Rotation and Revolution Notes TEKS 8.7A model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves around the Sun causing changes in seasons
Earth’s Rotation
Rotation… The Earth rotates (spins) around an axis. The rotational axis is tilted to 23.4°.
Rotation… The Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. The direction it rotates is counterclockwise (west to east).
Results in… day and night sunrise and sunset Rotation… Results in… day and night sunrise and sunset
Earth’s Revolution
The Earth revolves around the Sun once every 365 ¼ days (1 year). Revolution… The Earth revolves around the Sun once every 365 ¼ days (1 year).
The path around the Sun, it’s orbit, is not a circle. Revolution… The path around the Sun, it’s orbit, is not a circle.
Revolution… Summer Fall Spring Winter
Revolution… The distance between the Earth and Sun is the shortest in January, about 147,000,000 km. the furthest in July, about 152,000,000 km.
Revolution… The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1 astronomical unit (AU). (1 AU = 150,000,000 kilometers.)