The Earth and Beyond Flashcards
What is our nearest star?
The sun
How many planets are in our solar system?
8
What covers most of the earth?
Water
What do we call the pieces of dry land between the oceans?
Continents
What do we call the layer of air around the earth?
The atmosphere
What does the atmosphere protect us from?
Dangerous rays from the sun
What is the name of the only planet that has plants and animals?
Earth
What is often referred to as the “Blue Planet”?
Earth
What do we call the imaginary line around which the Earth spins?
The Earth’s axis
How many planets are between the Earth and the sun?
Two - Mercury and Venus
What do we call the spinning of the Earth?
Rotation
How long does one rotation of the Earth take?
24 hours
In which two ways does the Earth move?
Rotates around its axis and revolves around the sun
How long does it take the Earth to revolve around the sun?
365 days
What do we call the imaginary line that divides the Earth into Northern and Southern halves?
The Equator
What do call the part of the Earth to the north of the equator?
The Northern Hemisphere
What shape is the Earth?
Spherical
What is different about the rock at the centre of the Earth?
It is hot and molten
What do we call areas of land surrounded by water?
Islands
What do we call the surroundings in which a creature lives?
Its habitat
Name some features of the Earth
Land with mountains and valleys, water in dams, lakes, rivers and oceans.
What do we call the path of a planet around the sun?
Its orbit
Name the planets in our solar system, in increasing order of distance from the sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What are differences between stars and planets?
Stars are burning gas, while planets are rock or cold gas. Stars give off their own light, while planets reflect light. Stars twinkle, while the light of planets is steady
How many times bigger than the Earth is the sun?
110 times
Describe the surface of the moon?
Rocky with craters. No water or gas.
What does the moon revolve around?
The Earth
Name some phases of the moon.
new moon, crescent moon, half moon, gibbous moon, full moon
What do we call the dents on the moon?
Craters
What do we call the changing pattern of sunlight on the moon?
Phases of the moon
What is a lake?
A large area of water that has land all around it
What starts the energy chain?
Light from the sun
Why is the sun’s heat important to the water cycle?
It causes water to evaporate
How often do the phases of the moon repeat?
29 1/2 days
