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