The Earth in Space I Flashcards
shadow
An area of darkness produced when light is blocked by an opaque object
axis
The imaginary line through the earth around which it spins.
day
The period of time when one section of a planet is facing its sun
night
Period of time when one section of a planet is facing away from its sun
year
Length of time it takes for a planet to orbit its sun
seasons
Changes in the climate during the year as the earth moves around its orbit.
poles
The north and south points of the Earth, connected by its axis of tilt.
equator
Imaginary line around the middle of the earth
northern hemisphere
The half of the earth between the equator and the north pole.
southern hemisphere
The half of the earth between the equator and the South Pole
star
Body in space that gives out its own light
atmosphere
The layer of air above Earth’s surface
planets
Any large body that orbits a star in a solar system.
Mercury
The planet nearest the Sun
Venus
A rocky inner planet, the second from the Sun
Mars
A rocky planet, the fourth from the Sun.
asteroid
Irregularly shaped lump of rock in orbit around the Sun
dwarf planet
A lump of rock in orbit around a star that is nearly spherical but has other objects around it.
Pluto
Used to be regarded as the ninth and last planet from the Sun; now called a dwarf planet together with others of the same size that are beyond Pluto’s orbit.
exoplanets
A planet in orbit around a star other than our Sun.
comets
Bodies in space made of dust particles frozen in ice, which orbit the Sun.
meteor
A piece of rock or dust that makes a streak of light in the sky.
meteorite
A stony or metallic object that has fallen to earth from outer space without burning up.
artificial satellites
Man-made object that orbits the earth
global positioning system (GPS)
System that pinpoints the position of something using signals from satellites
International Space Station
A research station in orbit around the Earth
Solar System
A star and the planets and other bodies that orbit it
inner planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
asteroid belt
A ring of asteroids in orbit around the Sun
outer planets
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
phases of the moon
Parts of the moon that we see as it orbits the Earth.
solar eclipse
Occurs when the moon blocks out the light from the Sun because it is in direct line between the Earth and the Sun, and part of the Earth is in shadow.
penumbra
The area of blurred or fuzzy shadow around the edges of the umbra.
partial eclipse
Occurs when parts of the light from the Sun is blocked by the Moon or Earth.
umbra
The area of total behind an opaque object where no light has reached
total eclipse
Occurs when all of the light from the Sun is blocked by Moon or Earth
lunar eclipse
Occurs when the light from the Sun is blocked by the Earth because it is in direct line between the Earth and the Sun, and the Moon in shadow
eclipse
The Sun or Moon is blocked from view on Earth.
spring tide
Higher tide that occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned
neap tide
The lower tide that occurs when the Moon is not aligned at all with the Sun.
evidence
Observations and decisions that support or disproves a scientific theory.
explanation
A statement that gives a reason for something using scientific knowledge.
geocentric model
A model of the universe with the Earth at the centre.
retrograde motion
The apparent ‘backwards’ motion of the planets due to the motion of the Earth and the planet around the Sun
Universe
Everything that exists.
telescope
A device made with lenses that allows distant objects to be seen clearly.
heliocentric
Model of the universe with the sun at the centre
sunspots
The dark spots on the surface of the Sun
data
Measurements taken from an investigation or experiment
primary source
Sources of data you collected yourself
secondary source
Sources of date collected by others that you use
earth
A rocky inner planet. The third planet from the sun.
