Space

Earth’s Spheres

The four spheres that show how organisms interact and rely on one another on this planet: All are affected by the Water Cycle.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.

Hydrosphere

All of the water on Earth, covering 71% of the planet.

Geosphere

All of the landforms on Earth, covering 29% of the planet.

Biosphere

All living organisms on Earth that need water, air, shelter, and food to survive.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through the hydrosphere.

Evaporation

The process where water turns into water vapor and rises into the air.

Condensation

The process where water vapor returns to a liquid state.

Precipitation

The process where water droplets combine and fall to Earth.

Collection

The gathering of water from the clouds into oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams.

Gravity

The force that pulls objects toward each other.

Revolution

The orbit or path of a planet around the sun, taking 365 days for Earth.

Rotation

The spinning of a planet on its axis, with Earth completing one rotation in 24 hours.

Natural Satellite

A something that orbits a planet that is not man-made. The Earth’s moon is a natural satellite.

Moon

A natural satellite that orbits a planet.

Earth's moon is 4.5 billion years old with a rocky/dusty/rough surface and has craters/mountains/valleys.

It takes 27.5 days for the moon to revolve around Earth.

Neil Armstrong

The first human to set foot on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Phases of the Moon

The cycle in which the moon goes through 8 phases as it orbits Earth.

New Moon

The first phase of the moon when it is completely dark.

Waxing Crescent Moon

The second phase of the moon when we can see a sliver of the moon’s surface.

First Quarter Moon

The third phase of the moon where we can see half of the moon's surface.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

The fourth phase of the moon where we can see all but a sliver of the moon’s surface.

Full Moon

The fifth phase of the moon when it is fully illuminated.

Waning Gibbous Moon

The sixth phase of the moon where we can see all but a sliver of the moon’s surface.

Third Quarter Moon

The seventh phase of the moon where we can see half of the moon's surface.

Waning Crescent Moon

The eighth phase of the moon when we can see a sliver.

Solar Eclipse

Occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking its light from reaching Earth (Sun, moon, Earth).

Lunar Eclipse

Occurs when Earth is between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the moon (Sun, Earth, moon).

Tides

The rise and fall of ocean levels caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon.

Constellation

A group of stars forming a particular pattern in the sky.

Star

A body of gas (Helium and Hydrogen) that produces heat, light, and energy for the sky.

The Sun is the closest star to Earth.

The Sun

A middle-aged, average sized star at the center of our solar system with its own gravitational pull.

Mercury

The closest planet to the Sun with no moons, known as a shrinking planet.

Venus

The second planet from the Sun, known for its thick atmosphere and extreme surface temperatures, often referred to as Earth's "sister planet."

Earth

The third planet from the Sun, known for being the only planet to support life.

It takes 24 hours for the Earth to rotate on it’s axis (= 1 day).

It takes 365 days for the Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun (= 1 year).

Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun, known for its reddish appearance due to iron oxide on its surface, has the largest volcano (Olympus Mons), and is the last planet before the asteroid belt.

Jupiter

The fifth planet from the Sun, known for being the largest planet, having the quickest rotation, having rings, and for being the first planet after the asteroid belt.

Jupiter has the giant storm called the Red Spot.

Saturn

The sixth planet from the Sun, known for being the second-largest planet in the solar system and for having rings.

If Saturn were placed in water, it would float!

Uranus

The seventh planet from the Sun, known for being the coldest planet in our solar system and for having rings.

Uranus is tiled sideways due to a collision a long, long time ago.

Neptune

The eighth planet from the Sun, known for its longest revolution time around the Sun and for having rings.

The Great Dark Spot is located on Neptune.

Gas Giants

These planets are composed of mainly gases and lack a solid surface, featuring thick atmospheres and strong winds.

Terrestrial Planets

“Terrestrial” mans rocky.

These planets are composed mainly of silicate rocks or metals, with solid surfaces and higher densities compared to gas giants.