Middle School Science: What Effect Does the Moon Have on Earth?

Crecent

When less than half of the moon is visible.

Gibbous

When more than half of the moon but less than all of the moon is illuminated.

Sunspots

A dark area of gas on the Sun's surface that is cooler than surrounding gases.

Gravity

A force of attraction between objects that is due to their masses.

Season

A period of the year characterized by particular conditions of weather and temperature.

Year

A planet completing a full revolution around a star, such as Earth around the Sun in 365 Earth days.

Eclipse

An event during which one object in space casts a shadow onto another. On Earth, one of these occur when the moon moves through Earth's shadow.

Solar Flare

An explosive release of energy that comes from the Sun and that is associated with magnetic disturbances on the Sun's surface.

Sattelite

Any object that orbits around another object in space.

Tides

Daily changes in the level of ocean water that are caused by the difference in gravitational force of the Sun and moon across our Earth.

Spring Tides

Occur when the Sun, moon, and Earth form a straight line. (When the moon is between the Sun and Earth and when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth. Every 14 days.)

Waning

Pertaining to the period during which the visible surface of the moon decreases.

Waxing

Pertaining to the period during which the visible surface of the moon increases.

Convection

Process by which, in a fluid being heated, the warmer part of the mass will rise and the cooler portions will sink.

Umbra

The darkest part of the moon's shadow.

Tidal Range

The difference in levels of ocean water at high tide and low tide.

Lunar Phase

The different appearances of the moon from Earth throughout the month.

Revolution

The motion of a body that travels around another body in space.

Penumbra

The part of a shadow surrounding the darkest part.

Rotation

The spinning motion of a planet on its axis.

Day

The time required for a planet to fully rotate once on its axis.

Equinox

The two days of the year on which neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the Sun, so the days and nights have equal length.

Solstice

The two days of the year on which the Sun reaches its greatest distance north or south of the equator.

Neap Tides

They have the smallest daily tidal range. Occur when Sun, Earth, and the moon form a 90 degree angle.

Prominence

Vast loops of gas that extend into the Sun's outer atmosphere.