Science Quest seasons/longitude and latitude

Equinoxes

- A day lasts 12 hours and a night lasts 12 hours at all latitudes. - Equinox literally means "equal night". - Sunlight strikes the earth most directly at the equator. - This occurs twice a year.Vernal (Spring) Equinox - Around March 20 Autumnal (Fall) Equinox - Around September 22

Solstices

- Occur twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is oriented at its extremes. Tilted the farthest or closest - Winter solstice is the shortest day of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere. It occurs on December 21 or 22 and marks the beginning of winter. - The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. It occurs on June 20 or 21 and marks the beginning of summer.

The equator divides the earth into ____ equal parts

2

Equator formula

Always 0

What would Earth's tilt have to be for New Canaan to be located on the Tropic of Cancer?

41 degrees

There are ___ degrees of latitude north and south of the equator.

90

Circles formula

90-tilt

When does fall start

Autumnal equinox on September 22nd or 23rd

Why are the tropics significant?

Because they are where the sun is directly overhead

When does winter start

December 21st with the Winter solstice

Southern Hemisphere

December/winter

Why are the days of winter short?

During the winter, the Sun's rays hit the Earth at an extreme angle, and the days are very short. These effects are due to the tilt of the Earth's axis.

Explain the difference between summer and winter

In winter, the tropic of Capricorn gets more direct sunlight and in summer the tropic of cancer gets more direct sunlight.

When does summer start?

June 21 with the summer solstice

Northern Hemisphere indicates...

June/summer

Know the equinox's and the solstice on the drawing

Longest line = June 21 (longest day of they year, summer solstice, sun is highest) Shortest line = Dec 21 (shortest day of the year, suns shortest path, sun is lowest) rises in the east= sept 22 (autumnal equinox) Sets in the west= March 21 (vernal equinox/spring)

Tropics Formula

Same as the tilt of the planet

Why is summer warmer than winter?

Summer is warmer than winter (in each hemisphere) because the Sun's rays (insolation) hit the Earth at a more direct angle during summer than during winter

earths seasons

Summer= tilted towards sun Winter= tilted away from sun Spring= more coverd Fall= less coverd

Summer in the Southern Hemisphere

Sun is striking the SH at an angle making days short and cold, when the sun is on the other side of the earth it is reverse but in winter.

Revolution

The movement of an object around another object

How does the path of the sun change throughout the year?

The path of the sun December through June is longer, more daylight each day and June 21 through December there is less and less sunlight each day.

Rotation

The spinning of Earth on its axis

What is the lowest latitude that the sun can be directly overhead?

The sun can be directly overhead at any latitude greater that 23.5 degrees N or S

Why are is June 21st and December 21st significant?

The sun is the highest on June 21st and the lowest on December 21st. March 21st and September 21 are in between.

What are seasons a result of?

The tilt of the Earth's axis

Why are the circles significant?

They have very extreme seasons. There is 24hours a day in summer and 24 hours of night in the winter.

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere

When sunlight strikes the NH directly, making the days longer and hotter, when the sun is on the other side of the earth it is reverse but in winter.

When is the sun 90 degrees over head in each season?

Winter- Tropic of capricorn Spring- Equator Summer- Tropic of cancer Fall- equator

when does spring start

With the vernal equinox on March 20th or 21st

Equator

borders the NH and SH and divides the world into 2 parts

What is the direction that earth rotates

counter clockwise

What direction do latitude lines go in?

east to west (tells you how far N or S of the equator you are) 90 degree lines each side

What is the 0 degree line of latitude called?

equator

On an equinox, the sun is 90 degrees over head at the.....

equator! There is equal day and night

Tropics

full heat of the sun all year round

How do you write the coordinates of a longitude or latitude point?

latitude, longitude

Degrees are further divided into

minutes and seconds

What direction do longitude lines go in?

north to south (tells you how far east or west of the prime meridian you are) 180 degree lines each side

circles

only have winter and summer, summer is always light, winter is always dark

Lines of latitude are ____ to the equator.

parallel

24hrs of daylight= 24hrs of darkness=

summer winter

Orbit

the path that is followed around another body in space

On a solstice, the sun is 90 degrees over head at...

the tropics

What is the purpose of longitude and latitude?

to pinpoint any location on earth