Earths Motions

Rotation
The Earths axis is tilted 23.5o The Earth is a 360o sphere It takes 24 hours to complete one rotation The Earth rotates at a rate of 15o per hour (360o 24 hrs = 15o/hr)

Evidence of Earths Rotation 1. Star Trails Earths rotation explains the apparent motion of objects across the sky at 15o per hour

2. Follow the Big Dippers Pointer Stars

How many degrees did the stars move 30 (2 hours x from diagram 1 15) to diagram 2?

How can you find (1) Its the only one that didnt move Polaris?

WhatNorthern hemisphere Because Polaris mustcan you only be in? been seen in the Why? North

What direction must North you be looking?

Counterclockwise
What direction do the stars appear to move?

What causes the stars to appear to move?

B. Evidences for rotation

1. Coriolis effect

a. The Coriolis effect affects movements of air masses, storms, winds, and ocean currents
http://www.wiley.com/college/strahler/0471480533/animations/ch07_animations/anima tion2.html

2. Foucaults Pendulum

Earth rotates west to east (Counterclockwise) Solar time is based on the position of the sun

Iceland

England

Atlantic
France

Ocean
Spain Italy

AFRICA

Its still daylight in California

This pictures shows AMERICAN CITIES at night.

Saguenay
Thunder Bay Toronto Ottawa

Sept-Iles St.John

Qubec Montral Those lights are Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

Detroit Dallas

Puerto Rico Houston Mexico City Miami

Havana

Port-au-Prince

Solar Noon Time of day when the Sun reaches its highest altitude of the day

Altitude of noon sun depends on latitude Position of sunrise and sunset varies in a cyclic manner

Sunrise and Sunset Compass Directions

In New York State, when you face the noon sun, you are facing compass direction South! Your shadow points North!
At our latitude (41oN): March 21st & Sept. 23rd Season of Spring & Summer Season of Fall & Winter Sunrise exactly Due East North of Due East South of Due East Sunset exactly Due West North of Due West South of Due West

Time zones are based on Earths 15o/hr rotation

How many Time Zones? 24 time zones 15o of longitude apart

East Increase West Less (1 hour per l5 of longitude)

If it 9 p.m. at Position D, what time is it at position C? Position B?

If it is 1 p.m. at Position X, at which location is the time 5 p.m.

 Example: Two students record a difference in local time of two hours. How many degrees of longitude apart are they?

Longitude
1. Lines that connect at the poles North to South, but measure East or West of the Prime Meridian 2. Maximum Longitude is 180o East or West
60 W is the 60 line of longitude West of the Prime Meridian.

60 E is the 60 line of longitude East of the E Prime Meridian.

Greenwich, England is the logical starting point for time zones

Prime Meridian
The longitude of the Prime Meridian is 0o

Western Hemisphere

Eastern Hemisphere

INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE 180 (mostly)

The International Dateline runs along the 180th meridian

180 N

West Longitude

East Longitude

North Pole

S PRIME MERIDIAN

Latitude
Parallel Lines that circle Earth West to East, but measure distances North or South of the Equator

North Latitudes

South Latitudes

Maximum Latitude is 90o North or South (from the Equator)

The Equators latitude is 0o

90oN

80 70

60
50 40 30 20 10 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

80 90oS

By combining latitude and longitude, any location can be pinpointed

Fractions of a Degree
1 degree = 60 minutes or 1 minute is 1/60th of a degree Use minutes if location is not directly on the latitude/longitude line Written as (Degree minute) = (XX) (xx) N/S, (XX) (xx) E/W

30 is half-way between degrees

A (5o 45 N, 71o 50 W) B (5o 45 N, 71o 20 W)

C (5o 30 N, 71o 50 W) G (5o 07 N, 71o 20 W) H (5o 07 N, 71o 00 W)

K (5o 00 N, 71o 50 W)

Notes to Sum it up..

Longitude
1. Lines that connect at the poles North to South, but measure East or West of the Prime Meridian 2. Maximum longitude is 180o East or West 3. The longitude of the Prime Meridian is 0o 4. The International Dateline runs along the 180th meridian

Notes to Sum it up..

