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How does the angle of sunlight affect the Earth?
When the sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface near the equator, the incoming solar radiation is more direct (nearly perpendicular or closer to a 90˚ angle). At higher latitudes, the angle of solar radiation is smaller, causing energy to be spread over a larger area of the surface and cooler temperatures.
How does the tilting of the Earth affect the amount of sunlight received in an area?
The tilt of the Earth causes different areas to receive different amounts of solar energy. The difference in solar energy received at different latitudes drives atmospheric circulation. Places that get more solar energy have more heat. Places that get less solar energy have less heat.
Why does the Sun angle change?
We have seasons because the sun angle varies over the course of the year, and it varies because the Earth’s plane of rotation is tilted by about 23.5 degrees from the plane of its orbit around the sun. Low sun angle goes with shorter days and cooler temperatures.
Why does the angle of the Sun change during the Earth’s revolution?
We have seasons because the sun angle varies over the course of the year, and it varies because the Earth’s plane of rotation is tilted by about 23.5 degrees from the plane of its orbit around the sun. The closer a place is to the equator, the higher the average sun angle is.
What is the effect of the angle of the Sun on climate?
Effect of Sun angle on climate. The amount of heat energy received at any location on the globe is a direct effect of Sun angle on climate, as the angle at which sunlight strikes the Earth varies by location, time of day, and season due to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun and the Earth’s rotation around its tilted axis.
How does the amount of daylight hours depend on latitude?
Our amount of daylight hours depends on our latitude and how Earth orbits the sun. Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted from its orbital plane and always points in the same direction — toward the North Star. As a result, the orientation of Earth’s axis to the sun is always changing throughout the year as we revolve around the sun.
How does the tilt of the Earth affect the length of daylight?
The tilt of the Earth’s axis also defines the length of daylight. Daylight hours are shortest in each hemisphere’s winter. Between summer and winter solstice, the number of daylight hours decreases, and the rate of decrease is larger the higher the latitude. The fewer sunlight hours the colder the nights.
Why does the intensity of sunlight vary with time of year?
This causes a seasonal variation in the intensity of sunlight reaching the surface and the number of hours of daylight. The variation in intensity results because the angle at which the sun’s rays hit the Earth changes with time of year.