Earth's Orbit & Rotation

Front

What is Earth's rotation?

Back

Earth's rotation is the spinning of the Earth on its axis, which takes about 24 hours to complete.

Front

What is Earth's orbit?

Back

Earth's orbit is the path that Earth takes as it moves around the Sun, which takes about 365.25 days to complete.

Front

What causes day and night?

Back

Day and night are caused by Earth's rotation on its axis. When one side of the Earth faces the Sun, it is day; when it faces away, it is night.

Front

What is a constellation?

Back

A constellation is a group of stars that forms a recognizable pattern in the night sky.

Front

Why do we have different constellations at different times of the year?

Back

Different constellations are visible at different times of the year because of Earth's orbit around the Sun.

Front

What is a shadow?

Back

A shadow is a dark area created when an object blocks light from a source, like the Sun.

Front

What time of day has the shortest shadows?

Back

Noon has the shortest shadows because the Sun is at its highest point in the sky.

Front

What is a time zone?

Back

A time zone is a region of the Earth that has the same standard time, which is affected by Earth's rotation.

Front

How long does it take for Earth to complete one rotation?

Back

It takes about 24 hours for Earth to complete one rotation.

Front

What is the significance of 365.25 days?

Back

365.25 days is the time it takes for Earth to orbit around the Sun, which is why we have a leap year every four years.