| A | B |
|---|
| the act of spinning around an axis | rotation |
| a real or imaginary line that a spinning object turns around | axis |
| one complete trip around an object in a circular or nearly circular path | revolution |
| the path an object takes as it travels around another object | orbit |
| shape of Eath's orbit (like a flattened circle) | ellipse |
| half (top and bottom) of the Earth, which is divided by the Equator (Northern and Southern) | hemisphere |
| an object that orbits around another object in space. Earth is a _____________ of the Sun. | satellite |
| the period from sunrise to sunset, which varies because of the Earth's tilted axis | solar day |
| a region on Earth that has a standard time for legal and social purposes | time zone |
| How many time zones are there around the world? | There are 24 time zones around the world. |
| How many time zones are in the U.S. and what are their names? | There are 4 time zones in the U.S., and they are Eastern, Central (where we live), Mountain, and Pacific |
| What would happen to the seasons if Earth's axis was not tilted? | The seasons would disappear. |
| Describe the Sun. | nearest star, but about 93 million miles away, huge ball of fiery gases (hydrogen and helium), most important part of the Solar System, gives planets light and heat (and life on Earth), holds all planets in their positions in space |
| How often does Earth complete one rotation on its axis? | every 24 hours |
| Where does the Sun appear to rise? | in the east |
| Where does the Sun appear to set? | in the west |
| What size are the shadows at dawn and dusk? | Shadows are long |
| What size are the shadows at midday? | Shadows are short |
| How long does it take for Earth to complete on revolution around the Sun? | 365 days or one year |
| What is the year called when we have 366 days? | Leap year |
| When the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, what season are we having? | We are having summer when light and heat are more intense. |
| When the North Pole is tilted away from the Sun, what season are we having? | We have having winter, when sunlight hits the Northern Hemisphere at a low angle. |
| What season is it in the Southern Hemisphere when the Northern Hemisphere is having winter? | It is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| What kind of nights does northern Alaska have in the summer? | Summer nights are short in northern Alaska. |
| How would you describe the Sun during winter in northern Alaska? | The Sun hardly appears. |
| Is it possible to predict the time the sun will rise and set? | Yes, scientists can make these predictions. |
| At what location does the Sun's apparent path change less during the year than at higher latitudes? | near the Equator |
| True or False? The Sun rises higher in the sky in summer than it does in winter. | True |
| In which direction does the Earth rotate on its axis? | The Earth rotates on its axis in a counter clockwise direction. |
