Question

How is the Earth moving in our solar system? (Select an answer with the most true statements.)

a. The Earth orbits an average distance of 1 AU from the Sun
b. The Earth orbits the Sun once each year
c. The Earth rotates on its axis once each day
d. The Earth's orbit is perfectly circular
e. The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane
f. The Earth's rotation causes day and night
g. The Earth's orbit is elliptical with the Sun at one of its foci

Answer 1

Earth rotates on its axis about every 24 hours, causing day and night, orbits the Sun once every year at an average distance of 1 AU in an elliptical path, and has an axial tilt of about 23.5 degrees, leading to seasonal changes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Earth is in continuous motion within our solar system in several ways. First, Earth rotates on its axis once approximately every 24 hours, a phenomenon responsible for creating day and night by alternately exposing different sides of the planet to the sun. Second, Earth orbits the Sun at an average distance of 1 Astronomical Unit (AU), which equates to about 150 million kilometers. This distance is the standard measurement used from Earth to the Sun. Earth completes this orbit once each year, taking about 365.25 days to do so. During its orbit, Earth's path around the Sun is not a perfect circle but rather an elliptical shape with the Sun positioned at one of the foci of the ellipse, not at the center. Lastly, the tilt of Earth's axis is approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane. This axial tilt is responsible for the changing seasons as the orientation of the Earth's axis relative to the Sun shifts during its year-long orbit.