Earth & Moon Notes

Chapter 19
The Earth moves
in 2 ways
oRotation
oRevolution
The effects of the
movements
oDays/Nights
oSeasons
Rotation is spinning of
the earth on its axis
Axis- imaginary line
that passes through
the center of the earth
and the North and
South poles
The Axis
The axis is tilted at
an angle
23.5
o
The axis is responsible for the
difference in the length of sun
light hours
Sun light hours are NOT
constant (the same)
Rotation
Responsible for day and
night
It takes 24 hours to
rotate once
There are 24 hours in
one day
Revolution
Revolution the movement of one
object around another
The earth revolves around the
sun
One complete revolution is a
year
Revolution
Orbit: the Earths path around
the sun.
Orbits Shape = Elliptical
The Seasons
Due to the tilt
of the earths
axis
NOT due to
the distance
from the sun.
Direct/Indirect Rays
Sun has direct and indirect rays
Direct rays strike area around
equator
Warmer near equator
Direct/Indirect Rays
Indirect rays (slanted rays)
strike the north and south
poles
Cooler near poles
Direct Rays
Indirect Rays
Solstice
Solstice: the sun reaches its
greatest distance North or
South of the equator
Summer in N. Hemisphere =
Winter in S. Hemisphere
Summer Solstice
When are the solstices?
Summer Solstice: June 21
Longest day of the year
(Northern Hemisphere)
Winter Solstice: December 21
Shortest Day of the year
Winter Solstice
Equinox
Equinox: equal night (12 hour
day, 12 hour night)
The sun is directly over the
Equator
Day = Night
Equinox
When are the equinoxes?
Vernal Equinox: March 21
(First day of Spring)
Autumnal Equinox: September
21 (First day of Fall)
Gravity
Gravity: force that attracts all
objects to each other
Force: push or pull
Law of Universal Gravity
Its everywhere
Strength of Gravity
Strength depends on 2 factors
Mass: amount of matter in an
object
The bigger it is the stronger the gravity is
The smaller it is the weaker the gravity is
Distance: decrease gravity with
increase distance
The closer it is the stronger the gravity is
The farther it is the weaker the gravity is
The effects of Gravity
Tides
Weight
Inertia
Inertia: The tendency of an
object to resist a change in
motion
Newtons First Law of Motion: an
object at rest will stay at rest,
and an object in motion will stay
in motion until another force acts
on it.
Orbital Motion
Inertia and Gravity combine to
keep the Earth in orbit around
Sun
Inertia and Gravity combine to
keep the Moon in orbit around
Earth.
The Moon
The moon rotates once on its axis
in the same amount of time it
takes to revolve around the
earth.
Moon day = Moon Year
The same side of the moon
always faces the earth
A day or year on the moon =
29 days
Is the Moon Close or Far?
Perigee: point of the moons
orbit closest to the earth
Apogee: point of the moons
orbit farthest from the earth
Phases of the Moon
Phases: the shapes of the moon
as seen from the earth
Depends on how much of the
moon that is reflecting sun
light faces the earth
Waxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing Gibbous
Waning Gibbous Waning Crescent Third Quarter
Full Moon
New Moon
Eclipses
Eclipse: partial or total blocking
of an object in space
Two types of eclipses
Solar- Sun
Lunar- Moon
Solar Eclipse
Moon directly between Earth &
sun, blocking sunlight
occurs with at New Moon
Types of Solar Eclipses
Total Solar Eclipse
Partial Solar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse
Occurs when the earth is
between the sun and the moon
Occurs with a full moon
Types of Lunar Eclipses
Total Lunar Eclipse
Partial Lunar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse
Moon Phase Video
Tides
Tides: the rise and fall of the
oceans
Due to the moons gravity
There are 2 high tides and 2 low
tides at any one time on earth.
Spring Tides
Occur at the New Moon and
Full Moon
When the sun and moon both
pull in the same direction
Very high tide
Spring Tide = Straight Line
Neap Tides
Occurs at the 1
st
quarter and
3
rd
quarter moon
When sun, earth and moon
form a 90
o
Angle
The high tide is not very
high
Moons Surface
Galileo is the first scientist
who looked at the moon with
a telescope
Features of the Moon
Maria: dark, flat surface
Thought they were seas
(oceans)
Really hardened rock
Craters: large pits on the surface
of the moon
Highlands: mountains on the moon
light colored
Characteristics of the Moon
Size & Density
of the earths diameter
Density is about the same
as the earths outer layers
Characteristics of the Moon
Temperature & Atmosphere
light side: 130
o
C = 266
o
F
Dark Side: -180
o
C = -292
o
F
There is no atmosphere so the
temperature always changes
Characteristics of the Moon
Water
No Liquid Water
Gravity
Gravity on the moon is about
1/6
th
as strong as on the earth