Scribd
Upload
307 views4 pages

Astronauts-Sunscreen-Space-50659-Article Quiz and Answers

Special spacesuits and helmets protect astronauts from UV rays on the moon. The moon does not have much of an atmosphere to block UV rays, so the surface is exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Spacesuits are made from heavy fabrics that block UV rays, and the helmets use a tough plastic called polycarbonate that also blocks UV rays. This protects astronauts from dangers of overexposure to UV rays like sunburn and eye damage. Inside spacecraft, astronauts are safe from sunburn thanks to UV-blocking windows.

Uploaded by

api-302899266
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
307 views4 pages

Astronauts-Sunscreen-Space-50659-Article Quiz and Answers

Special spacesuits and helmets protect astronauts from UV rays on the moon. The moon does not have much of an atmosphere to block UV rays, so the surface is exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Spacesuits are made from heavy fabrics that block UV rays, and the helmets use a tough plastic called polycarbonate that also blocks UV rays. This protects astronauts from dangers of overexposure to UV rays like sunburn and eye damage. Inside spacecraft, astronauts are safe from sunburn thanks to UV-blocking windows.

Uploaded by

api-302899266
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Special spacesuits and helmets protect

astronauts from UV rays


By How Stuff Works, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.08.19
Word Count 482
Level 710L

NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik makes a spacewalk in November 2009, during the final space shuttle flight to or from the International
Space Station. His spacesuit protected him from the UV rays. Photo by: NASA

Neil Armstrong was a U.S. astronaut and the first person to walk on the moon. When he landed, he
was wearing a bubble-shaped helmet. It had visors that he could raise and lower whenever he
wanted. One visor was made of polycarbonate shielding. This is a special material created by
scientists. The shielding helped protect Armstrong from ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Like visible light beams, UV rays are released by the sun. Some contact with those waves can be
good. For example, ultraviolet B rays tell human skin to make vitamin D3. Too much contact can
be harmful, though. Overexposure to UV rays can cause skin diseases. Too much sun can also
cause painful sunburns.

There are three different types of UV rays. They are ultraviolet A (UV-A), ultraviolet B (UV-B) and
ultraviolet C (UV-C) rays. Rays of UV-C are especially harmful to human beings. Fortunately,
Earth's atmosphere protects us from some of them. The ozone layer blocks nearly all of the UV-C
rays. It also blocks most of the UV-B rays.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.


Sunscreen defends us from the UV rays that do pass through the ozone layer. Clothing helps as
well.

The moon doesn't have much of an atmosphere, though. Its surface is covered in ultraviolet
energy. The UV rays may be partly responsible for the moon's clouds of dust.

Dangerous Place To Visit Without Protection

The moon is a dangerous place to visit without protection. You might think that astronauts who go
there would come home with terrible sunburns. That didn't happen to Armstrong and company.
These astronauts all wore special spacesuits on their missions. Spacesuits are made with heavy
fabrics that block out UV rays.

The suits also come with see-through helmets. For these, designers use special polycarbonate. It is
a very tough plastic that blocks UV rays. A weaker material could put the astronauts at risk
for "snow blindness" and other problems. Conditions like these arise when UV rays damage the
human eye.

As it stands, there's really no need for an astronaut to put on sunscreen. That said, one did get a
sunburn on his back in 1963. Gene Cernan had been orbiting the Earth. He was working on the
outside of his spacecraft. The outer stitching on his suit ripped, exposing him to UV rays.

Safe From Sunburn Inside Spaceship

The risk of sunburn goes way down when astronauts are inside a spaceship. The International
Space Station (ISS) is a good example. Astronauts aboard have no need for special suits. They do
their work in ordinary cotton shirts and pants. To protect them from sunburns, the ISS uses UV-
blocking windows. So do most space exploration vehicles.

Back on the moon, things are more dangerous. UV rays may have claimed some nonhuman
victims. Over the years, astronauts have planted six American flags on the moon. Some scientists
think that UV rays could have turned them white by now.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.


Quiz

1 How are astronauts protected from the sun when they are inside a spaceship?

(A) The astronauts wear special spacesuits.

(B) The astronauts wear sunscreen.

(C) The spaceship is made with heavy fabrics that block UV rays from the sun.

(D) The spaceship's windows block UV rays from the sun.

2 How are UV rays harmful to people?

(A) They turn fabric white.

(B) They create clouds of dust on the moon.

(C) They make vitamin D3.

(D) They cause skin diseases.

3 Read the selection from the section "Dangerous Place To Visit Without Protection."

The suits also come with see-through helmets. For these, designers use special polycarbonate. It
is a very tough plastic that blocks UV rays. A weaker material could put the astronauts at risk for
"snow blindness" and other problems.

Which word from the selection helps the reader understand the meaning of "polycarbonate"?

(A) suits

(B) plastic

(C) astronauts

(D) risk

4 Read the paragraph from the section "Safe From Sunburn Inside Spaceship."

Back on the moon, things are more dangerous. UV rays may have claimed some nonhuman
victims. Over the years, astronauts have planted six American flags on the moon. Some
scientists think that UV rays could have turned them white by now.

What do the "nonhuman victims" refer to?

(A) flags

(B) rays

(C) scientists

(D) astronauts

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.


Answer Key

1 How are astronauts protected from the sun when they are inside a spaceship?

(A) The astronauts wear special spacesuits.

(B) The astronauts wear sunscreen.

(C) The spaceship is made with heavy fabrics that block UV rays from the sun.

(D) The spaceship's windows block UV rays from the sun.

2 How are UV rays harmful to people?

(A) They turn fabric white.

(B) They create clouds of dust on the moon.

(C) They make vitamin D3.

(D) They cause skin diseases.

3 Read the selection from the section "Dangerous Place To Visit Without Protection."

The suits also come with see-through helmets. For these, designers use special polycarbonate. It
is a very tough plastic that blocks UV rays. A weaker material could put the astronauts at risk for
"snow blindness" and other problems.

Which word from the selection helps the reader understand the meaning of "polycarbonate"?

(A) suits

(B) plastic

(C) astronauts

(D) risk

4 Read the paragraph from the section "Safe From Sunburn Inside Spaceship."

Back on the moon, things are more dangerous. UV rays may have claimed some nonhuman
victims. Over the years, astronauts have planted six American flags on the moon. Some
scientists think that UV rays could have turned them white by now.

What do the "nonhuman victims" refer to?

(A) flags

(B) rays

(C) scientists

(D) astronauts

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

You might also like