Answer to Question #172944 in Physics for kmy

Question

How does the motion of the Earth provide us with life? How does the Earth take care of us through its motion around the sun? Through the moon’s motion around the Earth?

Answer 1

As the Earth rotates, each area of its surface gets a turn to face and be warmed by the sun. This is important to all life on Earth. The sun affects everything from the weather we experience to the food we eat, and even our health. If the Earth did not rotate, one half of the Earth would always be hot and bright, and the other part would be frozen and dark.

The Earth also moves around the sun. This movement is called a revolution, which is different from rotation. Objects rotate around an axis, but revolve around other objects. So the Earth rotates around its axis as it revolves around the sun. It takes the Earth 365 days, or one year, to complete a revolution.