What causes the sunlight to hit different latitude on earth at different angles
The main factors that cause sunlight to hit different latitudes on Earth at different angles are:
1. Earth's axial tilt: Earth has a tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane around the sun. This tilt causes the sunlight to hit different latitudes at different angles throughout the year. During the summer solstice, when one hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, sunlight hits that hemisphere more directly, resulting in higher sun angles and longer daylight hours. During the winter solstice, the opposite hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, leading to lower sun angles and shorter daylight hours.
2. Earth's curvature: Earth is a sphere, and its curvature causes sunlight to hit different latitudes at different angles. Near the equator, sunlight strikes the surface almost directly, resulting in high sun angles. As one moves towards the poles, sunlight hits the surface at increasingly oblique angles, leading to lower sun angles.
3. Daily rotation: Earth rotates on its axis, causing the sun's position in the sky to change throughout the day. This rotation causes the sun to appear higher in the sky (higher sun angles) during midday and lower in the sky (lower sun angles) during sunrise and sunset.
These factors combined result in the variation of sunlight angles at different latitudes, which influences the distribution of heat and climate patterns on Earth.
The angle at which sunlight hits different latitudes on Earth is primarily caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the Sun. The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit. This tilt causes the Sun's rays to hit different latitudes at different angles throughout the year, leading to changes in the seasons.
During the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (around June 21st), the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun, resulting in the Sun's rays hitting latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere at a more direct angle. This causes these areas to receive more direct and concentrated sunlight, resulting in longer days and warmer temperatures.
Conversely, during the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (around December 21st), the North Pole is tilted away from the Sun. This causes the Sun's rays to hit latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere at a more oblique angle, resulting in less direct and spread out sunlight. As a result, days are shorter and temperatures are colder during winter.
During the equinoxes (around March 21st and September 21st), the Earth's axis is neither tilted towards nor away from the Sun. This causes the Sun's rays to hit latitudes near the equator at a more direct angle, resulting in more balanced day and night lengths and relatively consistent temperatures.
In summary, the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the Sun are responsible for the variation in sunlight angles at different latitudes, which in turn leads to the changing seasons.
The angle at which the sunlight hits different latitudes on Earth is primarily determined by two factors - the tilt of the Earth's axis and the curvature of the Earth.
1. Tilt of the Earth's Axis: The Earth's axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun. This tilt remains constant throughout the year. As a result, different latitudes receive varying amounts of sunlight at different times of the year. When a particular hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, its corresponding latitudes receive more direct sunlight and hence experience warmer seasons. On the other hand, when a hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, its corresponding latitudes receive sunlight at a more oblique angle, resulting in cooler seasons.
2. Curvature of the Earth: The Earth is a sphere, which means that as you move away from the equator towards the poles, the surface curves away from the Sun. This curvature causes the sunlight to hit different latitudes at varying angles. Near the equator, the sunlight arrives almost vertically, resulting in more intense heat. As you move towards the poles, the sunlight arrives at increasingly oblique angles, spreading the same amount of energy over a larger surface area. Consequently, the sunlight is less concentrated, and the temperatures decrease.
Understanding these factors allows us to explain how each latitude on Earth receives sunlight at different angles.