LESSON 3
MOTION OF THE EARTH
Overview
This lesson involves the movements of Earth, the effects of the its
movement The fascination of understanding the motion of the moon, sun, stars
and the seasonal changes that awakens the curiosity of the students.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, the students can:
1. differentiate rotation and revolution;
2. discuss the effects of rotation and revolution on earth; and
3. explain the four seasons of the year.
Materials Needed:
1. Module (printed/softcopy)
2. Internet connections
3. Moddle, FB Group page, Google Meet, Google form and YouTube videos
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Learning Content:
Motions of Earth
The earth moves in two different ways:
1. Rotation
▪ The spinning of Earth on its axis.
▪ Earth rotates from West to East
(counterclockwise when vi ewed from the
North Pole).
▪ 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.09 sec.
▪ At the equator, the rate of rotation is 1,664
kms/hr. (40,000 kms/day).
▪ The Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5o relative to the sun.
The Effects of Rotation on the Earth
▪ Day and Night – as the earth rotates on its axis,
half of the earth faces the sun and half of the
earth away from sun. The half of the earth that
faces the sun will experience day while the half
of the earth that faces away the sun will
experience night.
▪ High and Low Tide – is a result of the
gravitational pull between the sun and the
moon. When the earth rotates, the sun and
the moon pull it, however, one of the forces
is usually stronger than the other. Hence,
we will experience high and low tide.
▪ Wind speed and Direction – wind on the
earth comes from north, south, east and
west direction. As the earth rotates on its
axis, different places will get stronger
surge of wind as a result of the speed of
the rotation.
2. Revolution
▪ The earth revolves around the sun.
▪ The earth takes 365 ¼ days to complete the revolution = a year.
▪ Earth revolves around the sun in a slightly eccentric elliptical orbit once
a year.
▪ The speed of earth’s revolution is about 18 miles per hour.
▪ Perihelion – Earth is at its closest point in its orbit at 147 km, it moves
the fastest.
▪ Aphelion – Erath is at its farthest point in its orbit at 152 km, it moves
the slowest.
▪ Axial Precession – The slow wobble of the earth’s axis
- The earth’s reaction to the gravitational pull of the moon and
the sun on its equatorial bulge.
- It takes 26,000 years to complete one turn or wobble of the
earth’s axis.
The Effects of Revolution on the Earth
▪ Three factors cause the season
- The revolution of the earth around the sun.
- The tilt of the earth’s axis of rotation respects to the plane of the elliptic.
- The tilt of the earth’s axis remains constant.
▪ Revolution causes – the four-characteristic position of the earth (summer,
winter, solstices and spring and autumn equinox).
▪ The seasons of the year
▪ Solstice and Equinox
- Solstice: one of two days in the year when the sun is at its highest or
lower point in the sky at noon (12pm).
- Equinox: one of two days in the year when day and night are the same
length of time.
▪ Summer Solstice marks the beginning
of summer on June 21/22. June 21 is the
longest day. When it is summer in the
northern hemisphere it will be winter in
the southern hemisphere and the sun is
directly over the tropic of cancer.
▪ Winter solstice marks the beginning of
winter on December 21/22. December
21 is the shortest day. When it is winter
in the northern hemisphere it will be
summer in the southern hemisphere and
the sun is directly over the tropic of
Capricorn.
▪ Spring equinox marks the beginning
of spring on March 20/21. When it is
spring in the northern hemisphere it will
be autumn in the southern hemisphere
and the sun is directly over the equator.
▪ Autumn equinox marks the
beginning of autumn on September
22/23. When it will be spring in the
southern hemisphere it will be remain
spring in the southern hemisphere
and the sun is directly over equator.
Varying Length of day and Night
▪ The effects of revolution cause varying length of day and night.
▪ In December the sun is directly over the tropic of Capricorn, therefore, there
will be shorter days and longer night.
▪ In June, the sun is directly over the tropic of cancer, therefore, there will be
longer days and shorter nights.
