6.2 The student will investigate and understand the organization of the solar system and the interactions among the various bodies that comprise it. Key concepts include
1. matter is distributed throughout the solar system;
2. planets have different sizes and orbit at different distances from the sun;
3. gravity contributes to orbital motion;
4. the understanding of the solar system has developed over time.

6.3 The student will investigate and understand the organization of the solar system and the interactions among the various bodies that comprise it. Key concepts include
1. Earth has unique properties;
2. the rotation of Earth in relationship to the sun causes day and night;
3. the movement of Earth and the moon in relationship to the sun causes phases of the moon;
4. Earth’s tilt as it revolves around the sun causes the seasons; and
5. the relationship between Earth and the moon is the primary cause of tides.

The Solar System

• The solar system is a set of interrelated and interdependent elements that are seamlessly connected through the flow of matter and energy. Characteristics of these elements within the solar system are determined by their composition.
• The solar system consists of the sun, moon, Earth, other planets and their moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets. Each body has its own characteristics and features.
• The distance between planets and sizes of the planets vary greatly.

• The outer, ―gas planets are very large, and the four inner planets are comparatively small and rocky.
• Gravitational attraction depends on the masses of interacting objects.
Gravity keeps planets moving around the sun


• Gravity is the force that keeps the planets in motion around the sun.
• Gravity acts everywhere in the universe.

Historical

• Technological advances, breakthroughs in interpretation, and new observations continuously refine our understanding of the Earth and solar system.

  The invention of the telescope provided powerful and confounding observations that rapidly challenged the Earth-centered model. The development of mathematical physics provided a scientific explanation for the motion of the nearby planets
• With the development of new technology over the last half-century (e.g., manned and robotic space craft, powerful Earth-based and space telescopes, and computer analyses of huge data sets), our knowledge of the solar system has increased substantially

Planet Earth

• Earth is a rocky planet, extensively covered with large oceans of liquid water, with ice caps in its polar regions.
  • Earth has a protective atmosphere consisting predominantly of nitrogen and oxygen and has a magnetic field.
  • The atmosphere and the magnetic field help shield Earth's surface from harmful solar radiation.
  • Scientific evidence indicates that Earth is about 4.5 billion years old.

Revolution and Rotation

• The interactions and orientations of the sun, Earth, and moon lead to patterns that are evidenced in seasons, eclipses, and the phases of the moon.

• As Earth rotates, different sides of Earth face toward or away from the sun, thus causing day and night, respectively.

• Seasons are caused by a combination of the tilt of Earth on its axis, the curvature of Earth's surface and, thus, the angle at which sunlight strikes the surface of Earth during its annual revolution around the sun.

Moon Phases; Tides

• The relative positions of the moon, Earth, and sun give rise to moon phases
• Tides are the result of the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the surface waters of Earth.