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Rotation Revolution Notes

Rotation is the spinning of the Earth on its axis, causing days and nights. Revolution is the orbit of the Earth around the sun, taking 365.25 days to complete one revolution or year. The tilt of the Earth's axis, combined with its revolution, causes the seasons by changing which hemisphere receives more direct sunlight throughout the year, affecting factors like shadow length.

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Rabia Sabir
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161 views2 pages

Rotation Revolution Notes

Rotation is the spinning of the Earth on its axis, causing days and nights. Revolution is the orbit of the Earth around the sun, taking 365.25 days to complete one revolution or year. The tilt of the Earth's axis, combined with its revolution, causes the seasons by changing which hemisphere receives more direct sunlight throughout the year, affecting factors like shadow length.

Uploaded by

Rabia Sabir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name___________________________________________ Period __________________

Rotation  and  Revolution  


-What is the difference between rotation and revolution.
-Explain how rotation and revolution affect days, years and seasons.

Astronomy  –  The  study  of  the  moon,  stars  and  other  objects  in  space  
Axis  –  The  imaginary  line  that  passes  through  the  Earth’s  center  and  the  north  and  south  poles.  
-­‐  23.5°  angle/tilt  

What is Rotation?
• Earth’s rotation or Spinning on it’s axis ( 23.5 degrees)

• Causes day or night

• Time for one rotation is about 24 hours.

• Spins counterclockwise

What is Revolution?
Orbit: Earth’s path as it revolves around the sun.

• Revolves in an oval shape called an ellipse.

• A revolution or orbit is the time it takes for the earth to make one complete revolution

around the sun.

• Time for one revolution = 365.25 days or one year.

• The speed of earth’s revolution is 68,000 miles per hour.


The Seasons:
- Caused by:
1. Revolution of the Earth around the sun AND

2. the unchanging tilt of the Earth’s axis

• North pole tilts towards the sun, the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing summer.

• South pole tilts towards the sun, the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing winter.

Shadows and Seasons


- Summer
o Sun is more overhead and “Direct” which causes more of a direct (strong) path for
radiation
o Shadows are shorter.
- Winter
o Sun is more slanted and “Indirect” which causes a less direct (weaker) path for
radiation.
o Shadows are longer.

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