Podcast
Questions and Answers
The Earth's movement around the Sun is called ______.
The Earth's movement around the Sun is called ______.
revolution
The Earth's spinning motion on its axis is known as ______.
The Earth's spinning motion on its axis is known as ______.
rotation
One complete revolution of the Earth takes approximately ______ days.
One complete revolution of the Earth takes approximately ______ days.
365
A complete rotation of the Earth is referred to as a ______ day.
A complete rotation of the Earth is referred to as a ______ day.
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Every fourth year, a leap year is added with an extra day in ______.
Every fourth year, a leap year is added with an extra day in ______.
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Study Notes
Planetary Motions
- Earth's movements are on several levels of magnitude
- Divided into large-scale and small-scale motions
Large-Scale Motions
- Largest movement is Earth's movement along with the rest of the Solar System and galaxy
- Second large-scale motion is revolution of our Solar System around the Milky Way galaxy's center
Small-Scale Motions
- Cause Earth's position to change constantly relative to the Sun
- Responsible for changing seasons and day/night cycles
- Basis for timekeeping
Rotation
- Earth spins on its axis from west to east
- Defines three key locations: North Pole, South Pole, and Equator
- One complete rotation is a sidereal day (23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds)
- Basic unit for measuring days is a solar day (24 hours)
- Basis for our calendar day and apparent westward motion of sun, moon, and stars
Revolution
- Earth revolves around the Sun
- Basis for our calendar year (365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes)
- Most years are 365 days, but every fourth year has an extra day (leap year) to account for the extra time
- Earth orbits the sun in a plane called the ecliptic, in the same direction as other planets
Other Key Facts
- Earth's axis is tilted at 23.5° from the perpendicular to the ecliptic plane
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Description
Explore the concepts of large-scale and small-scale planetary motions, focusing on Earth's movements within the Solar System. This quiz covers the Earth's rotation, revolution, and their implications for timekeeping and seasonal changes.