Fractions of a Degree of Latitude or Longitude
1 degree = 60 minutes or 1 minute is 1/60th of a degree Use minutes if location is not directly on the latitude/longitude line Written as (Degree minute) = (XX) (xx)N/S, (XX) (xx) E/W

Notes to Sum it up..

Longitude and Time

1. Earth rotates counterclockwise (West to East) 2. Earths rate of rotation is 15o/hour 3. Every 15o of longitude = 1 hour of clock time 4. Time increases to the East (East Increase) 5. Time decreases to the West (West Less)

Revolution

Earths Revolution

Earth is held in its orbit around the Sun because of the Suns gravitational force

Earths Revolution

Causes for the Changing Seasons

(1) Parallelism of the Axis, (2) Earths 23.5o tilt and (3) its Revolution around the Sun cause our seasons

Parallelism of the Axis

Earths axis points in the same direction in space at all locations in its orbit around the Sun

Earths Tilt
(1) Causes the variations in the angle of the incoming solar rays
Terms to know: Insolation Incoming Solar Radiation

Duration of Insolation Length of Daylight Hours (2) Causes changes in the length of daytime and night time

Earths revolution around the sun explains the changing constellations over the year

NY State has greatest duration of insolation on June 21st, and the shortest duration of insolation on Dec. 21st.

Duration of Insolation at the Equator is always 12 hours Polar regions have the greatest yearly range in duration of insolation Equatorial regions have the smallest yearly range in duration of insolation

Angle of Insolation
Only locations between
23.5o N (Tropic of Cancer)

and 23.5oS (Tropic of

Capricorn) receive a 90o noon sun angle at some point during the year

Winter Solstice
December 21st Suns Direct Rays (90o angle) strike 23.5o S latitude (Tropic of Capricorn) Southern Hemisphere has more hours of Daylight (summertime)

Summer Solstice
June 21st - Suns Direct Rays (90o angle) strike at 23.5o North (Tropic of Cancer) Northern hemisphere has more hours of daylight than darkness

Spring/Fall Equinox
March 21st Spring Equinox
September 21st Fall Equinox Suns Direct Rays (90o) strike the Equator All latitudes have 12 hours of daylight/12 hours of night

Notes to Sum it Up ..
1. Earth rotates west to east at a rate of 15o per hour 2. The apparent motion of objects across the celestial sphere is 15o per hour
1. Apparent daily motions are the result of the Earths rotation 2. Apparent yearly motions are the result of the Earths revolution

3. Solar noon = time of day when the sun reaches its highest altitude of the day 4. The position of sunrise and sunset varies in a cyclic manner.

Notes to Sum it Up ..
5. In New York State, when you face the noon sun, you are facing compass direction south!
**** Your shadow points NORTH! *****

6. Seasonal Information:
1. June 21 (Summer Solstice) 90o noon angle of the sun (DIRECT SUNLIGHT) at 23.5o N Northern hemisphere has more daylight than darkness 2. December 21 (Winter Solstice) 90o noon angle of the sun (DIRECT SUNLIGHT) at 23.5o S Northern hemisphere has more darkness than daylight

Notes to Sum it Up ..
3. March 21 & September 23 (Spring and Fall Equinox) 90o noon angle of the sun at the Equator Equal daylight and darkness all over the world

7. June 21 Greatest intensity of insolation at 23.5o N 8. December 21 Greatest intensity of insolation at 23.5o S 9. Insolation = Incoming Solar Radiation 10. Duration of Insolation = # of hours of daylight 11. New York State greatest duration of insolation on June 21, shortest on December 21.

Notes to Sum it Up ..
12. Duration of Insolation at the Equator is always 12 hours 13. Polar regions = greatest yearly range in duration of insolation 14. Equatorial regions = smallest yearly range in duration of insolation 15. Only locations between 23.5o N and 23.5o S have a 90o noon angle of insolation at some pint during the year 16. Lower angle of the Sun = longer shadow