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ASVAB · Earth and Space Science

What causes the cycle of day and night on Earth?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Earth's rotation on its axis

  1. A Changes in the seasons
  2. B Earth's orbit around the Sun
  3. C Earth's rotation on its axis
  4. D The Moon's gravity

Why this is the answer

Day and night are caused by Earth's rotation on its axis, which takes about 24 hours. As Earth spins, the side facing the Sun experiences day and the side facing away experiences night. Earth's orbit around the Sun (about 365 days) causes the year and, combined with the tilt of the axis, the seasons — not the daily day/night cycle. The Moon's gravity mainly drives the tides. Distinguishing rotation (daily spin → day/night) from revolution/orbit (yearly trip → year and seasons) is essential Earth-science knowledge.
Source: ASVAB GS, Earth's Rotation

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About this topic: Earth and Space Science

Earth and space science covers geology (rock types, plate tectonics), weather and the atmosphere, the water cycle, and astronomy — the solar system, moon phases, eclipses and the seasons. This is one of 13 General Science questions on earth and space science, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our ASVAB exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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