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Earth: Characteristics and Movement

(A) The Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only known planet to support life. It formed 4.5 billion years ago as one of four rocky inner planets. (B) The Earth revolves around the Sun over the course of one year as it also rotates, presenting different parts of itself to the Sun over the course of a day. (C) The Moon orbits the Earth every 27 days, reflecting sunlight and appearing to change from dark to bright over 29.5 days as the Earth also orbits the Sun. This cycle gave rise to the concept of months.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
27 views2 pages

Earth: Characteristics and Movement

(A) The Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only known planet to support life. It formed 4.5 billion years ago as one of four rocky inner planets. (B) The Earth revolves around the Sun over the course of one year as it also rotates, presenting different parts of itself to the Sun over the course of a day. (C) The Moon orbits the Earth every 27 days, reflecting sunlight and appearing to change from dark to bright over 29.5 days as the Earth also orbits the Sun. This cycle gave rise to the concept of months.
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Reading Assignment 3

The Earth

(A) The Earth is the third planet from the Sun and it is the only planet known to have life on it.
The Earth formed around 4.5 billion years ago. It is one of four rocky planets on the inside of the
Solar System. The other three are Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

(B) The large mass of the Sun makes the Earth move around it, just as the mass of the Earth
makes the Moon move around it. The Earth also turns round in space, so different parts face the
Sun at different times. The Earth goes around the Sun once (one "year") for every 365¼ times it
turns all the way around (one "day").

(C) The Moon goes around the Earth about every 27⅓ days, and reflects light from the Sun. As
the Earth goes round the Sun at the same time, the changing light of the Moon takes about 29½
days to go from dark to bright to dark again. That is where the idea of "month" came from.
However, now most months have 30 or 31 days so they fit into one year.

(D) The Earth is the only planet in our Solar System that has a large amount of liquid water.
About 71% of the surface of the Earth is covered by oceans. Because of this, it is sometimes
called the "Blue Planet".

(E) Because of its water, the Earth is home to millions of species of plants and animals. The
things that live on Earth have changed its surface greatly. For example, early cyanobacteria
changed the air and gave it oxygen. The living part of the Earth's surface is called the
"biosphere".

(F) The Earth is part of the eight planets and many thousands of small bodies that move around
the Sun as its Solar System. The Solar System is moving through the Orion Arm of the Milky
Way Galaxy now, and will be for about the next 10,000 years.

(G) The Earth is generally 150,000,000 kilometers or 93,000,000 miles away from the Sun (this
distance is named an "Astronomical Unit"). The Earth moves along its way at an average speed
of about 30 km or 19 mi a second. The Earth turns all the way around about 365¼ times in the
time it takes for the Earth to go all the way around the Sun. To make up this extra bit of a day
every year, an additional day is used every four years. This is named a "leap year".

(H) The Moon goes around the Earth at an average distance of 400,000 kilometers (250,000 mi).
It is locked to Earth, so that it always has the same half facing the Earth; the other half is called
the "dark side of the Moon". It takes about 27⅓ days for the Moon to go all the way around the
Earth but, because the Earth is moving around the Sun at the same time, it takes about 29½ days
for the Moon to go from dark to bright to dark again. This is where the word "month" came
from, even though most months now have 30 or 31 days.
Questions 1–8

Reading Passage 1 has eight paragraphs A-H. Which paragraph contains the following


information?  Write the correct letter, A–H, in boxes 1–8 on your answer sheet.

1. Earth’s natural satellite ____C/H_____

2. Distance between Earth and Sun ____G_____

3. General information about Earth ____A_____

4. The Solar System ____F_____

5. Length of most months ____C/H_____

6. Another name for Earth ____D_____

7. The living part of the Earth's surface ____E_____

8. The movements of Earth around the Sun ____B_____

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The concept of a 'month' arises from the Moon's orbit around the Earth and its relative position to the Sun. The Moon takes about 27⅓ days to orbit the Earth. However, because the Earth is simultaneously orbiting the Sun, the Moon takes around 29½ days to complete its phases from dark to bright to dark again, aligning with a complete cycle of the Moon's illumination. This lunar cycle influenced the original concept of a 'month,' albeit most modern months have adjusted to fit the Gregorian calendar structure, consisting of 30 or 31 days .

