Earth & Space Science
You will explore the relationship between our Earth, the sun, and the moon, learning about tides, eclipses, seasons, and ocean currents. Manipulate a sun-Earth-moon model to investigate eclipses.
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After completing this tutorial, you will be able to complete the following:
What causes the four seasons?
~ The four seasons are determined by the angle at which the sun's rays strike the surface of the Earth. In the winter, the rays strike the Earth at an indirect angle and are weaker and more spread out. In the summer, the rays strike Earth at a more direct angle and, as a result, temperatures increase.
What are monsoon winds and how are they caused?
~ Monsoon winds are seasonal winds that are caused by the asymmetrical heating of the land and the oceans.
How do these winds differ between winter and summer?
~ In the winter, these winds blow from the land to the oceans because the land cools more quickly than the oceans. In the summer, the wind blows from the oceans to the land because the land warms more quickly than the oceans.
Why does the sun never rise or set in exactly the same place or at exactly the same time?
~ The sun never rises or sets at exactly the same place or time because of the Earth's rotation. The length of day and night is dependent on the rotation and the orbit around the sun.
| Approximate Time | 2 Minutes |
| Pre-requisite Concepts | Students should be familiar with Earth’s rotation and seasons. |
| Course | Earth & Space Science |
| Type of Tutorial | Animation |
| Key Vocabulary | Earth’s rotation, seasons, |
