Earth's Motions Unit 2 Test 2024

Front

What is the reason Earth travels fastest in January and slowest in July?

Back

Earth is nearest the Sun in January and farthest away in July.

Front

What is eccentricity in the context of orbits?

Back

Eccentricity measures the deviation of an orbit from being circular; a value of 0 is a perfect circle, while values closer to 1 indicate more elongated orbits.

Front

At which position is the gravitational attraction between a star and a planet greatest?

Back

Position A.

Front

Which color represents an object with an eccentricity closest to 1?

Back

Pink.

Front

What season occurs in the Northern Hemisphere during Position 2?

Back

Spring.

Front

Define perihelion.

Back

Perihelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is closest to the Sun.

Front

Define aphelion.

Back

Aphelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is farthest from the Sun.

Front

What is the significance of Earth's axial tilt?

Back

Earth's axial tilt (approximately 23.5 degrees) is responsible for the changing seasons as it affects the angle and intensity of sunlight received at different latitudes.

Front

How does the distance from the Sun affect seasonal changes?

Back

While the distance from the Sun does affect the speed of Earth's orbit, seasonal changes are primarily caused by axial tilt rather than distance.

Front

What is the formula for calculating eccentricity?

Back

Eccentricity (e) = distance between foci / length of the major axis.