Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 – The Earth in the Solar System Notes
Welcome to The earth in the solar system class 6 notes. These chapter notes are designed in accordance with the NCERT book The Earth: Our Habitat for Class 6 students. In this article, we will learn about our solar system, including the Sun, Earth, planets, asteroids, meteoroids, and much more.
By the end of this article, you will have a thorough understanding of our planet’s place in the universe and the incredible celestial bodies that surround us. So, let’s get started!
We also have a quiz on this chapter. follow the links given below to access them
- Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 The Earth in the Solar System MCQs with answers
- Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 Online Test
Introduction
- The night sky is filled with celestial bodies such as stars, planets, and the moon. Stars are massive bodies that emit heat and light and appear small due to their distance from us.
- The moon is Earth’s natural satellite and appears in different shapes and phases. Planets are bodies that orbit around a star and are illuminated by its light.
- People have been fascinated with the night sky for thousands of years and used stars to navigate and determine directions.
- Observing celestial bodies can help us appreciate the beauty of the cosmos and our place in the universe.
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- The sun, eight planets, and various other objects such as moons, asteroids, and comets constitute the solar system.
- The sun is at the center of the solar system, and everything else revolves around it. There are eight planets in our solar system. Given below are their names in order of their distance from the sun.
- Mercury,
- Venus,
- Earth,
- Mars,
- Jupiter,
- Saturn,
- Uranus, and
- Neptune
- Each planet is distinct in terms of size, composition, and distance from the sun.
- Scientists are constantly learning new things about the solar system, which is vast and complex.
The Sun
- Sun is located at the center of the Solar System.
- It is a massive hot ball of gas that continuously emits heat and light.
- It provides the gravitational force (pulling force) that holds the solar system together.
- Despite being the source of warmth and light for the solar system, the sun’s intense heat is not felt as strongly by us on Earth due to its distance of approximately 150 million kilometers.
Planets
- There are eight planets in our solar system. In order of their distance from the sun, they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
- The eight planets in our solar system move in fixed paths called orbits.
- Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, with one orbit taking 88 days.
- Because of its similar size and shape, Venus is known as Earth’s twin.
- Pluto was thought to be a planet until it was decided to be classified as a dwarf planet, along with other recently discovered celestial objects such as Ceres and 2003 UB313. The International Astronomical Union made this decision in August 2006.
The Earth
- Earth is the fifth largest planet and the third nearest to the sun.
- It has a geoid shape, which means it is earth-like, and it is slightly flattened at the poles.
- The earth is unique in the solar system because it has conditions that are good for life, like moderate temperatures and water and air.
- The air on Earth contains gases that are necessary for life, like oxygen.
- Because water covers two-thirds of the earth’s surface, it appears blue from space, and it is frequently referred to as a blue planet.
The Moon
- The moon is the only satellite that Earth has. The moon is one-quarter the size of the earth.
- The moon appears huge because, at a distance of around 384,400 km from the earth, it is relatively close to the planet compared to other celestial bodies.
- Only one side of the moon is visible to us from earth because it takes the moon exactly 27 days to orbit the planet and the same amount of time to complete one rotation.
- The moon lacks optimal conditions for life. So, there is no life on Moon.
- It has mountains, plains, and depressions on its surface, which cast shadows visible from Earth.
Asteroids
- Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun.
- Asteroids are remnants of the early solar system, dating back to around 4.6 billion years ago.
- They vary in size, ranging from just a few meters to hundreds of kilometers in diameter.
- Most asteroids are found in the asteroid belt, a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, but some can be found in other parts of the solar system.
Meteoroids
- Meteoroids are small pieces of rock or metal that are found in space.
- Meteoroids are usually smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from dust particles to small rocks.
- When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere, they are called meteors or shooting stars. If they survive the descent and hit the ground, they are called meteorites.
- Meteoroids can fall on Earth due to their proximity to our planet.
- During entry into Earth’s atmosphere, friction with the air heats up the meteoroid and causes it to burn.
- This process creates a flash of light that can be seen from the ground, often referred to as a shooting star or meteor.
- Meteoroids can come from a variety of sources, including comets, asteroids, and collisions between planets or moons.
Important terms and definitions
- Celestial Body: A natural object in space, such as a planet, star, or moon.
- Galaxy: A large system of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity.
- Universe: The entirety of space, including all matter and energy.
- Star: A massive, luminous ball of gas that produces heat and light through nuclear fusion.
- Constellation: A group of stars that appear to form a recognizable pattern in the sky.
- Planets: Celestial bodies that orbit around a star and do not produce light of their own.
- Geoid: The shape of the Earth, which is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator.
- Poles: The two points on the Earth’s surface where its axis intersects, known as the North Pole and the South Pole.
- Inner Planets: The four planets closest to the Sun-Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
- Outer Planets: The four planets furthest from the Sun – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
- Satellites: Natural or artificial objects that orbit around a planet or other celestial body.
- Full Moon Night: When the Moon appears as a complete circle in the sky, reflecting the full light of the Sun.
- New Moon Night: When the Moon is not visible in the sky, as it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun.
- Orbit: The path that a celestial body follows as it revolves around another object.
- Sun: The star at the center of our solar system, which provides heat and light to the planets that orbit it.
- Asteroids: Small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun, mainly located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
- Meteoroid: A small rock or particle that travels through space.
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