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.