Download Reasons for the Seasons

Let’s Review
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A location’s latitude determines its
temperature trend during the year.
Locations at or near the equator experience
very little change in their temperature.
Locations at higher altitudes near the poles
experience a greater change in temperature.
Opposite hemispheres = opposite patterns.
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A location’s latitude determines how much
daylight it gets at different times during the
year.
Locations near the equator experience
approximately 12 hrs of daylight and 12 hrs of
darkness all year.
Locations closer to the poles at higher latitudes
experience a wide range of day lengths.
Opposite hemispheres = opposite patterns
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Rotation – when an object turns about on its
axis. It takes Earth 24 hours to rotate on its axis
(1 day).
Revolution – when one object moves in a path
around another object. It takes Earth 365.242
days to revolve around the Sun (1 year)
Earth’s axis is tilted at 23.5 degrees toward the
North Star.
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Winter Solstice – shortest day of the year. (Dec.
21st for N. Hemisphere)
Summer Solstice – longest day of the year.
(June 21st for N. Hemisphere)
Equinox – when there is an equal amount of
daylight and darkness.
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Spring (Vernal) Equinox = March 21st
Fall (Autumnal) Equinox = Sept. 21st
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During the winter, the hemisphere is tilted
away from the Sun, resulting in a low solar
angle, a shorter day, and receiving less direct
sunlight.
During the summer, the hemisphere is tilted
toward the Sun, resulting in a high solar angle,
receiving more direct light, and therefore a
longer amount of daylight.
Distance to the Sun has no affect on our
Seasons!
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1. A. The Earth’s orbit is close to circular, so
our distance to the Sun does not vary much
and does not affect our seasons. (We are
actually closest in the beginning of Jan. and
farthest the beginning of July)
2. C. is correct, because it most accurately
represents the great distance between the Earth
& Sun and the great difference in sizes of the
two.
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Question 3:
A = NOT correct. The Sun’s variation in
energy output does not correlate with our
seasons.
B = NOT correct. The distance does not change
very much and does not correlate with our
seasons.
C = NOT correct. Because we are a sphere, our
tilting axis does not make us any
closer/farther.
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Question 3:
D = CORRECT! Because we are tilted towards
the Sun in summer, we receive longer amounts
of daylight which give us increased
temperatures (Think – Activities 5 & 6)
E = CORRECT! Because we are tilted towards
the Sun in summer, the Sun is at a higher solar
angle and therefore we receive more direct
sunlight.
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Question 3:
F = NOT correct. The Moon has nothing to do
with our seasons.
G = CORRECT! We do receive more hours of
sunlight in June in the United States, therefore
increasing our temperatures.