Week 3b - Motions of The Earth

ELEMENTS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
(GEO 101)
 Motions of the Earth

 Motion of the Moon
 Tilt of the Earth
 The Four Seasons
 The Equinox Conditions
 The Solstice Conditions
PREPARED BY CHRISTIAN KWESI OWUSU

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH
• Rotation
• Revolution
• Equinox
• Solstice
• Four Seasons*
LEARNING OUTCOMES
 At the end of the class, students should be able to;

 Explain the shape of the earth
 Rotation and its environmental effects
 Revolution and its effects
 Seasons and changing length of day especially at the poles

THE SHAPE OF THE EARTH
 The earth is an imperfect sphere
because the equatorial diameter
and polar diameter are not the
same.
 The Earth’s squashed shape is

closer to what is known as an
oblate ellipsoid/sphere , or a
Geoid not a sphere

The Movement of The Earth
The earth takes about 24 hours to complete one rotation around its axis.
The period of rotation is known as the earth- day. This is the daily motion of the earth.
MODELS OF THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH
 The surface of the earth has therefore been modeled into

either a perfect geoid or ellipsoid.
 These have become reference points from which heights on

the surface of the earth have been calculated or measured
from.
 As an Ellipsoid, the earth is modeled after a sphere though it

is not due to the differences in its height and width.
 As a Geoid, the earth is modelled as if the sea covered the

Earth’s Model
entire surface of the earth." This representation is also called (Globe/Universe)
the “Surface of Equal Gravitational Potential," and
essentially represents the “Mean Sea Level."

SHAPE OF THE EARTH CONT..
SUNRISE SUNSET
MODELS OF THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH
Cont’d…

ROTATION OF THE EARTH
 This is the slow spinning or motion of the earth on its axis

which is an imaginary line through the earth’s center. This is
very necessary for three reasons:
 the axis of rotation serves as a reference in setting up the geographic grid
of latitude and longitude on an angle of 23.5ᴼ;
 It also provides the day as a convenient measure of time as it passes with
each day divided into hours, minutes, and seconds;
 Third, it has important effects on the physical and life processes on Earth.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF EARTH’S ROTATION
 All forms of life on earth including humans, Green plants and

animals are governed by the daily rhythms of the sun;
 The day–night cycle also sets in motion the daily air
temperature cycle that is observed in most places on the Earth;
 Weather systems and ocean currents are also affected by the
spinning of the earth through the coriollis effect;
 Earth ’s rotation, and the Moon ’s gravitational pull on the
planet, causes the rhythmic rise and fall of the ocean surface,
which we know as the tides .
REVOLUTION OF THE EARTH
 The earth ’s movement as it orbits the sun is known as The

Earth ’s Revolution
 This movement is done within 365.242 days to travel around
the Sun— almost a quarter of a day longer than the calendar
year of 365 days.
 Every Four years, this time adds up to nearly one extra day,
which we account for by inserting a 29th day into February in
leap years (366 days for a leap year). .

EARTH’S AXIS
 Earth’s axis is an imaginary line

through the center of the Earth from
the North Pole to the South Pole.
 Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5°

EARTH’S AXIS
THE MOON
 It is the only satellite of our earth and has two main motions around the earth i.e.
revolution around the earth and rotation on its own axis.
 These motions of the moon affect what it looks like at different periods and also affect
the solar and lunar eclipse.

 Moon travels the earth counter-clockwise from west to East. This movement around the
earth is known as the ORBIT OF THE MOON.
 The orbital period of the moon can be expressed in Sidereal or synodic months because
of it different phases.

