GEO 125

Physical Geography

Movements of the Earth

Rotation versus revolution

• The earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours

• The earth revolves around the sun once every 365 days

Importance of the earth's rotation on its axis

• Shape of the earth

• Day and night and the circle of illumination

• Measurement of time

• Coriolis effect

• Daily ocean tides

Importance of the earth's revolution around the sun

• Changing of the seasons

• Duration of night and day

Parallelism of the earth axis

Aphelion versus the Perihelion of the earth's orbit around the sun

Important lines of latitude

• Equator

• Tropic of Cancer

• Tropic of Capricorn

• Arctic Circle

• Antarctic Circle

• North Pole

• South Pole

Important Dates

• March 21 (spring or vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere)

• June 21 (summer solstice in the northern hemisphere)

• September 21 (autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere)

• December 21 (winter solstice in the northern hemisphere)

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