THE SOLAR SYSTEM

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

IS THE SUN THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE?

NO, BUT THE SUN IS THE CENTER OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. “SOL” MEANS SUN IN LATIN.

JOVIEDO 2008-09

WHAT ARE THOSE DARK AREAS ON THE SUN?

SUNSPOTS – MAGNETIC REGIONS WITH LOWER TEMPERATURES THAN THE REST OF THE SUN’S SURFACE

WHAT OBJECTS REVOLVE AROUND THE SUN?

PLANETS, ASTERIODS, & COMETS

WHAT FORCE ENABLES PLANETS TO ORBIT THE SUN?

GRAVITY – THE ATTRACTIVE FORCE BETWEEN ALL OBJECTS THAT POSSESS

MASS.

THE PATH A PLANET FOLLOWS AS IT REVOLVES AROUND THE SUN

IS CALLED?

ORBIT

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE THE EARTH TO REVOLVE (go around)

THE SUN?

1 REVOLUTION = 1 YEAR

HOW CAN YOU REMEMBER THE ORDER OF THE PLANETS?

MY VERY EXCITED MOTHER JUST SERVED US NACHOS.

WHAT ARE THE OUTER PLANETS?

NAME THE INNER PLANETS

A ring of thousands of large rocks between Mars and Jupiter

• ASTERIOD BELT

WHEN THE EARTH ROTATES (SPINS) ON ITS AXIS, THIS IS

REFERRED TO AS WHAT?

ONE ROTATION = 1 DAY = 24 HOURS

ONE ROTATION = 1 DAY = 24 HOURS

WHY DO WE HAVE SEASONS?

BECAUSE THE EARTH REVOLVES AROUND THE SUN WITH A TILTED AXIS.

SEASONS

DIRECT LIGHT RAYS, HIGH TEMPERATURES; SEASON?

SUMMER: NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TILTED TOWARD THE SUN

INDIRECT RAYS OF LIGHT, COLDER TEMPERATURES; WHAT

SEASON?

WINTER; OUR HEMISPHERE IS TILTED AWAY

FROM THE SUN

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE THE MOON TO ORBIT THE EARTH?

• APPROXIMATELY 29 DAYS; THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO ROTATE ONCE ON ITS AXIS

DOES THE MOON CHANGE SHAPE?

NO, SUNLIGHT REFLECTED OFF THE MOON & ITS POSITION AROUND THE EARTH

DETERMINES ITS SHAPE / APPEARANCE.

THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE OF WHICH EARTH NEIGHBOR

CAUSES OCEAN TIDES?

MOON