Earth and Space Sciences Flashcards
Geocentric Model
A model of the Solar System in which the earth is at the centre.
(Many ancient Greek and Roman scientists, such as Ptolemy, believed in this model)
Heliocentric model
A model of the solar system in which the sun is at the centre.
(This model replaced the geocentric model after Copernicus and Galileo provided evidence for it.)
What is a model?
A representation of an idea, object or system.
What is the solar system?
The Sun and all objects that orbit around it.
What is a rotation?
A spinning motion.
The rotation of the Earth on its axis is what causes day and night.
What is an axis?
An imaginary line through an object around which it spins.
What is the Equator?
An imaginary line halfway between the North and South Poles.
What is the Equator?
An imaginary line halfway between the North and South Poles.
What is a season?
A time of year with typical weather patterns and daylight hours.
What is an ellipse and what does it have to do with the orbits of the planets?
A geometric shape that looks like an oval or squashed circle. The orbits of all planets around the Sun are elliptical in shape.
How long does it take for the Earth to orbit the sun?
365.25 days
What is an orbit?
The motion of one object around another because of gravity.
What are the hemispheres?
A half of the earth, either north or south of the Equator.
What are the differences and similarities between a lunar and solar eclipse?
An eclipse is an event when one object in space blocks another from view. Eclipses occur when the Earth, Moon and Sun are positioned in a straight line. Solar eclipses occur when the sun is blocked from view by the moon, whereas in a lunar eclipse the moon passes into Earth’s shadow.
How many phases of the moon are there?
Eight
What is a satellite?
Any object that orbits a planet or star.
What is a galaxy?
A group of millions of billions of stars.
What is a star?
A star is a ball of gas that releases light and heat. A star is held together by gravity.
How many types of planets are there?
17
List the planets in the Solar System
Mercury (has no tilt)
Venus (rotates anticlockwise)
Earth
Mars
Jupiter (the largest planet and has the fastest rotation)
Saturn
Uranus (has 28 small moons)
Neptune (planet furthest away from the sun)
