Earth and the Solar System
The Solar
System
• The Sun – a star in the centre of
the Solar System
• Provides light, ultraviolet and
infrared radiation – energy for life
on Earth
• Formed appr. 4,6 billion years ago
• Position of the Solar
System in the Milky Way
The Solar
System
- 8 planets – revolve
around the Sun
- 4 dwarf planets: Ceres,
Makemake, Pluto, Eris
- over 150 moons
- many asteroids
• Terrestrial/rocky planets (inner planets) ->Mercury,
Venus, Earth, Mars
The Solar • Jovian planets/gas giants (outer planets) -> Jupiter,
System Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
• AU – astronomical units (1 AU= distance from Earth to
the Sun)
• LY – light years
The Earth and
its movements
- The largest out of the rocky planets
- The only planet that enables life –>
the only planet of the Solar System
to sustain liquid surface water ->
ocean covers 70,8 % of its surface
- Formed about 4,6 billion years ago
out of a mixture of dust and gas
around the young sun
- 2 movements – rotation &
revolution
Earth’s
rotation
• An axis – imaginary line passing through
the north and south poles
• Angle of 23°30‘ degrees
• Rotation from west to east
• Speed: 1670 km per hour at the Equator
• 1 rotation = 23 hours and 56 minutes –
siderial day
• Solar day: 24 hours – basic time unit that
we use for measuring days
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtRzy2TJAOQ&ab_channel=NextGenerat
ionScience
Earth’s rotation
Results?
• Day & night
• Deflection of the ocean and air currents –
caused by Coriolis force
(causes moving objects on the surface of the
Earth to be deflected to the right (with
respect to the direction of travel) in
the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in
the Southern Hemisphere)
• High tide & low tide – depends on the
position of the Earth and the Moon
Effect of the Coriolis force
Effect of the Coriolis force
Earth’s
revolution
• Earth’s orbital motion
around the Sun due to
Sun’s gravity
• 1 revolution = 365,25
days
• leap year
• Speed: appr. 30 km per
second
Earth’s
revolution
• Earth closest to the Sun –
Perihelion -> January 3
• Earth farthest from the
Sun – Aphelion -> July 6
Results of
the Earth‘s
revolution
Seasons –> (also due
to the axis‘ tilt)
• summer & winter
solstice
• spring/vernal &
autumnal/fall
equinox
