EARTH IN SPACE

How does Earth Move?

EARTH & SPACE: Module 1

How does Earth Move?

“As Earth revolves around the Sun, it spins. A spinning motion is called rotation.
Earth rotates on an imaginary line that runs through its center. The line on which
an object rotates is the rotation axis.” Earth and Space Text, McGraw Hill, 2020.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_orbit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%
27s_orbit

Important Vocabulary

A pole (noun) the most northern or most southern point on a planet.

A cycle (noun) a set of events that happen over and over again such as the
seasons of the year or the length of each day.

The earth rotates around its axis which goes through the north and south poles.

The rotation and angle of axis influences the seasons of each year.

Earth’s Rotation

“One complete rotation of Earth takes about 24 hours. One rotation completes
Earth’s cycle of day and night. It is daytime on the half of Earth that faces the Sun.
It is nighttime on the half of Earth that faces away from the Sun.” The earth’s
rotation moves about the axis counterclockwise, from west to east.

Mass affects Gravity

Mass refers to the amount of material in an object. “Earth orbits the Sun because
the Sun’s gravity pulls on Earth. The strength of gravity’s pull between two objects
depends on the masses of the objects and the distance between them. An object
with more mass has a greater pull of gravity than an object with less mass.
Likewise, gravity’s pull is greater on objects that are closer together.”

Tilt of Earth’s Axis

“Earth’s Tilted Axis Earth’s rotation axis is tilted. The tilt of Earth’s rotation axis
does not change. During one-half of Earth’s orbit, the north end of the rotation axis
is tilted toward the Sun. During the other half of Earth’s orbit, the north end of the
rotation axis is tilted away from the Sun.” (Earth and Space, McGraw Hill, 2020.

https://www.wave3.com/2020/09/11/behind-forecast-why-our-seasons-change/

Why do star patterns change over time?

Autumn Star and Planets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5nhIUFTjcs

Seasons. Earth Rocks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX3Y5bzNDiU

Why does the view of the sky change over time?

“Apparent Motion Each day, the Sun appears to move across the sky
from east to west. It seems as if the Sun is moving around Earth. In
fact, it is Earth’s rotation that causes the Sun’s apparent motion. Earth
rotates from west to east. This makes the Sun appear to move from
east to west across the sky. The Moon and stars also seem to move
from east to west across the sky. This too is due to Earth’s
west-to-east rotation. The west-to-east rotation causes an apparent
east-to-west motion across the sky.” (Earth and Space, McGraw Hill,
2020.)

Air Temperature at the Equator

“The air temperature near the equator is always hot. As you travel
toward the poles, the air temperature becomes cooler. Near the
poles, the air temperature is always cold. Temperature and Earth’s
Curved Surface As Earth orbits the Sun, the Sun shines on the half
of Earth that faces the Sun. Sunlight carries energy. The more
sunlight that reaches a part of Earth’s surface, the warmer that part
becomes. Because Earth’s surface is curved, different parts of
Earth’s surface get different amounts of the Sun’s energy.”

(Earth and Space, McGraw Hill, 2020)