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Earth's Tilt and Seasons

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Earth's Tilt and Seasons

At the science fair, Brianna and Harper are testing how Earth’s tilt changes the sunlight different places receive. Use the evidence on this sheet to explain the seasons. Remember: the seasons are caused mainly by Earth’s tilted axis, not by changes in Earth’s distance from the Sun.

Read the science-fair evidence

Harper shines a flashlight at a tilted globe. When the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the light, its sunlight arrives more directly and daylight lasts longer. The same hemisphere receives more solar energy each day, so temperatures tend to rise: this is summer. At the same time, the Southern Hemisphere tilts away, gets less direct sunlight and shorter days, and experiences winter. Six months later, Earth is on the other side of its orbit, but its axis still points in the same direction. The hemispheres’ seasons have switched. At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, so it has longer days and more direct sunlight. During the March and September equinoxes, neither hemisphere tilts strongly toward the Sun; day and night are close to equal in length around the world. Earth’s orbit is slightly elliptical, but the distance change is not what causes the seasons. The equator receives fairly direct sunlight throughout the year, so its seasonal temperature changes are usually smaller than those at higher latitudes.

Investigate and explain

1.Brianna says, “Summer happens because Earth is much closer to the Sun.” Which explanation best corrects her idea?

Earth’s axis is tilted, changing sunlight angle and daylight length during the year.
The Sun becomes hotter during summer.
Earth spins faster in summer.
Earth’s axis points toward the Sun only in summer.

2.When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, what season is it in the Southern Hemisphere? Explain the connection in one sentence.

3.According to the evidence, Earth’s axis keeps pointing in nearly the same direction as Earth travels around the Sun. What does this show about Earth’s tilt over one year?

Earth’s axis keeps pointing in nearly the same direction in space.
Earth’s axis flips direction every six months.
Earth’s tilt disappears at the equinoxes.
Earth’s axis points directly at the Sun at every point in orbit.

4.Complete the cause-and-effect chain: Earth’s 23.5° tilt → and in each hemisphere → seasonal changes.

5.At the June solstice, which hemisphere has the longest daylight and receives more direct sunlight?

6.What happens to day and night around the world during an equinox, and how many equinoxes occur each year?

7.Harper points a flashlight straight at one patch of the globe, then at a slanted angle. Which angle spreads the light over a larger surface area, and what does that mean for energy received per unit area?

8.True or false: If it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Earth must be farther from the Sun than it is during Northern Hemisphere summer. Give one reason for your answer.

TrueFalse

9.Why are seasonal temperature changes usually smaller near the equator than at higher latitudes?

10.Imagine Earth had an axis tilt of 0°. Predict what would happen to seasonal differences in daylight and temperature. Explain your reasoning.