Unit 2 - Earth's Dimensions Flashcards
Gravitational attraction is _____ when the masses are larger.
greater
Gravitational attraction is greater when the objects are _____.
closer
Because Earth bulges slightly at the Equator and is slightly flattened at the Poles, it is called an …
oblate spheroid
A person would weigh _____ at the Poles.
slightly more (because he/she is closer to the center of the Earth)
The best model of Earth’s shape is …
a perfect sphere that is smooth like a ping pong ball.
_____ is based upon our observation of the Sun and stars.
Latitude
_____ is based upon Earth’s rotation of 15 degrees/hour and the Sun’s apparent motion.
Longitude
The _____ is at 0 degrees latitude.
Equator
The _____ is at 0 degrees longitude.
Prime Meridian
The _____ are at 90 degrees latitude
Poles
When describing latitude or longitude you must give the…
number and direction. For example: 42 degrees North.
Use the New York State maps in…
the ESRT. Be sure to draw the latitude and longitude lines.
One degree is divided into …
60 minutes
_____ is the North Star.
Polaris
Polaris is located above …
the Earth’s axis of rotation (AKA: North Pole)
The angle of Polaris (how high you have to look up in the northern sky) is equal to _____ in the Northern Hemisphere.
your latitude
When describing the altitude of Polaris do not give a direction. Only give the …
measurement of the angle in degrees.
As a person’s latitude increases, the altitude of Polaris…
increases
Earth rotates at a rate of _____ degrees per hour.
15
Locations on the same longitude line have the same…
local time
Greenwich England is at…
0 degrees longitude (AKA: Prime Meridian)
The International Date Line is at…
180 degrees longitude
If you travel west, time…
becomes less
if you travel east, time…
will increase.
_____ provides a basis for our system of local time.
Rotation
Lines of _____ are the basis for time zones.
longitude
To people on Earth, _____ makes it seem as though the Sun, Moon, and stars are moving around Earth once a day.
the rotation of Earth
