Download Aim 23: How do we describe Earth as a Planet?

Name:
Aim 23: How do we describe Earth as a Planet?
Date:
Diameter (pole to pole)
12,714 km
Circumference (pole to pole)
Mass
40,0008 km
5.98 x 1024 kg
Distance to Moon
384,400 km
Distance to Sun
149,600,00 km
Period of Rotation
23 hrs, 56 min
Period of revolution
365 days, 6 hrs, 9 min
Earth orbits the sun at an average distance of 149,600,000
km. Its orbit, like those of all the planets, moons,
asteroids and many comets, is shaped like an ellipse. An
ellipse is an elongated, closed curve with two foci. The
Sun is not located at the center of the ellipse, but at one of
its two foci. This means the distance from Erath to the
Sun varied during the year. Earth is closest to the Sun about 147 million km away – around January 3rd and is
farthest from the Sun – about 152 million km away –
around July 4 of each year.
Name:
Aim 23: How do we describe Earth as a planet?
Date:
A) BEFORE YOU READ:
B) WHILE YOU READ:
1.
Skim the larger bolded headings in this section. Write three questions that come to mind
a.
b.
c.
2.
Under “reading guide” at the top of the reading, use the review vocabulary” section to define
ORBIT:
3.
Define SPHERE:
4.
What were Aristotle’s three observations about Earth that led him to believe that the Earth was spherical?
a)
b)
c)
5.
List two ways that you have noticed Earth’s spherical shape (aside from seeing images)
6.
Define GRAVITY:
7.
Give a detained explanation about how astronomers think Earth formed
8.
What is the purpose of Earth’s Magnetic Field?
9.
MODEL: Earth’s magnetic Field
10. Organize the information about Earth’s orbit around the sun by completing the paragraph:
The average distance between Earth and the Sun is ______________ km. Because Earth’s orbit is an _______________, the actual
distance between Earth & the Sun varies throughout the year. Earth comes closest to the sun on _____________ when it is
____________ km away from the Sun. Earth is the farthest from the sun on ___________ when it is __________ km from the Sun.
11. Earth & Venus are similar and different in many ways. Use the Venn diagram below to compare and contrast both planets. Be thorough
and use as much information from the reading as possible.
12.
CONNECTION: Imagine the shape of Earth’s orbit. If Earth is nearest the Sun in winter and the farthest from the Sun in summer,
analyze at which two times of the year Earth is nearest to its average distance from the Sun. Predict the approximate dates of these
events: