Geocentric
A model of the universe in which Earth is at the center of the revolving planets and stars.
Heliocentric
A model of the solar system in which Earth and the other planets revolve around the sun
Rotation
The spinning motion of a planet about its axis
Revolution
The movement of an object around another object
Orbit
The path of an object as it revolves around another object in space
Ellipse
A elongated circle, or oval shape, the shape of the planets orbit.
Axis
An imaginary line that passes through Earth's center and the North and South poles about which Earth rotates
Latitude
A measurement of distance from the equator expressed in degrees N or S
Solstice
The 2 days of the year on which the noon sun is directly overhead at either 23.5 degrees South or 23.5 degrees North
Start of Winter and Summer
Equinox
The 2 days of the year on which neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun
Start of Fall and Autumn
Aristotle
Astronomer who believed that Earth was a sphere and that the planets went around Earth in a perfect circle
Aristarchus
Ancient astronomer who believed that planets revolved around the sun, but no one else believed this for over 1000
Ptolemy
Astronomer who believed the planets travel in small circles while traveling around Earth in larger circles
Brahe
Astronomer who made careful observations of the solar system, including a supernova. Believed that the other planets went around the sun, but the sun went around the Earth
Kepler
Astronomer who wrote 3 laws of planetary motion which includes planet orbits are shaped like ellipses
Galileo
Astronomer who was able to prove that all objects do not revolve around the Earth by seeing the phases of Venus and the moons of Jupiter through a telescope
Newton
Astronomer who came up with laws of motion which describe how planets stay in orbit
Copernicus
Astronomer who claimed that the sun center is the of the solar system in the 1500s
Astronomy
The study of the moon, stars, and other objects in space
Reasons for Seasons
The yearly cycle of the seasons is caused by the tilt of Earth's axis as it revolves around the sun
Put in order of earliest to latest birth:
Newton, copernicus, aristotle, kepler, brahe, aristarchus, galileo, ptolemy,
Aristotle
Aristarchus
Ptolemy
Copernicus
Brahe
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Copernicus (helio or geo)
helio
Galileo (helio or geo)
helio
Ptolemy (helio or geo)
geo
Aristotle (helio or geo)
geo
Newton (helio or geo)
helio
kepler (helio or geo)
helio
Aristarchus (helio or geo)
helio
Brahe (helio or geo)
combo
What is the process that causes day and night?
The process that causes day and night is caused by Earth's rotation on its axis. As the Earth rotates East, the sun looks like its moving across the sky. When a side of the Earth is facing the sun, it is daytime for that side. Each cycle of Earth rotating
What are the two factors that cause the cycle of the seasons?
The two factors that cause the cycle of the seasons are Earth rotating on its axis and Earth orbiting the sun
Compare and contrast rotation and revolution.
There is a difference between a rotation and a revolution. When something is just rotating it is not moving around, it is in one place. When something is going on a revolution, it is changing its position, because its traveling around something else.
Difference between solstice and equinox
A solstice is the two days a year on which the noon sun is directly overhead at either 23.5 degrees S or 23.6 degrees North. An equinox is the 2 days of the year on which neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun. They're related to the pos
Are changes in distance between the Earth and the Sun important to causing the cycle of Earth's seasons?
Changes in distance between the Earth and the sun are not important to causing the cycle or Earth's seasons because when Earth is at one of its points in its orbit wheres is most far away from the sun, its summer for one hemisphere, when its at the closes
How does a city's location affect the daylight hours and temp throughout the year?
hours: The farther from the equator the larger the range in daylight hrs during the year
temp: The farther from the equator the bigger the range in temperatures and the colder it is. However, locations really close to the poles did not have quite as large
What happens to daylight hours and temp at 0 degree tilt
stays the same all year
When does Earth have the greatest distance between the sun?
june/july
When does Earth have the least distance between the sun?
January and December
Suns path in summer
high and long
sun path in winter
low and short
more direct sunlight means (sun path)
larger path of sun
less direct sunlight means (sun path)
shorter path of sun
more direct sunlight means (temp)
higher temp
less direct sunlight means (temp)
lower temp
Would you want Earth's inclination to be 0 degrees
no because no conditions of weather would change
would you want the earth's inclination to be 90 degrees
no because the lows and highs throughout the year would be too extreme
How does the latitude (location N or S on Earth) affect the sun's altitude?
The higher the latitude the lower the sun's altitude
Months for highest altitude
SH: December
NH: June
Equator: March and September
Months for lowest altitude
SH: June
NH: December
Equator: December and June
How does the sunbeam spread change throughout the year in the Northern Hemisphere
The sunbeam spread is condensed in the summer and spread out in the winter
Compare what happens to the sunbeam in the Northern Hemisphere to what happens to the sunbeam spread in the Southern Hemisphere in June and December
1) In Nov. - Jan the sunbeam spread is...
2) In May- July the sunbeam spread is...
1) condensed in the South and spread out in the North
2) spread out in the South and condensed in the North
How does the sun's altitude affect the sunbeam spread
the smaller the sun's altitude the bigger the sunbeam spread
How did the Greek model and Ptolemy's model differ?
They both thought the solar system was geocentric, but Ptolemy thought that planets moved on smaller circle that moved on bigger circles
How did Galileo's observations of Jupiter and Venus supports Copernicus's model?
Galileo found moons orbiting Jupiter , which shows that not everything revolved around earth and her observed the phases of Venus that ended up being similar to Earth's moon. These observations all supported the heliocentric model.
Which is above and which is below the equator
above: tropic of cancer
below: tropic of capricorn
Which is at top of earth which is at bottom
top: arctic circle
bottom: antarctic circle
in which directions does earth rotate
west to east
Is an area with more direct sunlight hotter or colder
hotter because the sun's energy is concentrated over a smaller area
Why is it hotter in the summer than in the winter?
In the summer the location of direct sunlight is in the Northern hemisphere. The sun is higher in the sky and is up for a longer time. When the sunlight is more direct (closer to 90 o ) the sunlight is not spread out so the heat is more concentrated causi