S3 Science: Earth, Moon And The Solar System (Paper 2 (intermediate))

S3 Science: Earth, Moon and the Solar System (Paper 2 (intermediate))

2026-11-14

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Tutor Prep Guide · Rotation and revolution of the Earth, day and night, seasons and the 23.5 degree tilt, the orbit of the Moon and its phases, solar and lunar eclipses, tides, the order of the eight planets and the scale of the solar system

S3 Science: Earth, Moon and the Solar System (Paper 2 (intermediate))

This paper covers the difference between the synodic month and the orbital period, the order of bodies in eclipses, the daily angular motion of the Moon and the Earth, the tidal cycle, sunlight travel time to Mars and the position of the asteroid belt.

Direct answers　The synodic month is 29.5 days and the orbital period 27.3 days; the Moon is in the middle in a solar eclipse and the Earth in a lunar eclipse; the Moon moves 13.19 degrees a day and the Earth 0.986 degrees; there are two high tides a day with a period of 745 minutes; sunlight reaches Mars in 760 seconds; the asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.

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: S3 Science: Earth, Moon and the Solar System
Level	S3

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationHow long is it from one new moon to the next?
FoundationIn a solar eclipse, what is the order of the Sun, Moon and Earth?
FoundationIn a lunar eclipse, what is the order of the Sun, Earth and Moon?
IntermediateThrough how many degrees does the Moon move against the stars each day?
IntermediateThrough how many degrees does the Earth move along its orbit each day?
IntermediateHow many high tides are there in a day and which body causes them?
ChallengeThe synodic month is 29.5 days and the orbital period 27.3 days, so what is the difference and why?
ChallengeMars is 1.52 AU from the Sun, so how many seconds does sunlight take to reach it?
ChallengeBetween the orbits of which two planets is the asteroid belt?
Error redo“A lunar eclipse happens every month.” What is wrong?

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	About 29.5 days, called a synodic month	The phases complete one full cycle in that time.
2	Sun, Moon, Earth, with the Moon in the middle	The Moon blocks the Sun, so a solar eclipse can only happen at new moon.
3	Sun, Earth, Moon, with the Earth in the middle	The Moon moves into the shadow of the Earth, so a lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon.
4	About 13.19 degrees	360 divided by the 27.3 day orbital period gives this value.
5	About 0.986 degrees	360 divided by 365.25 days is about one degree a day.
6	Two; the Moon gravity is the main cause	The tidal cycle is about 12 hours 25 minutes and the Sun plays a secondary part.
7	A difference of 2.2 days, because the Earth also moves round the Sun so the Moon must travel further to repeat a phase	A phase depends on the positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon, not on the Moon alone.
8	About 760 seconds	1.52 times 150 million km gives 228 million km, which is then divided by the speed of light.
9	Between Mars and Jupiter	Material there is stirred by the gravity of Jupiter and never gathered into a planet.
10	The Moon orbit is tilted about 5 degrees to the ecliptic, so most full moons miss the Earth shadow	The Moon enters the shadow only when a full moon falls near a node of its orbit.

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.

For Earth and Moon questions ask three things: whether rotation or revolution causes the effect, which body stands in the middle, and whether the answer should be an angle, a time or a distance.Tutor Registration →

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