Chapter 17 Earth in Space

What does a comet form when it gets close to the sun?

A comet is a frozen mass of different types of ice and dust orbiting the sun. Comets come from an area of the solar system far beyond Neptune.

What is the difference between rotation and revolution?

A rotation is one complete spin of an object on its axis (a day on Earth). A revolution is one full orbit of an object around another (a year on Earth)

Why are shooting not really stars at all?

A shooting star is actually meteor. It may look like it is a shooting star because as it shoots through the atmosphere it heats up so quickly that it glows as a streak of light.

What is the shape of Earth's orbit?

An ellipse is the shape of Earth's orbit around the sun.

Why do craters last for millions of years on the surface of the moon?

Craters last for millions of years on the surface of the moon because there is no air or water to erode the craters.

What causes day and night on Earth?

Day and night on Earth are caused by a complete spin on its own axis.

List all the planets in order from the closest to the sun to the farthest.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

Why is a year shorter than a year on Jupiter?

Planes farther away move slowly and their orbits are longer, so their revolutions take some more time.

What affects planet's orbiting time?

Planets closer to the sun travel faster in their orbits, so they make a quicker revolution.

What determines which season we are experiencing on Earth?

Seasons are determined by Earth's tilt. As the Earth revolves around the Sun the tilt causes sunlight to strike the planet more or less on certain phases. The amount of light energy an area receives causes its climate and seasons

Describe the Kuiper Belt?

The Kuiper Belt is found beyond Neptune It contains thousands of icy, rocky objects

Are the moon phases predictable? Why or why not?

The moon doesn't not make its own light, it reflects light from the sun. The moon spins and orbits at the same speed which is why we only see the near side of the moon. The phases of the moon are predictable because they go in a cycle every 29 days.

How does the moon affect tides?

The moon's gravity is the main cause of the tides. The gravity causes Earth's land, water, and atmosphere to bulge slightly toward the moon. Water moves as a large mass being dragged by the moon's gravity causing high and low tide.

Describe the phases of the Moon.

The phases of the moon are New mon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, and Waning Crescent.

What parts make up the Solar System?

The sun and the eight planets along with many dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and comets are all found in the Solar System.