Book 1, Question 78 · Video
How Does the Sun Help Life on Earth?
The Sun does much more than light up our days. It gives us light and heat that keep Earth warm and cozy, and plants use sunlight, water and air to make their own food in a process
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How does the Sun help life on Earth?
The Big Idea
The Sun is a giant, glowing star, like a power station for our planet! Its energy travels all the way to Earth as light and heat. That energy helps almost every living thing. Here are three big ways!
Light and Heat
Number one: light and heat! The Sun gives us light, so we can see during the day. And that heat keeps Earth warm and cozy. Without the Sun, our planet would be dark and frozen solid!
Plants Catch Sunlight to Make Food
Number two: plants catch sunlight to make food! Plants take in sunlight, water, and air, and turn them into their own sugary food. This is called photosynthesis. And as a bonus, plants give off oxygen, the air we breathe!
Weather and the Water Cycle
Number three: weather and the water cycle need the Sun's energy too! Sunshine warms oceans and lakes, so water rises into the sky as vapor. The vapor cools into clouds, and falls back down as rain. The Sun also warms the air unevenly, and that makes the wind blow!
The Sunny Chain
Now let's follow the sunny chain! First, the Sun shines its energy down onto plants. Plants use that energy to grow. Then animals, like this bunny, eat the plants and get some of that energy. And birds eat seeds, or bugs that munched on plants, so the Sun's energy keeps passing along. We all depend on that sunny chain!
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Sunlight zooms all the way to Earth in about eight minutes! Almost all the energy in your food started out as sunlight. Pretty amazing, right? Plants on land and tiny algae in the ocean make the oxygen we breathe. And the Sun is about 150 million kilometers away. That's 93 million miles!
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Find one plant using the Sun today. Where is it? In a sunny spot, or in the shade? What does it look like? Check its leaves and its color. What might it be using sunlight for? Write down your ideas!
Outro
The Sun gives us light, warmth, food, and weather. Thank you, Sun! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!