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
