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P6 Science Question before PSLE tomorrow


Meadelx200
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My child was given a science question today :-

 

Qn. The Earth rotates around the Sun.

True / False / Depends

Explain.

 

My answer is False.

The Earth revolves around the Sun in around 365 days but rotates on it's own axis in about 24 hours.

 

Any other answers ?

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Neutral Newbie

science question or english question?

seems like it tests on semantics or rather ability to memorise stuff rather than science.

 

because semantically, if rotation is a body going around a relatively fixed point. then we can still say the earth rotates around the sound.

 

but of course, in a regurgitation and technical examination - then the answer is false.

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I think this being a P6 question, no need to think too much or too deep into it. We might accidentally imagine hidden meanings or tricks when actually there is none, and it's a straightforward question.

 

It could be just a baseline question, so to speak, to help academically-weaker students pass the paper - and we make a mistake because we think too much! [dizzy]

 

I would say that "rotates" is a poor choice of word here, but clearly the intention of the question is to test whether the student knows that the Earth moves around the Sun, and not the other way around. Simple... [rolleyes] Answer is True.

 

Oh well, since the exam is tomorrow, best thing to do at this stage is just to reassure your kiddo and take some pressure off. No amount of revision will be useful now... good luck.

Edited by Sosaria
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If this is a science question.

 

I would have answered True.

 

The earth moves around the sun.

 

The correct english verb to use is revolve around the sun.

 

Can we have the standard MOE or school answer to this question?

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Agree with Civicblade that since this is a science question, the answer is probably true (If there is no room for explanation). It may just be a poorly set question by someone who has inappropriately used the phrase "rotates around".

 

"Rotates around its axis" makes sense, while "rotates around the Sun" doesn't really go too well.

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yeah... playing with English. "rotates around" can be thought of describing 2 different movements.

 

"rotates about" is another thing.

rotates about its own axis; rotates about the sun. = 1 action only.

 

Or, the earth orbits around the sun. the moon orbits around the earth.

 

 

actually, the earth is falling towards the sun [:p]

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wah this question is more like a english.

 

in a english perspective, the answer is false. but in science, den its probably true, cuz it rotates on its own axis but at the same time rotating or revolving around the sun.

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I think this being a P6 question, no need to think too much or too deep into it. We might accidentally imagine hidden meanings or tricks when actually there is none, and it's a straightforward question.

 

It could be just a baseline question, so to speak, to help academically-weaker students pass the paper - and we make a mistake because we think too much! [dizzy]

 

I would say that "rotates" is a poor choice of word here, but clearly the intention of the question is to test whether the student knows that the Earth moves around the Sun, and not the other way around. Simple... [rolleyes] Answer is True.

 

Oh well, since the exam is tomorrow, best thing to do at this stage is just to reassure your kiddo and take some pressure off. No amount of revision will be useful now... good luck.

 

 

YES, have to answer the question at face value.

 

Teacher's Answer : True

Reason : The Earth revolves around the sun and rotates at the same time. There are 365 rotations in a year or a full rotation.

 

In this case rotate & revolve are used loosely.

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My child was given a science question today :-

 

Qn. The Earth rotates around the Sun.

True / False / Depends

Explain.

 

My answer is False.

The Earth revolves around the Sun in around 365 days but rotates on it's own axis in about 24 hours.

 

Any other answers ?

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rotate

 

Rotate and Revolve can be used in similar ways.

 

If you take the sun and earth on a singular plane (imagine your wheel.. centre of wheel is the sun and the planets are distributed along the different distances away from the centre) then then whole solar system rotates around the sun, just like your tyres rotates around its centre.

 

The basis of usage is that it moves around a centre point or centre axis. Nothing says that there must be a physical material connection between the centre point and the edge before it can be called rotate or revolve.

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Supercharged

Why u all so cheem?? Pri 6 only lah.. dun stress the kid so much.. I would have answered True.. [laugh]

Edited by Tkseah
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Since there's allowance for explanation, I believe marks will be given based on a logical explanation even if you answer Sun orbits around Earth.

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I think this being a P6 question, no need to think too much or too deep into it. We might accidentally imagine hidden meanings or tricks when actually there is none, and it's a straightforward question.

 

It could be just a baseline question, so to speak, to help academically-weaker students pass the paper - and we make a mistake because we think too much! [dizzy]

 

I would say that "rotates" is a poor choice of word here, but clearly the intention of the question is to test whether the student knows that the Earth moves around the Sun, and not the other way around. Simple... [rolleyes] Answer is True.

 

Oh well, since the exam is tomorrow, best thing to do at this stage is just to reassure your kiddo and take some pressure off. No amount of revision will be useful now... good luck.

 

wrong. answer is false. syllabus clearly denotes difference between the terms rotates and revolves. rotate about axis, revolve around a body. science and english are different..

Edited by Ahhuat
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