earth science chapter 3 ch 4

gravity

force of attraction between any two objects

orbit

the path that a satellite follows as it revolves

revolution

the movement of one object in its orbit around another object in space

phases of the moon

the changes in the moons appearance as it orbits the earth

full moon

the phase of the moon when the earth is between the sun and the moon

new moon

the phase of the moon when the moon is between the sun and the earth

lunar eclipse

a passing of the moon through the earths shadow

solar eclipse

a passing of the moon between the earth and the sun

tides

the regular rising and falling of the earths major bodies of water

telescope

an instrument that collects light making faint objects easier to see and enlarging distant objects

crater

a circular low area surrounded by a rim.Most craters are caused by an object hitting the ground.

meteorite

piece of rock that hits the surface of a planet or moon after traveling through space.

star

a glowing ball of hot gas that makes its own energy and light

planet

a large body in space that orbits a star such as the sun

solar system

a star, such as the sun, and all the bodies that revolve around it in space

mass

the amount of material that an object contains

atmosphere

an envelope of gas surrounding a body in space

sunspot

dark area of the suns surface that gives off less energy than the rest of the sun

greenhouse effect

the warming of the atmosphere because of trapped heat energy from the sun

asteroid

a rocky object smaller than a planet that orbits a star

asteroid belt

the region between Mars and Jupiter where most asteroids orbit the sun

meteor

an asteroid that enters the earths atmosphere

comet

a ball of ice,rock,frozen gases,and dust that orbits the sun