Earth in Space
The Universe
• Big Idea 1: The Universe has observable properties and
structure
• Big Idea 2: Regular and predictable motions of objects in
the Universe can be described and explained as the result
of gravitational forces.
Inquiry2.1 Scaling theSun-Earth-Moon System
• Rotation: The movement of one object as
it turns or spins around a central point or
axis
• Revolve: To move in a curved path or
orbit. (Verb)
• Revolution: The movement of one object
around a central object. (Adjective)
Revolution/Rotation
GLE: 6.2.C.a: Illustrate and explain a day as the time it takes a planet to
make a full rotation about its axis.
•
You should be able to explain that a day on Earth is 24hours and that this
is the time it takes Earth to make one compete rotation on its axis. Click
on this link.
•
You should be able to explain that a day on Earth is 24hours and that this
is the time it takes Earth to make one compete rotation on its axis. Click
on this link.
•
Extra- Why does the Earth rotate? Click on this link to find out.
•
You should be able to write that: A day is the time it takes Earth to
make one full counterclockwise rotation on its axis .
Revolution/Rotation
GLE: 6.2.C.b: Diagram the path the Earth (planet) takes as
it revolves around the Sun
1. You should be able to draw Earth’s Orbital Motion. Be
sure to show the counterclockwise rotation and
counterclockwise revolution. Use arrows to show this.
Click on this link to see the picture
2. You should be able to draw Earth’s Orbital motion- you
should be able to draw this. Click on this link
3. You should be able to draw Earth’s Orbital Motion- you
should be able to draw this. Click on this link
Revolution/Rotation
GLE: 6.2.C.c Illustrate and explain a year as the time it takes
a planet to revolve around the Sun.
1. You should be able to draw and write a sentence explaining
what a year is. Click on this link.
2. A year is the time it takes a planet to make one full
revolution around the Sun. Click on this link.
3. A year is the time it takes a planet to make one full
revolution around the Sun.
Revolution/Rotation
GLE: 6.2.C.d: Explain the relationships between a planet’s
length of year (period of revolution) and its position in the
solar system.
•You should be able to explain that the further a planet is
away from the Sun, the longer the year: or the closer a planet
is to the Sun, the shorter its year.
•Earth-Sun Geometry click on this link
•Geoscience Animations click on this link
Inquiry2.2
Scaling theSun-Earth-Moon System
• Distances
• The Sun is 150 million kilometers from
Earth or about 93 million miles.
• One million Earths can fit inside the
sun.
• 109 Earths can fit across the Earth’s
diameter.
Positions
GLE: 6.1.A.c: Describe the relative proximity/Position of common celestial
bodies (i.e., Sun, Moon, planets, smaller celestial bodies such as comets and
meteors, other stars) in the sky to the Earth.
•The Sun is 150,000,000km or 93million miles or 12,000 Earths away from the
Earth. Earth’s diameter is 12,756km, so: 150,000,000km/12,756km =
12,000Earths which means the Sun is about 12,000 Earth’s away
•The Moon is 30 Earths, or 384,000km from the Earth.
•Earth and moon to scale: Click on this link.
Positions
GLE: 6.2.A.d: Relate the apparent east-to-west changes in the positions of the Sun,
other stars, and planets in the sky over the course of a day to Earth’s counterclockwise
rotation.
•The Earth rotates counter-clockwise from west to east.
•Because of this the Sun, stars, and planets have an apparent motion (they appears to
be, but it is not) moving or rising from east to west in a clockwise direction. So, the sun
appears to be moving across the sky but it is not. The Earth’s rotation causes this
apparent motion.
•Note how the Sun is lower in the sky in December and higher in the sky in June. Click
on this link.
Positions
GLE: 6.2.C.f Relate the axial tilt and the orbital position to the intensity of
sunlight falling on the Earth in different SEASONS. Click on the video below. GLE
GLE: 6.2.A.c: Describe how, in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun appears lower in
the sky during the winter and higher in the sky during the summer.
