Insolation Study Sheet
What area experiences 24 hours of light in the south and at which degree?
The Antarctic circle experiences 24 hours of light in the south and at the degree of 66.5 degrees South.
When does the Summer Solstice begin? Which tropic belongs to the Summer? How many hours of sunlight does the northern hemisphere receive? How many hours of sunlight does the southern hemisphere receive?
The Summer Solstice begins on June 21. The Tropic of Cancer belongs to the Summer. The northern hemisphere receives 16 hours daylight and 8 hours nighttime. The southern hemisphere receives 8 hours of daylight and 16 hours of nighttime.
What does the Tropic of Cancer belong to?
The Tropic of Cancer belongs to the Summer Solstice and is at a 23.5 degree North angle on June 21.
What does the Tropic of Capricorn belong to?
The Tropic of Capricorn belongs to the Winter Solstice and is at a 23.5 degree South angle on December 21.
When is the angle of insolation most intense?
The angle of insolation is most intense when the sun is directly above, or 90 degrees above.
What is the angle of insolation/angle of incidence?
The angle of insolation/incidence is the height and angle at which the sun's rays strike the Earth.
At which degree does the Antarctic Circle lie? How much sunlight does this area receive?
The antarctic circle lies at a degree of 66.5 degrees south. The antarctic circle receives no sunlight.
What area experiences 0 hours of light in the north and at which degree?
The arctic circle experiences 0 hours of light in the north and at the degree of 66.5 degrees North.
At which degree does the Arctic circle lie? How much sunlight does this area receive?
The arctic lies at a degree of 66.5 degrees north. This area receives 24 hours of daylight.
At which degree is the Earth tilted?
The earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees.
What does the equator belong to?
The equator belongs to the Spring and Fall equinoxes, of March 21 and September 21 at an angle of 0 degrees.
What does the north pole in the dark signify?
The north pole in the dark (or shaded) signifies winter.
What does the north pole in the light signify?
The north pole in the light (or unshaded) signifies summer.
What day is the shortest day of the year? The longest?
The shortest day of the year is December 21. The longest day of the year is June 21.
What is the terminator?
The terminator is the shadow that marks the division between day and night.
There is an indirect relationship between latitude and level of incidence.
There is an indirect relationship between latitude and level of incidence.
Day and Night Hours for the Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice: December 21 North Receives: 8 hours daylight, 16 hours sunlight South Receives: 16 hours sunlight, 8 hours daylight
What are the dates for the winter and summer solstices?
Winter Solstice: December 21 Summer Solstice: June 21
What does a higher altitude indicate?
A higher altitude indicates more insolation.
What does a lower altitude indicate?
A lower altitude indicates less insolation.
What is the relationship between sun altitude and intensity of insolation?
As the altitude of the sun increases, the intensity of the insolation increases.
At 23.5 degrees (N or S), sun rays are perpendicular to surface at the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and the Equator.
At 23.5 degrees (N or S), sun rays are perpendicular to surface at the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and the Equator.
At the equator, the sun is directly above.
At the equator, the sun is directly above.
At what time (time of day) does sun altitude decrease?
Decreasing sun altitude occurs at noon to sunset.
How many hours of sunlight at the equator? The tropic of cancer? The tropic of Capricorn? The north pole? The south pole?
Equator: 12 hours Tropic of Cancer: 16 hours Tropic of Capricorn: 8 hours North Pole: 0 hours South Pole: 24 hours
At what time (time of day) does sun altitude increase?
Increasing sun altitude occurs at sunrise to noon.
What are the equinox dates?
Spring: March 21 Fall: September 21
