|
The Earth is the third planet from the Sun in our Solar System. It is the planet,
we evolved on and the only planet in our Solar System that is known to support
life. It is 149.6 million kilometers away from the Sun. It has one moon. The
Earth is the fifth-largest planet in our Solar System (after Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, and Neptune).
The Earth's atmosphere is ideal for supporting life. Most of the Earth's surface
is covered with water. From the sky, the Earth appears blue. Earth is the only
inner planet in our solar system that has liquid water on its surface. Seventy
percent of the Earth's surface is covered with water. Mountains, volcanoes,
deserts, plains, and valleys cover the remaining 30 percent. Earth has an
atmosphere made up of many different gases. The atmosphere gives us air to
breathe. We live on the planet Earth.
Each day on the Earth takes 23.93 hours (that is, it takes the Earth 23.93 hours to
rotate around its axis once .). Each year on the Earth takes 365.26 Earth days (that
is, it takes the Earth 365.26 days to orbit the Sun once).
|
|
Rotation of the Earth: The Earth orbits around the Sun. It takes one year to go around the
Sun one complete time. The Earth also rotates, or spins, on its axis. It
takes one day to spin around itself one complete time. The Earth's axis is
not straight up and down, but tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. The
rotation is what causes the change from day to night. This tilt is
responsible for having seasons. If the Earth were not tilted, we would have
the same season all year long.
Revolution of the Earth: The movement of the Earth around the Sun in a fixed orbit is called as
revolving. One full orbit around the sun is one revolution. The Earth takes
365 days or 1 year to complete one revolution. The Earth revolves around the
Sun because of gravity. The Earth really rotates 365 ¼ times during each
revolution. The calendar always has 365 days, after every 4 years, the earth
has made one extra rotation. How ever, one extra day is added to the month
of February once in every four years forming a leap year with 366 days.
|
|
The Earth exhibits two different kinds of motion. One is
rotation around its own axis and another movement is it revolves around the
sun in a fixed orbit. The spinning of the Earth around its own axis causes
day and night. It takes 24 hours to complete one rotation. However, sunlight
shines only on the half of the Earth facing the Sun. That half has day the
other half is dark and has a night.
This phenomenon can also be observed with the help of a
torchlight or a table lamp focused on a globe, which is made to rotate. |