• Because the Earth is tilted toward the sun in summer and away from the sun in
the winter, the height (angle of separation) of the Sun is higher in the summer
than it is in the winter.
•This higher angle of separation of the Sun in the orbital position of summer
causes the sun to be higher in the sky, longer days, shorter shadows, and a higher
intensity of sunlight in the summer
•This lower angle of separation of the Sun in the orbital position of winter causes
the sun to be lower in the sky, shorter days, longer shadow, lower intensity of
sunlight.
GLE: 6.2.C.f Relate the axial tilt and the orbital
position to the intensity of sunlight falling on the
Earth in different SEASONS. Click on the links
below.
• MSNBC-Reason for the Seasons
• Why do we have Seasons-2?
Positions
GLE: 6.2.C.f Relate the axial tilt and the orbital position to the intensity of
sunlight falling on the Earth in different SEASONS. Click on the links below.
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The Reasons for the Seasons
Applet: The Reasons for the Seasons
Zoom
Seasons reasons
Seasons and moon phases game
The reasons for the seasons is the tilt of the Earth toward or
away from the Sun and the orbit or revolution of the Earth
around the Sun. Both reasons cause a variation or difference in
the amount of sunlight hitting the Earth. When the Earth is tilted
toward the Sun in the northern hemisphere = Summer: the
sunlight and heat are more direct and it is warmer. When the
Earth is tilted away from the sun in the northern hemisphere =
Winter, the sunlight is less direct and it is colder.
Positions
GLE: 6.2.A.e: Describe
how the Sun is never
directly overhead
(Position)
when observed from
North America:
Can the Sun ever be observed directly overhead in the Northern hemisphere?
No, the Sun can never be observed directly overhead in the northern hemisphere
because the Earth is tilted on its axis. The Sun can be observed directly
overhead at the equator (and 23.5 degrees below and 23.5 above the
equator). The Sun’s angle of separation is less than 90 degrees in the northern
hemisphere.
Positions
GLE: 6.2.A.b: Describe the pattern that can be observed in the changes in number of
hours of visible sunlight, and the time and location (position) of sunrise and sunset,
throughout the year.
GLE: 6.2.A.d: Describe how, in winter, the Sun appears to rise in the (positions)
Southeast and set in the Southwest, accounting for a relatively short day length, and, in
summer, the Sun appears to rise in the Northeast and set in the Northwest, accounting
for a relatively long day length
•There are more hours of visible sunlight in the summer. In the summer, the sun rises
in the northeast and sets in the northwest. The sun rises earlier and sets later in the
summer accounting for a longer day.
•There is less hours of visible sunlight in the winter. In the winter, the sun sets in the
southeast and sets in the southwest. The sun rises later and sets earlier in the winter
accounting for a shorter day.
Earth Supports Life
GLE: 6.1.B.a: Describe how the Earth’s placement in the
solar system is favorable to sustain life (i.e. atmosphere,
temperature and distance from the Sun).
•Why is the atmosphere important for all living things on Earth? It….
Protects life from UV rays (or harmful rays from sun)
Has Oxygen to breath
Has CO2 for plants
Traps heat from sun to maintain a certain temperature
Helps protect us by burning up objects falling from space
Has Weather and Climate (rain necessary for life)
•What is needed for life on Earth. Click on the link
GRAVITY
• GLE 6.2.D.a: Describe how the Earth’s gravity
pulls any object on or near the Earth toward it
(including natural and artificial satellites).
• How Gravity Works
• Gravity
• Circular Orbit
GRAVITY
GLE 6.2.D.b: Describe how the planets’ gravitational pull
keeps satellites and moons in orbit around them.
•Why doesn’t the moon fall down? Click on this link
•Satellites orbiting the Earth. Click on this link
GRAVITY
• THE SUN-EARTH L2
POINT
• Planet HOP
GLE: 6.2.D.c: Describe
how the Sun’s
gravitational pull holds
the Earth and other
planets in their orbits