Earth's Movement in Space

Front

Rotation Noun

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[roh-tay-shun]

Back

Rotation

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The spinning of a planet or moon on its axis, a motion that is responsible for causing day and night.

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Example: The image shows Earth rotating on its axis, causing day and night.

Front

Revolution Noun

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[rev-uh-loo-shun]

Back

Revolution

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The movement of one object in space around another, such as the Earth traveling in its orbit around the sun.

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Example: Earth's orbit around the sun shows revolution, with arrows indicating its path.

Front

Axis Noun

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[ak-sis]

Back

Axis

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An imaginary line passing through an object's center, from its north pole to its south pole, around which it spins.

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Example: Earth's axis is shown as a dashed line through its center, illustrating how it tilts and rotates.

Front

Orbit Noun

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[or-bit]

Back

Orbit

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The curved path an object, like a planet or satellite, takes as it revolves around another object in space.

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Example: The image shows Earth's orbit around the Sun, highlighting the curved path and distances.

Front

Ellipse Noun

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[ih-lips]

Back

Ellipse

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An oval shape which describes the non-circular path of a planet's orbit as it revolves around the sun.

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Example: The image shows Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun, illustrating the concept of an ellipse in space.

Front

Seasons Noun

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[see-zuns]

Back

Seasons

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Distinct periods of the year with different weather patterns, caused by the tilt of Earth's axis during its revolution.

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Example: Earth's tilt causes different sunlight angles, creating seasons.

Front

Solstice Noun

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[sol-stis]

Back

Solstice

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The day when a hemisphere is tilted most strongly toward or away from the sun, causing the longest or shortest day.

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Example: Earth's tilt causes sunlight to hit one hemisphere more directly, leading to the longest or shortest day.

Front

Equinox Noun

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[ee-kwuh-noks]

Back

Equinox

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The day when the sun is directly over the equator, resulting in approximately equal hours of daylight and darkness everywhere.

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Example: The image shows Earth during an equinox, with sunlight hitting the equator, creating equal day and night.

Front

Gravity Noun

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[grav-i-tee]

Back

Gravity

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A fundamental natural force that attracts any two objects with mass toward each other, keeping planets in orbit.

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Example: Arrows pointing towards Earth show how gravity pulls objects towards the planet.

Front

Force Noun

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[forss]

Back

Force

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A push or a pull on an object that can cause it to change its motion, speed, or direction.

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Example: A person pushing a box shows how force can move an object.