Cyanobacteria significantly impacted Earth's biosphere by introducing oxygen to the atmosphere. These early microorganisms performed photosynthesis, releasing oxygen as a byproduct, which transformed the Earth's atmosphere and allowed for the development of aerobic life forms. This change in atmospheric composition enabled the evolution of diverse life forms and fundamentally altered Earth's ecological and geological systems .

Timekeeping systems like 'days' and 'years' are directly determined by Earth's axial rotation and orbital revolution. A 'day' is defined by one complete rotation of Earth on its axis, taking approximately 24 hours. Meanwhile, a 'year' is based on Earth's full orbit around the Sun, taking about 365¼ days. To harmonize the discrepancy caused by the extra quarter in annual days without fractional parts, a leap year is introduced every four years by adding an extra day. This adjustment ensures that calendars remain synchronized with the Earth's position relative to the Sun .

The Earth is situated within the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is significant because it offers a stable cosmic environment relatively free from intense cosmic radiation that could jeopardize life. This position influences the solar system's trajectory, providing a galactic orbit that contributes to climatic and ecological stability. The current trajectory through the Orion Arm is expected to continue for about 10,000 more years, allowing Earth's habitat to remain under consistent galactic conditions conducive to sustaining life .

The designation of Earth as the 'Blue Planet' directly correlates with its environmental characteristic of having a substantial coverage by liquid water. Approximately 71% of Earth's surface is covered by oceans, making water a defining visual and ecological element of the planet. This extensive water presence not only gives Earth its blue appearance from space but also underpins its capacity to harbor life, crucially regulating climates and providing essential habitats .

Earth's biosphere is significant as it is the only known environment in the Solar System that supports life. The biosphere encompasses living organisms interacting with each other and their surroundings to sustain life processes, underpinning biodiversity and ecological dynamics. This unique feature results from Earth's favorable conditions, such as the presence of liquid water, a stable atmosphere, and moderate temperatures. These conditions are not observed on other planets in the Solar System, highlighting Earth's remarkable suitability for sustaining complex ecosystems .

The Moon contributes to Earth's environmental stability in several ways. Its gravitational interaction with Earth affects oceanic tides, which are vital for marine ecosystems and influence global climate patterns by distributing thermal energy. Furthermore, the Moon helps stabilize Earth's axial tilt, which moderates seasonal variations and maintains a relatively stable climate. Without the Moon, the Earth's axial tilt could undergo significant, potentially destabilizing changes, leading to extreme climate shifts .

The Earth's orbit within the Solar System is primarily maintained by the gravitational pull of the Sun. This gravitational force ensures that Earth follows an elliptical trajectory, which lies on a plane shared by other planets. The Sun's large mass exerts a dominant gravitational force that guides the motion of Earth, thus defining its path around the Sun. Additionally, the Earth's axial rotation affects which parts of its surface face the Sun, causing daily cycles of day and night as well as longer-term seasonal variations .

Earth's significant amount of liquid water distinguishes it from other rocky planets—Mercury, Venus, and Mars—in the Solar System. Water is a critical solvent for biochemical reactions, supports diverse ecosystems, and regulates temperature through its heat capacity. With about 71% of its surface covered by oceans, Earth can sustain millions of plant and animal species. This availability of liquid water has fostered a climate conducive to life, contrasting with other rocky planets where either lack of water or extreme temperatures make such conditions unfavorable .

The Earth is roughly 150,000,000 kilometers (93,000,000 miles) from the Sun, a distance known as an Astronomical Unit, whereas the average distance to the Moon is about 400,000 kilometers (250,000 miles). This vast difference influences gravitational forces significantly; the Sun's gravitational pull affects Earth's orbit, climates, and solar energy received, while the Moon's closer proximity affects tides and Earth's rotational stability. The Sun's influence is foundational at a systemic level, whereas the Moon's impact is more pronounced in daily and seasonal environmental phenomena .

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