Unit 1 (Orbit and tides) Flashcards
Describe earth’s rotation
Earth’s rotation is when it spins on it axis (24 hours)
Describe Earth’s Revolution
Earth’s revolution is when it takes about 1 year (the motion around one object around another object)
Describe Earth’s orbit
Earth moves around the Sun almost in a circular motion (ellipse, elongated circle
Why does Earth revolve around the Sun?
Because the sun’s gravitational pull
Describe Earth’s rotation axis
Earth’s axis is slightly tilted, imaginary line in the middle of the earth
Earth has seasons because…
The earth’s axis is slightly tilted and as it rotates around the sun, different parts of the earth get more or less sun, causing the seasons
When the North end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the Sun, what are the days and nights like?
The days are longer and the nights are shorter
What do waxing phases mean and which moon phases are considered waxing?
Waxing phases is when the moon is seeming to be getting bigger, the waxing crescent, first quarter and waxing gibbous are the waxing phases
What do waning phases mean and which moon phases are considered waning?
Waning means to be getting smaller, Waning crescent, Waning gibbous and third quarter are waning phases
The phase of the moon you see depends on…
Where the sunlight from the sun, The different phases are caused when the moon rotates around the earth and the moon reflects sunlight from different parts
What must happen for a solar eclipse to occur…
It must be a new moon and the Moon has to be perfectly in line with the sun and earth, and the moon seems to be covering the sun
Explain the difference between a penumbra and umbra.
The umbra is the central, darker part of the shadow where light it totally blocked. The penumbra is the lighter part of the shadow where light it kinda blocked
If you experience a total solar eclipse.. Would you be in the umbra or penumbra? Why?
The Penumbra, because we didn’t see totally
If you experience a partial solar eclipse.. Would you be in the umbra or penumbra? Why?
Penumbra, because we are the lighter part of the moon’s shadow so it wasn’t totally dark where we were
The ________________ is the imaginary line that splits the Earth into hemispheres.
Equator
What must happen for a lunar eclipse to occur…
It must be a full moon and the moon is in the earth’s shadow
Describe the three main terms covering the moon’s surface…
Highlands -
Maria -
Crater -
Highlands - The light colored highlands are too high for the lava that formed the maria to reach, They are older then the craters and the maria
Maria - The large, dark, flat areas on the moon
Crater - the moon’s craters were formed when objects from space crashed into the moon
An equinox occurs when…
The northern and southern hemisphere receive the same amount of sunlight
A solstice occurs when…
When earth’s rotation axis is the most toward or away from the sun, june september
Day and night are caused by Earth’s ___________ on its axis.
Rotating
How can the moon be seen from Earth?
It reflects sunlight
List the phases of the moon in the order they occur, beginning with the new moon.
Waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent
Approximately how much time passes between a full moon and new moon?
Half a month
Approximately how much time passes during the entire lunar cycle?
30 days 29.5
Explain how a lunar eclipse differs from a solar eclipse.
The earth’s shadow is on the moon when it’s a lunar eclipse and the moon puts a shadow on the earth during a solar eclipse
What causes tides on Earth?
The moon’s gravitational pull and the sun Bigger effect (moon) because it's closer
Why do we see the same side of the moon?
Because the moon and earth rotate at the same pace
