Why does the sun rise and set?

The sun appears to rise and set because Earth turns. When your part of the planet rotates toward the sun, morning begins; when it rotates away, evening comes. The sun is still there, shining, but your view changes as the ground beneath you keeps spinning.

The fun part is that you are moving very fast without feeling it. Near the equator, Earth carries people eastward at roughly 1,000 miles an hour. The air, trees, houses, and breakfast table move along too, so the ride feels steady instead of windy.