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P5 General Studies: Earth, Sun and Moon, Day, Night and Seasons (Paper 2: intermediate)
Tutor Prep Guide · rotation causing day and night, the orbit and tilted axis causing seasons, and time zones from longitude
P5 General Studies: Earth, Sun and Moon, Day, Night and Seasons (Paper 2: intermediate)
Paper two moves on: put the 15 degrees an hour factor to work on time zones and the orbit.
Direct answers When time and degrees appear together, write down one hour equals 15 degrees and the question becomes simple multiplication.
01 Paper details (check answers afterwards)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 10 |
| Suggested time | 20 |
| Difficulty mix | Foundation 3 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 3 · Error redo 1 |
| Chapter | Chapter: P5 General Studies: Earth, Sun and Moon, Day, Night and Seasons |
| Level | rotation causing day and night, the orbit and tilted axis causing seasons, and time zones from longitude |
02 Questions (10 items)
- FoundationEarth turns 15 degrees an hour. How many degrees does it turn in 3 hours?
- FoundationThe Moon takes about 27.3 days per orbit. How long do 4 orbits take?
- FoundationBy about how many degrees is the axis tilted from the vertical?
- IntermediateIn 8 hours of rotation, how many degrees does Earth turn?
- IntermediateOne orbit is 365.25 days. The extra 0.25 day a year adds up to how much in four years?
- IntermediateThe time gap between Hong Kong and London is 8 hours. Using 15 degrees an hour, what is the longitude difference?
- ChallengeThe orbit is about 940 million km and a year is 365 days. How far does Earth travel per day, in millions of km?
- ChallengeWhy are summer days longer in the northern hemisphere?
- ChallengeIf the axis were not tilted at all, what would happen to the seasons?
- Error redoA student says summer happens because Earth is closest to the Sun. What is the real cause?
03 Answers and one-line notes
| # | Answer | One-line note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 degrees | 15 times 3 gives 45 degrees. |
| 2 | 109.2 days | 27.3 times 4 gives 109.2 days. |
| 3 | About 23.5 degrees | The axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees, which is key to the seasons. |
| 4 | 120 degrees | 15 times 8 gives 120 degrees. |
| 5 | 1 day | 0.25 times 4 is 1, which is why a leap day is added every four years. |
| 6 | 120 degrees | 15 times 8 gives 120 degrees. |
| 7 | About 2.58 million km | 940,000,000 divided by 365 is about 2,575,342 km, or about 2.58 million km. |
| 8 | The 23.5 degree tilt gives a higher Sun angle and longer daylight in summer | The tilt keeps that hemisphere facing the Sun longer in summer, so daylight lasts longer. |
| 9 | There would be almost no distinct seasons, with similar daylight all year | The seasons come mainly from the tilt, so with no tilt there are no clear seasons. |
| 10 | The tilted axis changes the Sun angle and the length of daylight; distance is not the main cause | Earth is actually nearest the Sun around the northern winter, so distance cannot be the main cause. |
04 What to do after marking
- After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
- Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
- Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.
Then try paper three, which converts time zones and orbital speed.Tutor Registration →
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