November - Glasgow Science Centre Learning Lab

Our Place in Space

The Solar System

Earth is a planet in the Milky Way galaxy, a collection of about a billion stars. Eight planets orbit the star at the centre of our solar system, that we call the Sun, including our own planet Earth. They are (in order of distance from the Sun): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

The Goldilocks Zone

Earth is the only planet that we know of in our solar system that has life. Life exists on Earth because of the unique conditions on this planet, including the presence of liquid water on its surface, a magnetic field that protects life from radiation, and an atmosphere that maintains a temperature that is needed for life. Planet Earth also exists in what is called ‘The Goldilocks Zone’, where its distance from the Sun means it is not too hot or too cold.

Water & Weather

The Water Cycle

A portion of the water on planet Earth moves with the planet’s weather system. We call this movement ‘The Water Cycle’. There are many parts to the water cycle.

In Scotland, rainwater that falls on buildings and pavements and makes its way to drains, will travel to surface water sewers and urban drainage systems.

Weather

Clouds can be split into different types, firstly depending on their height in the sky, and then by their characteristics. For example, stratus clouds are flat and smooth, cumulus clouds are puffy, and nimbus clouds are rain clouds.

Weather can be used to refer to what’s happening outside on a day-to-day basis, and climate looks at the average conditions that an area experiences over longer periods of time. When we talk about climate change, we’re interested in these longer-term trends, why they are happening, and the impact these changes will have on planet Earth.

Living Things

Habitats

Habitats are places that different living things call home. A habitat must provide water, food, and shelter. There are lots of different kinds of habitats, and animals may move between different habitats throughout the year depending on their needs. Habitats for many species are at risk due to human activities, such as farming and deforestation, as well as climate change.

Food Chains and Webs

Food chains are a way to represent how plants and animals interact and obtain the energy they need to live. At the top of the food chain, there is typically a predator. Predators are animals that eat other animals, their prey. Any animal that eats another animal or plant is called a consumer. Producers are living things, typically green plants, that use the Sun’s energy to make their own food via the process of photosynthesis. Producers are typically found at the very bottom of a food chain.

While food chains are useful, food webs can be used to describe how animals interact more accurately. They look more complex than food chains, but they are usually several food chains linked together and show the different predator and prey species involved.