The cause of the seasons on Earth is often mistakenly attributed to the elliptical orbit of Earth around the sun. What is the actual cause of the seasons?
Tha actual cause of the seasons is because of the tilt of Earth's axis.
please correct me if i'm wrong, thanks :-)
yeah not a secret if yah tell online lmao
You're right.
Here's more information.
(Broken Link Removed)
thanks Ms. Sue, that site is awesome:)
You're welcome. :-)
Psst! Here's a secret. Don't tell anyone. <g>
When I want a simple explanation and graphics, I Google the key word + kids. Example: cause seasons kids.
That's cool. I promise, I won't tell anyone that. That secret will remain a secret.
yayayay
You are absolutely correct! The cause of the seasons on Earth is indeed the tilt of its axis, not its elliptical orbit around the sun.
To understand this, let's break down the concept:
1. Earth's Axis: The Earth has an imaginary line passing through its poles, called the axis. This axis is tilted at an angle of about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit.
2. Axis Orientation: Due to the tilt of Earth's axis, different parts of the planet receive different amounts and angles of sunlight throughout the year.
3. Sun's Rays: As the Earth orbits the sun, the tilt of its axis means that during one part of the year, one hemisphere (either Northern or Southern) is tilted toward the sun, receiving more direct sunlight and experiencing summer.
4. Seasonal Transition: As the Earth continues its orbit, the tilt causes the affected hemisphere to gradually tilt away from the sun, resulting in less direct sunlight and cooler temperatures, leading to winter.
5. Equinoxes: Twice a year, around March 21st and September 21st, the tilt of Earth's axis is such that neither hemisphere is tilted toward the sun or away from it. This results in equal day and night lengths, and we experience spring and autumn.
So, it is the tilt of Earth's axis that determines the seasons, not its elliptical orbit. This tilt causes variations in the amount of sunlight different parts of Earth receive, leading to the changes in weather patterns we experience throughout the year.