Earth

1
Earths Motion Notes

• Chapter 1 Lesson 1
• Pages 8-16 of your 8th Grade Textbook

2
Bell Ringer Predictions

• How does Earth move?
• Why is Earth warmer at the equator and colder at
  the poles?
• Why do the seasons change as Earth moves around
  the Sun?

3
Earth the Sun Notes

• Although it doesnt seem like it, the Earth is
  always in motion. The Earth spins on its
  rotation axis as it orbits around the Sun. Due to
  the Sun being the biggest piece of matter in our
  solar system, the Sun has the greatest
  gravitational force that keeps it as the
  epicenter of the planets.

4
Facts about the Sun

• The closest star to the Earth is the Sun.
• Our Sun is the source of the elements on the
  periodic table, gives us the energy we need to
  survive, and keeps our solar system in place.
• Nuclear fusion of the hydrogen and helium atom
  collisions is what produces the sunlight we need.
  Sunlight is made of heat and light.
• Nerd Fact 8) The Suns Core is 15,000,000 C

5
Orbit versus Revolution

• To orbit and revolve is not the same concept in
  space science.
• To ORBIT means that something similar to a planet
  spins in place on its rotation axis. To ORBIT
  does not imply movement.
• To REVOLVE means that the planet due to the
  gravitational force of the Sun will move in
  ellipses around the medium-sized star. 1
  revolution1Earth Year (all planets have
  different years that are unique due to their
  distances away)

6
Sunrises Sunsets

• The concepts of the sunrises and sunsets is an
  optical illusion that TRICKS us into thinking
  that the Sun goes up and goes down.
• The Sun is a stationary star that does NOT move.
  What does move is the Earth as it both orbits and
  revolves over the course of a day.

7
Tilt of Earths Rotation Axis

• The Earths rotation axis is tilted in always the
  same direction and by the same amount.
• Keys Analytical Months December, September,
  March, and June
• These are the months that act as landmarks for
  understanding the axis of the Earth.

8
Temperature Latitude

• Because of the latitude of the Earth makes its
  surface curved, the concentration of the Suns
  energy changes depending on what month it is.
• This uneven distribution of weather is what
  produces the seasons of Earth. The seasons of
  Earth are NOT the fault of the Sun and the
  distance from it.
• The seasons of the Earth are caused by the tilt
  of the Earths rotation axis combined with the
  motion of the Earth around the Sun.

9
Solstices and Equinoxes

• A solstice and equinox helps us understand how to
  measure the seasons of the Earth.
• Solstice Ranges
• March to June
• June to September
• Equinox Ranges
• September to December
• December to March