The Earth

CHAPTER 5

THE EARTH IN SPACE

LESSON 1 : OUR PLANET: DAY AND NIGHT

• Objectives :

• .• Explain why the Sun and stars appear to move across the sky

• • Explain why we have day and night

• • Describe evidence for the-rotation of the Earth.

Day and night :
At any one time , the light from the Sun lights up half of the Earth. The other half of the Earth
is in shadow.We can see that from space. The Earth spins on its axis. This means that the
area that is in the light changes. Day and night are caused by the Earth spinning every 24
hours.
During the day the part of the Earth that you live on is moving in the light.
At night-time it has moved into the dark.

Multiple Choice

There are —————hours in a day.

• 24

• 12

• 48

• 28

Looking down from above the North Pole of the Earth, the Earth is spinning anticlockwise. This
means that the Earth rotates from the west towards the east. So we see the Sun rising in the east and
setting in the west. TheSun appears to move across the sky because the Earth is spinning.

Fill in the Blank

The Sun is highest in the sky at ——---

Key point;
• We have day and night because the Earth spins on its axis
.• The Earth spins once in 24 hours.
• The Sun appears to move across the sky because the Earth is spinning.

Fill in the Blank

The Sun rises and sets each day. The Sun rises in the———-. and sets in the west