ATMOSPHERE

• INTRODUCTION:-
• The atmosphere which envelops the earth is composed
of a mixture of gases . The gases near the surface of the
earth are mainly nitrogen , oxygen and argon which share
approximately 78%,21% and 0.93% of volume ,respectively.
The other constituents , are carbon dioxide & inert gases.
Hydrogen , Neon , Helium,Krypton & Xenon are also present
in negligible quantities . There is always a small amount of
water vapour in the air which varies from practically zero
to an extreme of about 4% by volume.
 SUN

. The sun has an equatorial diameter of 1.4million km .Its distance from the
earth is 14,95,97,900km.The surface temperature of the sun is nearly 6,000
dgreeC.Its light reaches the earth in about eight minutes. The energy that it
radiates in the from of light and heat is maintained by nuclear reaction
among the atoms in its interior.Its surface area is nearly 12000 times more
than that of the earth. By the force of its gravitational attraction, the sun
keeps the planets in their regular orbits and pulls them with it through
space.The the sun sends out Its light reaches the earth in about eight minutes.
The energy that it radiates in the from of light and heat is maintained by
nuclear reaction among the atoms in its interior.Its surface area is nearly
12000 times more than that of the earth. By the force of its gravitational
attraction, the sun keeps the planets in their regular orbits and pulls them
with it through space.The the sun sends out 400000 times as much energy as
the moon and rotates on its axis in about 25half days.
 MOON

• The moon is 4,06,000 k.m.away from the earth which is

the maximum distance while the minimum is 3,64,000 km.its
diameter is 3,415 km.It shines entirely by reflected light of
the sun & revolves round the earth in 27.3 days.
 • The estimated age of the earth is least 4,600 million years.
The period is known as the Pre-cambrian Era(4,600million to
600 million years ago). The first signs of life represented by
microcosms,appeared at this stage. Though the earth appears
to be stationary, it has two types of movements .(I)Rotation:It
spines on its axis at a speed of about 1,600km.an hour
making one complete rotation in about 23 hours, 56minutes.
Effects of the Rotation of the earth are as follows:

 Causation of day & night

 A difference of 1hour between two meridians which are 15
apart.
 Deflection of ocean currents & winds

EARTH  Rise & fall of tides every day .

(ii) Revolution: The second movement , namely , revolution
around the sun in the orbit is completed in one year ,I.e.365
¼ days approximately. Effects of the revolution of the earth
are as follows:
 Change of seasons
 Variation in the length of day & night at different time of the
year
 Shifting of the winds belts.
The earth is an ob oblate spheroid , I.e. a sphere
flattened at the two poles. The polar diameter is12,714 k.m .
& the equatorial diameter is 12,756k.m.
 PLANETS
1. MERCURY
2. VENUS
3. EARTH
4. MARS
5. JUPITER
6. SATURN
7. URANUS
8. NEPTUNE
9. PLUTO
 METEORS

• Meteors are called shooting stars & are seen at night . A

majority of the meteoros are burnt up before they reach the
earth .Those that reach the earth are called “meteorites”
 COMETS

• A comet is also a member of the solar system. It has a long ,

shining tail. As a comet approaches the sun , solar radiation
brighten it rapidly . As the distance between the comet and the sun
increases the brilliance of the comet decreases till it fades .
 STARS
• Stars are self luminous bodies situated at enormous distances from the solar system .
The distances are expressed in light years . There are four kinds of stars namely:
• (1)Fixed stars:- which do not seem to alter their relative positions in the sky .
They are also known as dog stars .
• (2)Binary stars:-which are groups of two stars revolving round a common centre
under mutual gravitational attraction ;(3)Temporary stars , also called nova ,which
suddenly flare up to greatly increased brightness & fade away after a short

time;
• (4)Variable stars :-are those stars , the brightness of which varies from time to
time.
 SATELLITES
• The secondary bodies which revolve round the planets ,just as
the planets revolve round the sun ,are called satellites. The Earth
has one satellite,which is the Moon ; Mars,2; Jupiter, 16;
Saturn20 or more; Uranus,15 ;Neptune, 8;Mercury,venus and
pluto have no satellite.
 THIS PROJECT WAS
PREPARED BY :-
Pinky Suri (Science Teacher)
(G.H.S. Derabassi)