MOTIONS OF THE MOON
 One Side areal month=time it takes for the moon to orbit round the earth and return
to the same celestial sphere and is equal to 27.3days. This is the actual orbital
period of the moon
 One synodic month=time it takes for moon to go from full or new to another full or
new moon and this is equal to 29.5days (Lunar month)
 The moon has four phases as it revolves round the earth the moons orbital period
and rotational period is the same i.e. 27.3days known as the Synchronous rotation

PHASES OF THE MOON
READING ASSIGNMENT
MOTIONS OF THE MOON
 At some point in the moon’s rotation, the sun, moon and earth
are aligned in the eclipse of the moon where the moon
blocks suns rays to the earth and so there is darkness on
earth. This is the Solar Eclipse
 At sometimes too, the sun, earth and moon are aligned and
the moon enters the earth’s shadow making it hidden from
view known as the Lunar eclipse

TILT OF THE EARTH
 The plane containing the

Earth ’s orbit around the
sun is known as the
Ecliptic plane.
 Seasons arise because the

Earth ’s axis is not
perpendicular to the plane
of the ecliptic .

TILT OF THE EARTH
 Thus, the seasons occur because at some times within the

earth revolution on its fixed axial plane which is tilted, some
parts of the earth experience more sun than the other parts
causing the solstices.
 And some other times, the tilt does not affect any places to be
closer or farther away from the sun. thus, all places receive
equal daylight and sunlight causing the equinoxes.

TILT OF THE EARTH CONTD..

SEASONS

EARTH’S TILT AND SEASONS:
 In June, the Northern Hemisphere

of the Earth (where we live) is tilted
toward/overhead the Sun = summer.
 The Southern Hemisphere = winter.

EARTH’S TILT AND SEASONS:
 In December, the Northern

Hemisphere of the Earth is tilted
away from the Sun (areas not
overhead the sun) = winter.
 The Southern Hemisphere =

summer.
Equinox Solstice
Time of the year when the sun is Time of the year when the sun is
nearest to the equatorial plane farthest from the equatorial plane
giving equal lengths of day and hitting the temperate to polar areas,
night. resulting in long nights and days.
An equinox occurs at the start of the The solstice occurs during the
spring and fall. summer and the winter.
Occurs on March 21 (Vernal equinox) Occurs on June 21(Summer Solstice)

and on September 23 (Autumnal and on Dec 22 (Winter Solstice).
equinox).

Winter Summer
From December to February every From June to August every year.

nd st
year. Starts 22 December. Starts 21 June
Coldest Season Hottest Season
Earth (northern hemispheres) is far Earth (southern hemispheres) is

away from the sun and receives less closest to the sun and receives more
light/heat light/heat
Sun is not overhead at the northern Sun is overhead at the southern
hemisphere or tropic of cancer. hemisphere or tropic of Capricorn
When sun is overhead at the When sun is not overhead at the

northern hemisphere or tropic of southern hemisphere or tropic of
cancer, we have summer. Capricorn, we have winter.

Spring & Autumn
st rd
From March to May every year. Starts 21 March and 23 September.
Sun is vertically overhead
Time of the year when the sun is nearest to the equatorial plane giving equal
lengths of day and night.

END OF LECTURE

Week 3b - Motions of The Earth

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Week 3b - Motions of The Earth

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Week 3b - Motions of The Earth

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ELEMENTS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

 Motions of the Earth

PREPARED BY CHRISTIAN KWESI OWUSU

 At the end of the class, students should be able to;

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 The Earth’s squashed shape is

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 The surface of the earth has therefore been modeled into

 These have become reference points from which heights on

 As an Ellipsoid, the earth is modeled after a sphere though it

 As a Geoid, the earth is modelled as if the sea covered the

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 This is the slow spinning or motion of the earth on its axis

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 All forms of life on earth including humans, Green plants and

 The earth ’s movement as it orbits the sun is known as The

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 Earth’s axis is an imaginary line

 Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5°

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

PREPARED BY CHRISTIAN KWESI OWUSU

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 The plane containing the

 Seasons arise because the

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 Thus, the seasons occur because at some times within the

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

 In June, the Northern Hemisphere

 The Southern Hemisphere = winter.

 In December, the Northern

 The Southern Hemisphere =

Occurs on March 21 (Vernal equinox) Occurs on June 21(Summer Solstice)

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

From December to February every From June to August every year.

Coldest Season Hottest Season

Earth (northern hemispheres) is far Earth (southern hemispheres) is

When sun is overhead at the When sun is not overhead at the

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

Sun is vertically overhead

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

PREPARED BY CHRISTIAN KWESI OWUSU

You might also like