SCIENCE

Grade 8
Semester 2 Study Guide 2024
Date of Exam: June 4, 2024 Time of Exam: 8:00 – 9:30

Unit 1: Forces (pages 9-43)

• Lesson 1 Describing Motion (page 9 vocabulary)
- Position
An object's motion is described in terms of its distance and direction from a reference point.
- Speed and Velocity
Speed and velocity describe how fast an object changes position. Velocity also describes the
direction an object is moving.
- Reference Frames
A reference frame is a point of view used to describe the motion of objects.
- Acceleration
An object accelerates when it changes speed, changes direction, or both.
• Lesson 2 Forces of Interactions (page 23 vocabulary)
- Sir Isaac Newton and His laws of Motion
When Isaac Newton's university was closed due to plague in the 1600's, Newton had plenty of free
time to think. During this time, he began to develop four important scientific laws, including the
laws of motion.
- Forces
Forces are pushes or pulls that act on objects and cause changes, such as changes in motion. Forces
are often measure in Newtons (N).
- Newton's Third Law of Motion
The third law of motion states that all forces act in equal and opposite pairs and that each force in a
pair acts on a different object. Newton's third law can be observed in action by experimenting with
two pendulums hanging side by side.
• Lesson 3 Effects of Forces (page 33 vocabulary)
- Net Force
The net force on an object is found by combining all the forces acting on an object.
- Newtown's First Law
Newtown's First Law of motion states that the motion of an object does not change unless
unbalanced forces act on the object.
- Newton's Second Law
Newton's Second Law of motion states that the acceleration of an object is equal to the net force on
the object divided by its mass.

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 - Forces Around You
Friction is a force that opposes motion between touching surfaces and can be helpful or harmful
depending on the situation.

Unit 3: Earth-Sun-Moon-System (pages 101-145)

• Lesson 8 Earth's Rotation and Revolution (page 101 vocabulary)
- Earth’s Rotation
Earth rotates around its axis over the course of a day. As a result, celestial objects in the sky appear
to move throughout a day and a night. Earth's rotation causes nearly unmoving objects, such as the
sun and the other stars, to appear to move in the night sky.
- Earth's Revolution
Earth revolves around the sun over the course of a year. Different stars are visible in the night sky
over the course of a year due to the direction of night changing as Earth moves around the sun.
Different constellations are visible depending on the time of the year because of the orientation of
Earth and the sun in space.
- Earth's Orbital Plane
Earth, the sun, and the seasonal stars are located on a plane. A plane is a flat surface that stretches
on forever. As a result, the seasonal stars are only visible when not obscured by other objects on
Earth's orbital plane, such as the sun or the sun's light. Circumpolar stars sit above or below Earth's
orbital plane, so they are visible all year round because they are not drowned out by the sun's light.
- Solving the Problem of Locating Stars
To develop software that allows people to quickly identify stars in the sky, engineers must consider
the criteria and constraints of their problem.
• Lesson 9 Earth's Tilted Axis (page 113 vocabulary)
- The Seasons
Each year, Earth experiences changes in temperature, length of daytime, and location of sunrise and
sunset. These changes occur in a yearly pattern, which are called season.
- Earth's Shape and the Sun's Energy
Earth is unevenly heated by the sun because Earth's shape causes sunlight to hit Earth's surface at
different angles. When the angle is perpendicular, light is more concentrated.
- Earth's Tilted Axis and the Seasons
Earth's axis is not perpendicular to its orbital plane. Instead, the axis is tilted approximately 23.5
degrees. As Earth revolves around the sun, different latitudes receive more energy from the sun and
season occur.
- The Solstices
A solstice is the time when the North or South Pole is closest to the sun. During the solstice, the
Tropic of Capricorn or Tropic of Cancer receives the most light and energy from the sun.
- The Equinoxes
An equinox is a day where the North and South Pole are an equal distance from the sun. During the
equinoxes, the equator receives the most light and energy from the sun.

