Does the Sun's rays ever make 90- degree angles to the Earth's surface in San Francisco at any time during the year? Why or why not?
No, the sun is never directly overhead in San Francisco. That can only happen between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, where the latitude's absolute value is less than 23.5 degrees (the earth's tilt angle).
No, the Sun's rays never make 90-degree angles to the Earth's surface in San Francisco at any time during the year. This is because San Francisco is located at approximately 37 degrees latitude, which is far from the equator.
The angle at which the Sun's rays arrive on Earth's surface is determined by the tilt of Earth's axis in relation to its orbit around the Sun. This axial tilt is approximately 23.5 degrees.
During the summer solstice, around June 21st, the Sun appears highest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere and the rays are at their most direct angle at the Tropic of Cancer, which is around 23.5 degrees north of the equator. San Francisco, being further north, will have the Sun's rays arriving at a lower angle, less than 90 degrees.
During the winter solstice, around December 21st, the Sun appears lowest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, and the rays are at their most direct angle at the Tropic of Capricorn, which is around 23.5 degrees south of the equator. Therefore, San Francisco will experience even lower angles of the Sun's rays during this time.
In summary, due to San Francisco's latitude and the tilt of Earth's axis, the Sun's rays never make 90-degree angles to the Earth's surface in San Francisco at any time during the year.
To determine whether the Sun's rays ever make a 90-degree angle to the Earth's surface in San Francisco, we need to consider a few factors.
First, it's important to understand that the angle of the Sun's rays with respect to the Earth's surface varies throughout the year due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. This tilt is what causes the change in seasons.
San Francisco is located at a latitude of around 37 degrees north. The tilt of the Earth's axis means that during the summer solstice (around June 21st), the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun, and the Sun appears higher in the sky. As a result, the angle at which the Sun's rays hit the Earth's surface in San Francisco will be greater than 90 degrees.
On the other hand, during the winter solstice (around December 21st), the North Pole is tilted away from the Sun, and the Sun appears lower in the sky. This means that the angle of the Sun's rays hitting the Earth's surface in San Francisco will be less than 90 degrees.
Therefore, the Sun's rays do not make a 90-degree angle to the Earth's surface in San Francisco at any time during the year. The angle will vary depending on the season due to the Earth's axial tilt.
You can determine the precise angle of the Sun's rays at any given time and location using online tools, such as solar calculators or planetarium software, which take into account specific geographic coordinates and dates. These tools use algorithms based on astronomical data and can provide accurate information on the angle of the Sun's rays at any given time and location.