Earth's Motions and Seasons

One complete revolution of Earth around the sun takes about

• one rotation.
• one season.
• one year.
• one eclipse.

Earth has seasons because

• it rotates on its axis.
• its axis is tilted as it revolves around the sun.
• the distance between Earth and the sun changes.
• the temperature of the sun changes.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the sun is

• directly over the equator.

• shining directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, the point farthest south it will ever be.
• closest to Earth.
• shining directly over the Tropic of Cancer, the point farthest north it will ever be.

When Earth rotates, it

• spins on its equator.
• spins on its axis.
• moves around the Sun.
• moves around the moon.

The Earth's orbit around the Sun is in the shape of a/an

• circle.
• eclipse.
• sphere.
• ellipse.

We experience this season when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun?

• spring
• summer
• fall
• winter

Earth's rotation takes about

• 365 days.
• 6 months.
• 24 hours.
• 1 month.

Day and night are caused by

• the tilt of Earth's axis.
• Earth's revolution around the sun.
• eclipses.
• Earth's rotation on its axis.

An equinox occurs when

• neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun.
• the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.
• the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
• Earth's axis is parallel to the sun's rays.

When we are experiencing the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, what season is the Southern Hemisphere experiencing?

• spring
• summer
• fall
• winter