Final answer:
Earth rotates about 361 degrees in one solar day to account for its movement along its orbit around the Sun, making a solar day slightly longer than a sidereal day by about 4 minutes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount that Earth rotates in one solar day is slightly more than 360 degrees. The correct answer to the student's question is E) 360°, but it's important to understand that because the Earth moves along its path around the Sun as well, it actually rotates about 361 degrees to align the Sun with the same meridian on the next day. When Earth has completed one rotation relative to distant stars (a sidereal day), it has not quite turned enough to bring the Sun back to the same position in the sky. The additional rotation is approximately 1/365 of a full turn, which is needed for Earth to complete a solar day. This extra rotation takes about 4 minutes, which is why a solar day is about 4 minutes longer than a sidereal day.