13 The Earth

NCF Competencies Covered:

Expected Learning Outcomes C-1.1, C-2.1 and C-5.3

Knowledge to be gained : • Earth • Movements of the Earth • Surface of the Earth

Skill to be developed : • Ability to differentiate between rotation and revolution.
Attitude to be inculcated : • What goes around, comes around.

THE EARTH
We know that our Earth is a part of the Solar
System. The Earth is the third planet from the
Sun. It is the only planet in the Solar System
which has life on it.
Earth is believed to have been formed billions of
years ago. When the Earth was formed, it was
very hot. A lot of gases were released from the
Earth. Due to the high heat from Earth, some
gases combined to form hot water vapour. The
water vapour released from the Earth cooled
down, formed clouds and poured down as rain.
The rain cooled down the Earth after millions of
Earth as seen from space years.
Many more millions of years later, life is supposed to have begun on the Earth.
Earth is made up of land, water and air that are the three main features that support
life on Earth. About 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water and 29% is land.
Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air, called the atmosphere. The presence of
water, land and air supports life on Earth.
Earth, like other planets, revolves around the Sun. The Sun Earth is about
Do
is much bigger than the Earth. But it is about 150 million You ? 4.54 billion
Know years old.
kilometres away from the Earth, so it looks small to us.
We get light from the Sun. It helps plants and animals to grow. The Earth is at the
right distance from the Sun. Therefore, it receives the right amount of light and heat
from the Sun, for all living things to survive.
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 Shape of the Earth
In ancient times, people thought that the Earth is at. ey thought that if we walk
or sail too far, we will reach the edge of the Earth and fall down.
Around 500 years ago, sailors discovered that the
Earth is not at, it is actually round. ey started
sailing from a certain point and went sailing on in one
direction. After a couple of years, they reached the
same point from where they had started. It proved
that the Earth is round, like a big ball.
A globe is a model of the Earth. It shows the shape of
the Earth and where different countries are located.
e Earth appears at to us because we see only a tiny
part of it. is was further understood when people A globe
observed ships sailing away from the sea shore. ey noticed that as the ship sailed
away from the shore, the lower part of the ship disappeared rst, while the top part
could still be seen oating in the distance. ey concluded that, if Earth were at, the
whole ship would have been visible. is was possible only if the Earth were round.

View of the ship Actual view of the ship

if the Earth were flat which proves the Earth is round

CHECK YOURSELF
Tick (3) the correct option:
1. Earth is the _____________ planet from the Sun.
(a) first (b) second (c) third
2. The shape of our Earth is:
(a) round (b) flat (c) square
3. What part of the Earth's surface is covered in water?
(a) 21% (b) 71% (c) 50%
4. A globe is a model of:
(a) Sun (b) Earth (c) moon
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MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH NCF C-1.1, C-2.1

e Earth is moving all the time. However, we do not feel this movement. e Earth
continuously keeps making two movements— rotation and revolution.
1. Rotation: Take a spinning top and spin it. If Axis of rotation
you observe carefully, you would notice that
the top is spinning about an imaginary vertical
line, that passes through its centre. is line is
called its axis of rotation.
Just like a spinning top, Earth also spins on its
axis. is axis is an imaginary line passing
through the centre of the Earth.
e spinning of the Earth about its own axis is
called the rotation of the Earth. e Earth A spinning top rota ng on its axis
rotates on its own axis from west to east. It takes a whole day for Earth to rotate
once. e rotation of the Earth results in the formation of day and night.
North During the rotation of the Earth, one-half of the
Pole
Earth faces the Sun and the other half is away from
the Sun. e part that faces the Sun experiences day-
time and the part that does not face the Sun
experiences night-time. A complete rotation has
both day and night. e Earth completes one
rotation in 24 hours. erefore, at any place on
South Earth, the Sun rises, sets and rises back again in 24
Pole hours.
Rotation of the earth
2. Revolution: Apart from rotating Spring in North
Autumn in South
on its axis, Earth also moves around
the Sun on a xed path. is
movement of the Earth is called the 21 March

revolution of the Earth around

the Sun. e path it takes is called the 21 June Sun
22 December

orbit. It takes a whole year [actually, Summer in

365 days and 6 hours] for the Earth North
Winter in South
23 September
Winter in North
to complete one revolution around Summer in South

