What causes the sunlight to hit different latitudes on Earth at different angles?(1 point)
Responses
the Sun's rate of burning fuel
the Sun's rate of burning fuel
the Earth's speed of rotation
the Earth's speed of rotation
the Earth's tilt on its axis
the Earth's tilt on its axis
the Sun's distance from Earth
the Earth's tilt on its axis
The correct answer is: The Earth's tilt on its axis
The correct answer is the Earth's tilt on its axis.
Explanation:
The sunlight hitting different latitudes on Earth at different angles is caused by the Earth's tilt on its axis. The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun. This means that as the Earth orbits the sun throughout the year, different parts of the Earth receive different amounts of sunlight.
During the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (around June 21st), the North Pole is tilted towards the sun, resulting in sunlight hitting the Northern Hemisphere at a steeper angle. This leads to longer days and more direct sunlight, resulting in warmer temperatures.
Conversely, during the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (around December 21st), the North Pole is tilted away from the sun, causing sunlight to hit the Northern Hemisphere at a shallower angle. This leads to shorter days and less direct sunlight, resulting in cooler temperatures.
In between the solstices, during the equinoxes (around March 21st and September 21st), the Earth's axis is not tilted towards or away from the sun. As a result, sunlight hits the Earth's equator directly, resulting in equal day and night lengths and relatively consistent temperatures across the globe.
Understanding the Earth's tilt on its axis is crucial in explaining the seasonal variations in climate and the differences in sunlight angles experienced at different latitudes on Earth.