Changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun Flashcards
1
Q
What does the Earth’s climate depend on?
A
The amount & distribution of solar radiation the planet receives.
2
Q
What is ECCENTRICITY?
A
Deviation of Earth’s orbit from a circle. (100,000 years)
(basically describes the PATH of the Earth as it orbits the Sun)
3
Q
What is OBLIQUITY?
A
The angle of Earth’s rotational axis. (41,000 years)
(responsible for Earth’s seasons)
4
Q
What is PRECESSION?
A
The direction of the Earth’s rotational axis. (23,000 years).
5
Q
What is the MILANKOVITCH CYCLE?
A
It describes the collective effects of Earth’s eccentricity, obliquity, and precession on climate over thousands of years.
