Our Planet Flashcards
Why is the north and South Pole the coldest places on Earth?
Because the sun is barely grazing the south and North Pole and there is barely any energy and light
What would happen if the Earth wasn’t rotating as it went around?
One side would be in permanent darkness and one would be in permanent light
What is the imaginary line that runs from the north and south pole called and what is special about it
An axis and it’s tilted
Why is there day and night
Because while the Earth is orbiting around the Sun it is spinning on its axis and the side that is in front of the sun is in day and the other side is in night.
What determines year length
How long the Earth takes to rotate around the Sun
Why do seasons happen
Seasons happen because Earth’s axis is tilted and one side tilts more towards the sun than the other side. When it’s summer we are tilted towards the rays of the sun and when it’s winter we are tilted away.
Order of the planets
Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Constellation definiton
A group of stars that form a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological creature
What is Matariki and how is it celebrated
Matariki is a star cluster of 9 stars that symbolize the Māori new year. If the stars were clear and bright it used to symbolize a good harvest. Matariki is celebrated by having a feast
What are three other names for Matariki
Pleiades in English, Makali’i in Hawaiian and Subaru in Japanese
What is the first matariki star and what does it symbolize
Matariki(Alcyone)- the reflection of the past and gathering
What is the second matariki star and what does it symbolize
Pohutukawa(Sterope)- Lost people/dead and connection to past and ancestry
What is the third matariki star and what does it symbolize
Waiti(Maia)- Fresh water e.g., lakes, streams, freshwater species
What is the fourth matariki star and what does it symbolize
Waita- Bodies of salt water like oceans and ocean dwelling life
What is the fifth matariki star and what does it symbolize
Waipuna-a-rangi(Electra)- Life giving water like rain, hail and snow
What is the sixth matariki star and what does it symbolize
Tupuanuku(Pleione)- Food that can be harvested from the ground
What is the seventh matariki star and what does it symbolize
Tupuarangi(Atlas)- Trees, forests and all that live within
What is the eighth matariki star and what does it symbolize
Ururangi(Merope)- The winds
What is the ninth matariki star and what does it symbolize
Hiwa-te-rangi(Hiwa, Celaeno)- Wishing star (It’s tapu)
What is the atmosphere
Clouds, gases, weather (Particles in the air)
What is the Biosphere
Anything living, eco systems
What is the Hydrosphere
Water in solid or liquid form like ocean, ice, snow
What is the Lithosphere/Geosphere
System associated with solid parts of Earth like rocks and soil
What is Pangaea
When all the continents were joined together into one big landmass
What is Laurasia and Gondwana
When the landmass was split up into 2 huge continents
2 ways to prove continental drift exists
- Same fossils in 2 different continents and same shapes with the two continents
What is the continental drift theory
It is the hypothesis that Earth’s continents have moved over time and evolved to be separate from each other
What is the structure of the earth
Crust- Solid rocks
Mantle- Molten rocks
Outer core- Liquid, Iron and Nickel
Inner core- Solid, Iron and Nickel
Characteristics of summer
- Sun rays are concentrated
- Smaller area
- Sun is higher in the sky
Characteristics of winter
- Sun rays are spread out
- Less concentrated, not as warm
- Sun is lower in the sky
