Seasons Vocabulary

Front

Astronomical Unit

Back

A unit of measurement equal to the average distance between Earth and the sun; about 150 million km.

Front

What causes Earth's seasons?

Back

The earth's revolution around the sun and the tilt of Earth’s axis affecting the amount of direct vs. indirect sunlight and changing the amount of daylight hours.

Front

When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, what happens?

Back

We receive more direct sunlight causing the average temperatures to be higher.

Front

What is rotation?

Back

The spin of an object around a point or line, like the Earth around its axis.

Front

What is an equinox?

Back

A time of year when the sun is directly overhead at the equator at noon, when day and night are of equal length.

Front

What is the tilt of the Earth's axis?

Back

The angle at which the Earth is tilted in relation to its orbit around the Sun, approximately 23.5 degrees.

Front

What is revolution in terms of Earth?

Back

The movement of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun, taking about 365.25 days to complete one full orbit.

Front

What is the difference between direct and indirect sunlight?

Back

Direct sunlight hits the Earth at a perpendicular angle, providing more energy, while indirect sunlight hits at an angle, spreading the energy over a larger area.

Front

What is a solstice?

Back

A time of year when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, resulting in the longest and shortest days.

Front

What is the significance of the equator?

Back

An imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, where the sun is directly overhead during equinoxes.