NCERT Solutions and Notes for Class 6 Geography Chapter 1: The Earth in the Solar System 

Summary: NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 

In NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 1, we learn about our planet, Earth, and its position in the vast solar system. The solar system is made up of the Sun, eight planets, their moons, and other celestial objects. Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is our home. We discover the Earth’s shape, which is like a slightly flattened ball called an oblate spheroid. The imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole is called the axis. This axis helps Earth spin, causing day and night. We also explore the Earth’s revolution around the Sun, which takes about 365 and a quarter days, giving us a year. This journey around the Sun is what brings about the changing seasons.

This chapter helps us understand our place in the solar system and how Earth’s movements affect our lives. 

Download Social Science Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 Important Questions and Answers PDF

Explore all the Chapters of Class 6 Geography:

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3
Chapter 4	Chapter 5	Chapter 6

Also Read: CBSE Geography Notes on Drainage Class 9

Important Diagram in NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 

The Solar System

The Solar System is a family of celestial bodies, including the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, all bound by gravity. The Sun is at the center, and planets orbit around it.

The Sun

The Sun is a big ball of hot, glowing gases. It provides heat and light to our Solar System. It’s really huge – around 109 times bigger than Earth.

The Planets

There are eight planets in our Solar system; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, which are in increasing order of distance from the Sun.

The Earth

Our home planet, the Earth, is special because it supports life. It has oceans, land, and an atmosphere with air to breathe. We have various landscapes like mountains, deserts, and forests. Earth takes about 365 days to go around the Sun, giving us our year.

Also Read: Stars and Solar System Class 8: Notes and PDF

Important Definitions in NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 

• Celestial bodies: The sun, the moon, and all those objects shining in the night sky are called celestial bodies.
• Stars: Some celestial bodies are very big and hot. They are made up of gases. They have their own heat and light, which they emit in large amounts. These celestial bodies are called stars.
• Moon: The Moon is a large natural object that orbits, or travels around Earth.
• Constellation: A constellation is a group of stars. The groups are identified according to patterns that people have seen in the stars. 
• Pole Star: It is a bright star that can be seen in the sky in northern parts of the world when one looks directly toward the north.
• Solar System: The sun, eight planets, satellites, and some other celestial bodies known as asteroids and meteoroids form the solar system. 
• Planets: Some celestial bodies do not have their own heat and light. They are lit by the light of the stars. Such bodies are called planets. The word ‘planet’ comes from the Greek word “Planetai” which means ‘wanderers’.
• Orbits: All the eight planets of the solar system move around the sun in fixed paths. These paths are elongated. They are called orbits.
• Asteroids: Apart from the stars, planets, and satellites, there are numerous tiny bodies that also move around the sun. These bodies are called asteroids. They are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
• Meteoroids: The small pieces of rocks that move around the sun are called meteoroids.
• Satellite: A Satellite is a celestial body that moves around the planets in the same way as a plane.
• Galaxy: A galaxy is a huge system of billions of stars and clouds of dust and gases.

Find out about the smallest Planet in the Solar System in this blog

Download Social Science Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 Important Questions and Answers PDF

Explore all the Chapters of Class 6 Geography:-

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3
Chapter 4	Chapter 5	Chapter 6

Important Questions and Answers in NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 1 

1. Answer the following questions briefly.

(a) How does a planet differ from a star?

(b) What is meant by the ‘Solar System’?

(c) Name all the planets according to their distance from the sun.

(d) Why is the Earth called a unique planet?

(e) Why do we see only one side of the moon always?

(f) What is the Universe?

Ans. The difference between a planet and a star is mentioned in the table below:

Planet	Star
Some celestial bodies do not have their own heat and light. They are lit up by the heat and light of the stars. These bodies are called planets. For example, Earth, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and more are planets.	Some celestial bodies are very big and hot. They are made up of gases, and they have their own heat and light. These celestial bodies are called stars. For example, the Sun is a star.

(b) The ‘Solar System’ refers to a group of celestial objects that are bound together by gravity and orbit around a star, which is our Sun. This includes planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other objects.

(c) The planets in our Solar System, according to their distance from the Sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

(d) Earth is called a unique planet because it is the only known planet to support life. It has the right conditions like water, a suitable atmosphere, and a range of temperatures that allow living things to thrive.

(e) We see only one side of the moon because it takes the same amount of time for the moon to rotate once on its axis as it takes to orbit around the Earth. This is why the same side of the moon always faces us.

(f) The Universe is everything that exists – all galaxies, stars, planets, cosmic matter, energy, and even space itself. It’s a vast space that contains everything we know, including our Solar System.

2. Tick the correct answer.

(a) The planet known as the “Earth’s Twin” is 

(i) Jupiter        (ii) Saturn       (iii) Venus 

(b) Which is the third nearest planet to the sun? 

(i) Venus         (ii) Earth         (iii) Mercury 

(c) All the planets move around the sun in a 

(i) Circular path         (ii) Rectangular path        (iii) Elongated path 

(d) The Pole Star indicates the direction to the 

(i) South        (ii) North       (iii) East

(e) Asteroids are found between the orbits of

(i) Saturn and Jupiter     (ii) Mars and Jupiter     (iii) The Earth and Mars

Ans: 

a- (iii) Venus

b- (ii) Earth

c- (iii) Elongated path

d- (ii) North

e- (ii) Mars and Jupiter

3. Fill in the blanks.

(a) A group of stars forming various patterns is called a constellation.

(b) A huge system of stars is called a galaxy.

(c) Moon is the closest celestial body to our earth.

(d) Earth is the third nearest planet to the sun.

(e) Planets do not have their own heat and light.

Explore Notes of All subjects of CBSE Class 6:-

CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 English	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 History	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 Geography
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