Name Date Subsolar Point (Latitude where the sun is overhead at noon) Equinox March 22nd 0o Equinox September 22nd 0o Solstice June 22nd 23.5˚ N Solstice December 22nd 23.5˚ S
Noon Sun Angle = 90 – Zenith Angle
Zenith Angle = latitude where you are at ± subsolar point If the subsolar point and your latitude are in the same hemisphere, subtract. If the subsolar point and your latitude are in different hemispheres, add.
Note: if you get a negative number, it means that no sunlight is received at that time of year… or it is dark for 24 hours, use 0o as your answer. Instructions: complete the table. Problem Time of Year Subsolar Latitude Zenith Angle Noon Sun Angle Noon Point where you Calculation Sun are "at" Angle Example September 22 0˚ 14˚ 14 – 0 = 14 90 – 14 = 76 76˚ 1 Equinox 23.5˚N 90 – =
2 March 22 80˚N 90 – =
3 September 22 80˚S 90 – =
4 June 22 80˚N 90 – =
5 June 22 80˚S 90 – =
6 June 22 0˚ 90 – =
7 December 22 80˚S 90 – =
8 December 22 80˚N 90 – =
9 December 22 23.5 ˚S 90 – =
10 March 22 34˚N 90 – =
11. June 22 34˚N 90 – =
12. December 22 34˚N 90 – =
More about Noon Sun Angles
North South
This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33˚N. The diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon on the December 22nd Solstice.
13. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ______. Show your work here:
14. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)? ______. Show your work here:
Bonus Questions 15. The original diagram is not correct. The summer angle should both be more vertical and the winter angle should be shallower. Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture. Use the white in the middle of the picture as the guide for your protractor.
16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?
KEY Problem Time of Year Subsolar Latitude Zenith Angle Noon Sun Angle Noon Point where Calculation Sun you are Angle "at" Example September 22 0˚ 14˚ 14 – 0 = 14 90 – 14 = 76 76˚ 1 Equinox 0˚ 23.5˚N 23.5 – 0 = 23.5 90 – 23.5 = 66.5 66.5˚
2 March 22 0˚ 80˚N 80 – 0 = 80 90 – 80 = 10 10˚
3 September 22 0˚ 80˚S 80 – 0 = 80 90 – 80 = 10 10˚
4 June 22 23.5˚ N 80˚N 80 – 23.5 = 56.6 90 – 56.5 = 33.5 33.5˚
5 June 22 23.5˚ N 80˚S 80 + 23.5 = 103.5 90 – 103.5 = -13.5 0˚ this means no 24 hours sunlight is received of night 6 June 22 23.5˚ N 0˚ 23.5 – 0 = 23.5 90 – 23.5 = 66.5 66.5˚
7 December 22 23.5˚ S 80˚S 80 – 23.5 = 56.5 90 – 56.5 = 33.5 33.5˚
8 December 22 23.5˚ S 80˚N 80 + 23.5 = 103.5 90 – 103.5 = -13.5 0˚ this means no 24 hours sunlight is received of night 9 December 22 23.5˚ S 23.5 ˚S 23.5 – 23.5 = 0 90 – 0 = 90 90˚
10 March 22 0˚ 34˚N 34 – 0 = 34 90 – 34 = 56 56˚
11. June 22 23.5˚ N 34˚N 34 – 23.5 = 10.5 90 – 10.5 = 79.5 79.5˚
12. December 22 23.5˚ S 34˚N 34 + 23.5 = 57.5 90 – 57.5 = 32.5 32.5˚
KEY
Original- not correct Correct
North South North South
This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Let’s pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33˚N. The diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon on the December 22nd Solstice.
13. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ______. Show your work here: Zenith Angle = 33 - 23.5 = 9.5 Sun Angle = 90 – 9.5˚ = 80.5˚
14. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)? ______. Show your work here:
Zenith Angle = 33.5 + 23.5 = 56.5 Sun Angle = 90 – 56.5 = 33.5˚
Bonus Questions 15. The original diagram is not correct. The summer angle should both be more vertical and the winter angle should be shallower. Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture. Use the white in the middle of the picture as the guide for your protractor.
See correction in diagram at the top of this page
16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why? The diagram shows that the sun is always shining from the south. The shade is always cast to the north of the tree. The smart place to put a shade tree would be on the south side of the house.
Name
Instructions: FILL IN THE CIRCLE BY THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere in June? A. Earth is closer to the sun in June B. Sun angles are high and days are long C. The sun sends out giant solar flares in June D. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.
2. Which statement about the Vernal Equinox is correct? A. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all latitudes. B. Sun angles are low and days are short. C. It is the first day of fall. D. Earth’s axis is pointed way from the sun.
3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer? A. In Antarctica B. In the Southern Hemisphere C. At the Equator D. In the Northern Hemisphere
4. Where can you go on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and have 24-hours of daylight? A. The Equator B. The Tropic of Cancer C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole D. All of the latitudes from the Antarctic Circle to the South Pole
5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is A. high solar flux and warm temperatures. B. high solar flux and cool temperatures. C. low solar flux and warm temperature. D. low solar flux and cool temperatures.
KEY and Explanation for Geography Assessment
1. Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere in June? B. Sun angles are high and days are long. When the hemisphere on Earth "tilts towards the sun,” as it does in the Northern Hemisphere in June, days are longer and sun angles are higher. This means that a lot more sunlight is received, making it summer.
2. Which statement about the Vernal Equinox is correct? A. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all latitudes. There are 12 hours of darkness and light because on the both the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox, the axis points neither towards, nor away from the sun. The Vernal Equinox is the first day of spring.
3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer? D. In the Northern Hemisphere. The sun is overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, making higher sun angles with more intense sunlight. Also, days are longer.
4. Where can you go on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and have 24-hours of daylight? C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole These latitudes receive sunlight for all 24 hours as Earth spins on its axis.
5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is D. low solar flux and cool temperatures. Solar flux describes amount of sunlight that strikes a given surface. The higher the solar flux the hotter the surface.