Module 4 Lesson 2 Flashcards
what is gravitational force? how does it work when the moon orbits the earth
gravitational force is when two objects are attracted to one another.
the larger the object the stronger the gravitational pull is between them.
gravity between the earth and the sun keeps us in orbit
gravity between the earth and the moon keeps the moon in orbit
Compare and contrast the terms rotation and revolution.
rotation: rotation refers to an object spinning motion to its own axis
revolution: revolution refers to the object orbiting around another object
what do the phases of the moon tell us?
how much we see of the moon depends where it is in the night sky as it revoles around earth
list the phases of the moon starting from the full moon.
full moon wanning gibbous third quarter waning crescent new moon waxing crescent first quarter waxing gibbous
explain the moon and the tides
earths gravity keeps the moon in orbit around the earth. the moon is a smaller object so the force of gavity is weaker.
but since the moon is somewhat close, the pull of gravity is signficant. the moon pulls. which causes earths water to bulge in the direction of the moon. this is called tidal force.
the bulge of water toward the moon is called a high tide.
there are two high tides each day. the earth expereicnes a squeeze which causes the water to bulge on two sides
what is a solar eclipse
it occurs when the moon gets between the earth and the sun which casts a shadow over earth
when the shadow of the moon falls on the earth
what is a lunar eclipse
when the shadow of earth is casted on the moon
what is the difference between a solar and a lunar eclipse?
the difference is in a solar eclipse the sun getting blocked by the moon which casts a shadow on earth
while in a lunar eclipse the moon is blocked by the earth. the earth casts a shadow on the moon.
what is revolution?
it is when a planet or moon travels around the body it is orbiting one time.
for earth that would be 365 rotations = 1 revolution
how are the seasons determined/decided on earth?
the seasons are determined by the position of orbit of the earth around the sun.
because the earths axis is titled this causes seasons.
Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s heat while other parts do not. when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
why is the sun so important
without the sun, plants and cyanobacteria cannot capture its energy with photosynthesis.
without this energy capture, no food is produced so no food chains would not exist.
which means life would not exist without the sun
what are the auroras?
the earth is surrounded by manetic field and it is strongest at the north and south poles. solar winds travel toward the earth and become influenced by the magnetic force created by earths magnetic field.
near the poles they come in contact with the particles in earths atmosphere which produces a display in the night sky
( solar winds are a Steady stream of particles electrons and protons emitted by the sun)
what are aurora borealis?
they are northern lights seen in the northern hemisphere
what are aurora australis?
they are southern lights seen in the southern hemisphere
what are aurora australis?
they are southern lights seen in the southern hemisphere
