Earth, Sun and Moon Flashcards 4.7

What is Earth?

Third planet from the sun; it has life

What is the Sun?

A star made of hydrogen and helium; the center of the Solar System

What is the Moon?

An object that travels around the Earth in an orbit

What is an axis?

An imaginary line that the Earth spins on

What is the surface of the moon made of?

Deep holes called craters, dust, rocks, mountains, plains

The Earth ______________ on an axis

Rotates

The Earth rotates on its’ axis in _______________.

24 hours or 1 day

The Earth _______________ around the Sun.

Revolves

It takes the Earth ________________ to revolve around the sun.

365 ¼ Days or 1 year

It takes the Moon __________________ to revolve around the Earth.

28 days or almost 1 month

The ______________ of the Earth causes the seasons.

Tilt- it is due to the angle of the sun’s rays on the Earth that causes the seasons. 

The Sun’s rays are directly on the Northern part of the Earth in what month?

June (summer)

The Sun’s rays less directly hit the Northern part of the Earth in what month?

December (winter)

Gravity is ____________________________________.

The force that holds things on the ground and determines how much they weigh

Gravity on Earth is ____________________ that on the moon.

6 times

Therefore, if a child weighs 36 lbs. on Earth, she weighs ________________ lbs. on the moon.

6 lbs.      36 divided by 6 equals 6

What causes the moon to look as if it glows?

The sun’s light that it reflects

Why do we see only half of the moon?

Because the moon rotates and revolves at the same speed

Why does the moon appear to change shape?

It is due to the amount of sunlight reflecting off of the moon at that period of time, and the moon’s movements about Earth

What are the moons changes in appearance called?

Phases

What is the difference between waxing and waning?

A waxing moon is becoming larger and a waning moon is becoming smaller

In which phase do we see all of the lighted side of the moon?

Full moon

In what phase is none of the moon visible because the side of the moon facing Earth is not lighted?

New moon

Be able to draw and label all phases of the moon.