the Sun. e revolution of the Earth

Autumn in North
causes the seasons on the Earth. Spiring in South
Both rotation and revolution of the
Revolution of the Earth
Earth happen at the same time.
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 Activity 1
Aim : To show day and night on Earth.
Steps: Day Night
Ÿ Place a globe on one end of the table.
Ÿ Light a candle on the other end of the table.
Ÿ Switch off all other sources of light.
Ÿ Half of the globe facing the candle light has day.
Ÿ The other half is dark and has night.
Formation of day and night
Ÿ Now, turn the globe slowly from left to right.
Ÿ You can see that parts of the globe going into the darkness are now experiencing night.
Ÿ The part of the globe that receives the light experiences day.
Observation and conclusion: Day and night are formed on Earth due to its rotation.

CHECK YOURSELF
Tick (3) the correct option:
1. The Earth rotates on its
(a) orbit (b) axis (c) pole
2. Rotation of the Earth causes:
(a) seasons (b) earthquakes (c) days and nights
3. The Earth completes one revolution in ______________ .
(a) one year (b) one month (c) one week

NEW WORDS
Atmosphere : The blanket of air around the Earth
Axis : An imaginary line running through the centre of an spinning object
Rota on : Spinning movement of the Earth on its axis
Revolu on : The movement of the Earth around the Sun on a fixed path

SUMMARY
v Earth is part of the Solar System. It is the third planet from the Sun.
v Presence of air, land and water supports life on Earth.
v Earth is round in shape.
v The spinning of Earth about its own axis is called its rotation.
v The movement of the Earth around the Sun on a fixed path is called the revolution of
the Earth. The fixed path on which the Earth moves around the Sun is called its orbit.

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 Exercise
A. Give one word for each of the following:
1. The only planet of our Solar System that supports life ____________
2. The blanket of air around the Earth ____________
3. An imaginary straight line on which the Earth rotates ____________
4. One spin of the Earth on its own axis ____________

B. Fill in the blanks:

1. Earth is believed to have been formed _______________ of years ago.
2. The path on which the Earth revolves is called its _______________.
3. The Earth spins on its own _______________ causing day and night.
4. Changes in seasons are caused due to the Earth’s _______________.

C. True or False:
1. When the Earth was formed, it was very cold. _________
2. About 30% of Earth’s surface is water. _________
3. The Earth is moving all the time. _________
4. The Earth takes 24 hours to complete a rotation. _________

D. Answer the following questions in brief:

1. What is the shape of the Earth?
2. What is a globe?
3. What causes days and nights?
4. What causes the change in seasons?

E. Answer the following questions in detail:

1. How did the newly created Earth cool down?
2. What are the three main features that support life on Earth?
3. How does the Sun support life on Earth?
4. How are days and nights caused?
5. What do you know about the revolution of the Earth?
6. What do you know about the rotation of the Earth?
111 Science-3
 Critical Thinking
Activity Time
A. What could have happened if our Earth would have been flat?
B. Why is it night in America when it is day in India?
C. Find out! Why does the Earth appears blue when seen from space?

Be a Young Information, Media & Technology Literacy

Researcher
In this chapter, we have learnt about the Earth. There are seven more planets in the
Solar System. Surf the internet and learn more about these planets. Make a chart of
your findings and display it in the classroom.

Initiative & Self-Direction

Let Us Visit
There are some planets like Mercury, Venus, Mars or Jupiter that can be seen with
the naked eye. Use a telescope and try to locate them in the sky.

Subject Link : Social Science NCF C-5.3

You have learnt in this chapter that a globe is a small

model of Earth. It helps us to study Earth. Get a
globe or a world’s map, identify and label various
natural features such as continents, countries,
oceans, seas and major lakes. Notice the network of
lines as well as the placement of prominent natural
landmarks. Take the help of your social science
teacher to understand the significance of these lines,
and how they relate to the Earth’s geography.

FOOTNOTE
® Point out that the Earth and other celestial bodies are not attached to anything.
® Rotation and revolution can easily be demonstrated in class. Let one child be the Sun and another the Earth. The Earth
turns round and round and with some help, revolves around the Sun.
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