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 - The Seasons and the Sun's Path in the Sky
Other seasonal patterns include the height of the sun, length of daytime, and where the sun rises
and sets.
- Calendars of Ancient Civilizations
Ancient people monitored the seasons by building structures that tracked the motion of the sun.
• Lesson 10 Phases of the Moon (page 125 vocabulary)
- The Changing Moon
When observing the sky with your eyes, the moon seems different from other celestial objects
because it appears to change shape and can be found in the sky at various times.
- The Sun Lights Up the Moon
You see the moon because light from the sun shines on the moon and reflects to your eyes. The sun
lights up only the half of the moon that faces the sun.
- Modelling the Earth-Sun-Moon System
The relative positions of the sun, the moon, and Earth change what part of the moon is visible from
Earth.
- The Earth-Sun-Moon System
You see the moon phases because of the relative position of the celestial bodies in the Earth-sun-
moon system. As the moon revolves around Earth, the amount of the lit half of the moon you can
see changes, producing the lunar phases seen form Earth. The four main lunar phases are a new
moon, a first quarter moon, a full moon, and a third quarter (or last quarter) moon.
- Reducing Risk for Apollo 11
Engineers used their understanding of the relative positions of celestial bodies in the Earth-sun-
moon system to help them define precise criteria and constraints. They used this to land humans on
the surface of the moon and bring them safely back to Earth.
• Lesson 11 Eclipses (page 135 vocabulary)
- Celestial Objects Cast Shadows
An eclipse happens when the shadow of one celestial object falls on a second celestial object. Every
shadow is made of a dark umbra and a lighter penumbra.
- Lunar Eclipses
A lunar eclipse happens when Earth's shadow falls on a full moon.
- Solar Eclipses
A solar eclipse happens when a new moon blocks the sun and casts a shadow on Earth. Only
people inside the moon's shadow can see the eclipse.
- The Moon's Orbit and Earth's Orbital Plane
Eclipses do not happen very often because the moon's orbit is tilted compared to Earth's orbital
plane. An eclipse only occurs when a full moon or a new moon crosses Earth's orbital plane.
- The Apparent Sizes of the Sun and Moon
The sun and the moon appear to be the same size because the sun is 400 times larger than the
moon and is 400 times farther away. This allows the moon to cover the sun when seen from Earth.

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Unit 5: Non-Contact Forces (pages 183-221)
• Lesson 14 Gravity (page 183 vocabulary)
- Gravity on Earth
Gravitational forces cause objects to fall to Earth at the same rate.
- Gravity in Space
Gravitational forces hold objects in orbit in space.
- The Strengths of Gravitational Forces
Newton developed a model of gravity that describes the relationship between gravitational force,
mass, and distance.
- Gravitational Fields
Gravitational fields can be used to predict which way gravitational forces will pull objects.
- Mass and Weight
Mass and weight are related measure of matter, but only weight depends on gravity.
- Weight in Orbit
Gravity makes astronauts in orbit appear weightless.
• Lesson 15 Electricity (page 195 vocabulary)
- Electric Charge and Forces
Particles in matter have an electric charge, which leads to objects being positively or negatively
charged and allows them to interact through electric forces. Electric forces are attractive between
objects that have opposite charges and repulsive between objects that have the same charge.
- The Strengths of Electric Forces
The strengths of the electric forces between objects depends on the amount of charge on the
objects and the distance between them.
- Electric Fields
Electric fields surround every charged object and describe the electric forces exerted on a positively
charged test object.
- Electric Current
Electric current is a flow of electric charges that powers electric devices.
- Testing Touch Screens
Engineers can use prototypes and an iterative process to improve touch screens on phones and
tablet computers.
• Lesson 16 Magnetism and Electromagnetism (page 207 vocabulary)
- Magnetic Forces
Magnetic Forces can repel or attract magnets and certain other materials. The strength of magnetic
forces depends on the distance an object is from a magnet and the type of magnet.
- Magnetic Fields
Magnet and Earth are surrounded by magnetic fields, which can predict magnetic forces on other
magnets.

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 - Electromagnetic Forces
An electromagnetic force is a magnetic force caused by an electric current or an electrical force
caused by a changing magnetic field.
- Electric Motors
An electric motor is a system that uses electric current to produce motion.
- Electric Generators
An electric generator is a system that uses motion to produce an electric current.
- Optimizing Wind Turbine Design
Engineers may use computer modelling and prototypes to evaluate the efficiency of turbine designs
and make modifications to improve them.

Unit 6: The Solar System (pages 225-235)

• Lesson 17 Gravity and the Solar System (page 225 vocabulary)
- The Solar System and Gravitational Forces:
The solar system is held together by gravitational forces and is made up of the sun and all the
objects that travel around it.
- Earth Revolves Because of the Gravitational Force
The gravitational force between Earth and the sun holds Earth in orbit because it acts nearly
perpendicularly to the direction of Earth's motion.
- The Planets
The Solar System has eight planets that directly revolve around the sun, are nearly spherical in
shape, and have cleared the neighborhood around the orbits.
- Moons Revolve Around Planets
Moons directly revolve around planets and indirectly revolve around stars. Six planets in the solar
system have moons revolving around them.
- Dwarf Planet, Asteroids, and Comets
Dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets have different characteristics and are all small objects that
revolve around the sun.
- Modelling Distances in the Solar System
The solar system is so large that scientists often use a large unit of length, an astronomical unit, to
discuss distances in the solar system. They also use scale models to show relative sizes and
distances.
- Observing the Planets
Most planets in the solar system can be seen with the unaided eye. Using tools such as a telescope
and a star chart will help you observe them.