How the Earth Moves Earth’s RotationThe spinning of the Earth on its axis is known as rotation. As viewed from space, the Earth rotates in a counterclockwise direction called prograde rotation. Venus and Uranus spin in a clockwise direction called retrograde rotation. As the Earth rotates east, the Sun appears to move toward the west. We experience a period of daylight when the Earth is facing the Sun and a period of darkness when the Earth is facing away from the Sun.The Earth rotates at 1,670 kilometers per hour. The amount of time it takes for the Earth to rotate once is known as its period of rotation, or what we call a day. Earth’s period of rotation is 24 hours. daylightdarknessEarth’s RevolutionAs the Earth spins on its axis, it also revolves around the Sun. It moves on an elliptical orbit path at a speed of 107,000 kilometers per hour. The amount of time it takes for the Earth to revolve one time around the Sun is its period of revolution, or what we call a year. Earth’s period of revolution is 365.25 days. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4587Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources.Photos courtesy of NASA.The spinning of the Earth on its axis is known as rotation. As viewed from sppppppppppppppaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeee, the Earthhhhhh rrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooooottttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttes iinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa counterclockwise direction called prograde rotation. Venus and Uranus spppppppppppppppppiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnn iiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnn aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa cccccccccclockwise directiiiiiiiioooooooonnnnnnnnnnn ccalledddddddddddddddd retrograde rotation. As the Earth rotates east, the Sun appears to move toward the west. We experience a period of daylight when the Earth is facing the Sun and a period of darkness when the Earth is facing away from the Sun.The Earth rotates at 1,670 kilommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeetterrrrsssssssssssss per hour. The amount of time it taaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss for the Earth to rotate once is known as its period of rotation, or what wwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeee call a day. Earth’s periooooooooooooddddddddddddddd ooooooooooooffffffffffffff rrrrrrrrrrooooooooottttttttationnnnnnnnis 24 hours. daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyylllllllllliiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggggghtdarknessAs the Eaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtttttttttttthh ssssssssssssspppppppppppppppppiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsssssssss ooooooooooooooonnnn its aaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssss,, it also reeeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvvolllllllllvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrroooooooouuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd the Sun. Ittttttttt mmmmmmmmmmmmoooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssss oooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnn aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn eeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllliiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppppttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiicccccccccal orbittttttttt pppppppppppaatttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh aaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttt aaaaaaaaaaaa sssssssssspppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddd oooooooooffffffffffffffff 1111111111110000000000007777,00000000000000000000000000000000000000000 kiloooooooooooooooommmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssssss pppppppppppppppeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr hhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrr. The ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmouuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnntttttttttttttttttt ooooooooffffffffffff ttttttttiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeee iiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttt tttttttttttaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssss fffffffffffooooooor ttttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhe EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhh tttttttttttttttoooooooooooooooooo rrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvooooooooooooolllllllllve ooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeee ttttttiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeee arouuunnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd tttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeee SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSuun is its perriiiiiiiiiiiooooooooooooooodddddddddddddd of rrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvvooooooooooooolllllllllllluuuuuuuuuuuuutttion, or what we caaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllll aaaaaaaa year. Earth’s period of revvvvvvvvvoooooooooooooollllllllllluuuuuuuuuuuttttttttion is 365.25 days.
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