SUN but not in FUN
I am a planet that moves around the Sun.
Answer:
First letter = M
Second letter = A
Third letter = R
Fourth letter = S
The planet is MARS.
(ii) Make two similar riddles by yourself.
Riddle 1:
My first letter is in JAR but not in CAR
My second letter is in UP and also in SUN
My third letter is in PEN but not in TEN
My fourth letter is in EARTH but not in HEART
I am the largest planet of the Solar System.
Answer: JUPITER
Riddle 2:
My first letter is in NEAR but not in EAR
My second letter is in EAT and also in TEA
My third letter is in PAN but not in FAN
My fourth letter is in TUNE but not in DUNE
I am the eighth planet from the Sun.
Answer: NEPTUNE
3. Which of the following is not a member of our Solar System?
(i) Sirius
(ii) Comets
(iii) Asteroids
(iv) Pluto
Answer:
(i) Sirius
Sirius is a star outside our Solar System.
4. Which of the following is not a planet of the Sun?
(i) Jupiter
(ii) Pluto
(iii) Neptune
(iv) Saturn
Answer:
(ii) Pluto
Pluto is a dwarf planet, not a main planet.
5. Which is the brighter star, the Pole Star or Sirius?
Answer:
Sirius is brighter than the Pole Star.
Sirius is the brightest star visible in the night sky.
6. An artist’s representation of the Solar System is given in Fig. 12.12. Is the order of the planets correct? If not, write the correct order in the boxes in the figure.
Answer:
The correct order of the planets from the Sun is:
Mercury → Venus → Earth → Mars → Jupiter → Saturn → Uranus → Neptune
7. A portion of the night sky with stars is shown in Fig. 12.13. Look carefully and identify the groups of stars that form the patterns – the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. Draw lines to connect the stars for these patterns and label them. Also, identify and label the Pole Star.
Answer:
- The Big Dipper is a group of seven bright stars forming a dipper shape.
- The Little Dipper is a smaller group of stars.
- The Pole Star (Polaris) is the last star in the handle of the Little Dipper.
8. A portion of the night sky is shown in Fig. 12.14. Draw lines to connect the stars for Orion and label the star Sirius.
Answer:
- Orion is a constellation that looks like a hunter.
- It has three bright stars in a straight line called Orion’s Belt.
- Sirius is a very bright star located near the Orion constellation.
9. You can see stars fading away at dawn and appearing at dusk. During the day we do not see the stars. Explain why.
Answer:
During the day, the Sun’s light is very bright.
Sunlight scatters in the Earth’s atmosphere and makes the sky bright.
Because of this brightness, we cannot see the stars during the daytime.
10. During a clear night, try to observe the Big Dipper 3–4 times at an interval of 2 to 3 hours. Also, try to locate the Pole Star each time. Does the Big Dipper appear to move? Draw a rough sketch to illustrate this, mentioning the time in each case.
Answer:
Yes, the Big Dipper appears to move in the sky.
This happens because the Earth rotates on its axis.
However, the Pole Star appears almost fixed in the sky.
11. Think about the night sky and write a poem or a story on it.
Answer (Poem):
The night sky looks calm and bright,
Filled with stars shining in light.
The Moon glows softly in the dark,
Like a silver shining spark.
Planets move around the Sun,
The universe is full of wonder and fun.
Looking at the sky so wide,
Fills our hearts with joy inside.