Physics test 8th grade #2 Flashcards
Why are summers generally warmer than winters?
The angle that the sunlight hits the earth is steeper in the winter and more perpendicular in the summer
The days are longer, meaning that the sun is out for longer
Where on Earth are seasons NOT very different?
Near the equator, seasons are not very different because the equator is hit by the sun each day at the same angle. The poles remain cool because they are never in the direct path of sunlight
What are the two major ways the Earth moves?
Rotation
Revolution
What is rotation?
The spinning of the Earth on its axis
Rotation causes day and night because as Earth turns from west to east, the sun appears to move from east to west. The part of the Earth that doesn’t face the sun is night
What is the imaginary line around which the Earth spins?
Axis
Which way does the Earth rotate?
The Earth rotates eastward or west to east
How does the Sun appear to move in the sky?
The sun appears to move east to west, rising in the east and setting in the west
What is the name of one full rotation?
One rotation is called a day
How long does one full rotation take in hours, minutes, and seconds?
24 hours
1440 minutes
86400 seconds
What is a revolution?
The movement of one object around another
How long does it take for the Earth to move around the Sun?
365 days
What is the name of one full revolution?
A year
What shape is the Earth’s path around the Sun?
Earth’s orbit path is a slightly elongated circle or ellipse.
How long does a full revolution take in days, hours, minutes, seconds?
365.25 days
8766 hours
525960 minutes
31557600 seconds
What season is it in the Northern Hemisphere when the Earth is closest to the Sun?
It is winter in january when the Earth is closest to the sun
How can you tell what season it is based on the position of the Earth?
When the northern hemisphere is directed away from the sun it is winter in the northern hemisphere. If the northern hemisphere is pointed towards the sun, it is summer in the northern hemisphere.
What is a calendar?
A system of organizing time that defines the beginning, length, and divisions of a year
The motions of which two bodies are used to make a calendar?
The motions of the Earth and the Moon are used to make a calendar
What does a calendar organize? Explain
A calendar organizes time that defines the beginning, length, and divisions of a year.
What are the three main divisions of time used in a calendar?
The three main divisions of time used in a calendar are years, months, and days
How is each of the above three connected to the movements previously identified?
A year is a full revolution of the sun, a month corresponds to the cycle of the moon, which takes around 30 days to complete, and days refer to one full rotation on its axis.
Where do you need to be to have four distinct seasons?
You need to be in the middle between the poles and the equator - above the tropics of capricorn and cancer and below the poles