Name Period the Seasons on Earth

Name Period

The Seasons on Earth – Note Taking Guide

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks below, using the word bank provided. Label all latitudes shown in the diagram.

Axis 0o Arctic Circle Changes 23.5o N Antarctic Circle Daylight 23.5o S North Pole Length 66.5o N South Pole Seasons 66.5o S Equator Tilted 90o N Tropic of Cancer 23.5o 90o S Tropic of Capricorn

1. The earth is on its axis .

2. The tilt effects the of our days and causes the of our .

4. Solar flux describes .

5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is .

6. Solar flux effects the of a surface.

7. Low flux will make a surface and high flux will make a surface .

8. What two factors cause solar flux to be lower at higher latitudes?

DIRECTION: Fill in as much information as you can about the movement of our planet around the Sun. The word bank below will help you get started. You should be able to fill in every blank line provided.

1. Earth’s orbit around the sun is nearly .

2. Earth is closest to the sun during N. Hemisphere . This is .

3. Earth is farthest away from the sun during N. Hemisphere . This is .

Circular Aphelion March 22nd Elliptical Summer Solstice September 22nd Orbit Winter Solstice June 22nd Tilted Vernal Equinox December 22nd Perihelion Autumnal Equinox

Sun

Name KEY Period

The Seasons on Earth – Note Taking Guide

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks below, using the word bank provided. Label all latitudes shown in the diagram. Axis 0o Arctic Circle Changes 23.5o N Antarctic Circle Daylight 23.5o S North Pole Length 66.5o N South Pole Seasons 66.5o S Equator Tilted 90o N Tropic of Cancer 23.5o 90o S Tropic of Capricorn

1. The earth is tilted on its axis 23.5o .

2. The tilt effects the length of our days and causes the changes of our seasons .

3. North Pole, 90o N

Equator, 0o Arctic Circle, 66.5o N

o Tropic of Capricorn, 23.5 S Tropic of Cancer, 23.5o N

Antarctic Circle, 66.5o S

South Pole, 90o S

Axis

4. Solar flux describes amount of sunlight that strikes a given surface .

5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is low solar flux .

6. Solar flux effects the temperature of a surface.

7. Low flux will make a surface cool and high flux will make a surface hot .

8. What two factors cause solar flux to be lower at higher latitudes? Tilt of axis Earth is a sphere.

KEY

1. Earth’s orbit around the sun is nearly circular .

2. Earth is closest to the sun during N. Hemisphere winter . This is perihelion .

3. Earth is farthest away from the sun during N. Hemisphere summer. This is aphelion .

Circular Aphelion March 22nd Elliptical Summer Solstice September 22nd Orbit Winter Solstice June 22nd Tilted Vernal Equinox December 22nd Perihelion Autumnal Equinox 1. Vernal Equinox 2. March 22 3. First day of spring

4. All latitudes receive 12 hours of

daylight 1. Summer Solstice 1. Winter Solstice 5. All latitudes receive 12 hours of 2. June 22 2. December 22 darkness 3. First day of summer 3. First day of winter 6. Axis points neither towards, nor away 4. North Pole tilts 4. South Pole tilts from the sun toward sun toward sun 5. South Pole tilts away 5. North Pole tilts away from sun from sun 6. More than 12 hours 6. More than 12 hours daylight in northern daylight in southern hemisphere hemisphere 7. Less than 12 hours 7. Less than 12 hours daylight in southern daylight in northern hemisphere Sun hemisphere 8. The area above the 8. The area below the Arctic Circle has 24 Antarctic Circle has hours daylight 24 hours of daylight 9. The area below the 9. The area above the Antarctic Circle has Arctic Circle has 24 24 hours of darkness hours of darkness

1. Autumnal Equinox

2. September 22 3. First day of fall Orbit 4. All latitudes receive 12 hours of daylight 5. All latitudes receive 12 hours of darkness 6. Axis points neither towards, nor away from the sun

Noon Sun Angle Worksheet Name

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

Correct Original- not 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˚

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? m A. Earth is closer to the sun in June m B. Sun angles are high and days are long m C. The sun sends out giant solar flares in June m D. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

2. Which statement about the Vernal Equinox is correct? m A. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all latitudes. m B. Sun angles are low and days are short. m C. It is the first day of fall. m D. Earth’s axis is pointed way from the sun.

3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer? m A. In Antarctica m B. In the Southern Hemisphere m C. At the Equator m D. In the Northern Hemisphere

4. Where can you go on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and have 24-hours of daylight? m A. The Equator m B. The Tropic of Cancer m C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole m 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 m A. high solar flux and warm temperatures. m B. high solar flux and cool temperatures. m C. low solar flux and warm temperature. m D. low solar flux and cool temperatures.

KEY and Explanation for Geography Assessment

1. Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere in June? m 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? m 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? m 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? m 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 m 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.