Rotation and Orbit of the Earth

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What determines the length of a day?

The spinning of a Planet on its axis is called a rotation

Earth rotates on its axis at about 1668 km/hour.

A person can rotate by standing in one place and turning around and around.

Picture

Rotate

Earth spinning on it’s axis gives us day and night

Rotating

Only one half of the Earth faces the sun at any given time

When Earth is facing the sun, it is daytime, when Earth is facing away from the sun, it is night time

Picture

Day vs. Night

Earth completes one rotation on its axis in 24 hours, or one day

Full rotation

What determines the length of a year?

As Earth rotates on its axis, it also revolves or orbits around the sun

Rotate and Revolve

Go around something else

Satellites, the space shuttle, space stations, and the Moon all orbit (go around) the Earth.

The earth and all the other planets revolve around the sun.

Caused by the gravitational pull of another object

Orbit/Revolve

Earth makes an orbit around the sun.

Every 365.25 days (12 months or one year) earth makes a full revolution (or full orbit) around the sun.

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Revolution and Orbit

http://sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/messenger/or/OrbitRotation.html

Rotate and Orbit

The Tilt of the Earth’s Axis

The earth is titled on its axis at 23.5° and it is always pointing in the same direction

Pictures

Earth’s Axis

The Earth experiences longer periods of day light when facing the sun

The Earth’s tilt and the orbiting of the Earth around the Sun causes the seasons.

Seasons

When the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, the sun’s rays strike the Northern Hemisphere MORE directly, and this region is warmer

When the South Pole is tilted toward the sun, the sun’s rays strike the Southern Hemisphere LESS directly, and this region is colder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n04SEzuvXo

Near the equator sun rays hit Earth’s surface MORE directly, so temperatures are warmer there

Near the poles, the sun rays hit the Earth’s surface LESS directly, so the temperatures are colder there

Equator and the Poles

At Equator = 12 hours of day light

Toward sun = more than 12 hours of day light

Away from sun = less than 12 hours of day light

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Hours of Light and Darkness

Mr. Parr: Earth orbit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YONrbl6xLIM

Space Rap: http://www.flocabulary.com/solar-system