Cause of the seasons

What causes Earth's seasons?

Winter, summer, spring and fall...

Seasons are caused because Earth revolves around the sun and is tilted at an axis. This tilt means the spherical Earth is hit by rays that aren't always ths same. What's an axis?

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​What causes seasons?

Multiple Choice

What causes seasons?

• Earth's tilt on its axis

• Earth revolves around the sun

• Earth rotates on its axis

• Moon revolves around Earth

Earth is not positioned straight up and down. It is tilted to one side at a 23.5⁰ angle. This is because the north pole is always tilted toward Polaris, the North Star, as Earth revolves around the sun. This is why we experience seasons.

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​Earth's tilted axis

Multiple Choice

What is the degree of tilt of Earth's axis?

• 97^o

• 5^o

• 23.5^o

• 27.3^o

Multiple Choice

What is the north pole always pointed towards?

• Polaris

• Norlaris

• Solaris

• Welaris

Earth is divided into the northern and southern hemispheres. The United States is in the northern hemisphere. Australia is in the southern hemisphere. Because we are in opposite hemispheres, we have opposite season. What season is Australia having now?

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​Northern vs southern hemisphere

Multiple Choice

What season is Australia experiencing when we are experiencing summer?

• winter

• spring

• summer

• fall

When the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, the rays hit directly and we have summer. These rays are stronger and quickly heat up the air and land

​​Summer

​When the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, the rays hit at an indirect angle. These indirect rays are weaker and don't add much warmth to the atmosphere.

Winter

Multiple Choice

When it is summer in the northern hemisphere, what type of rays are hitting the northern hemisphere?

• direct

• indirect

Multiple Choice

Why is the temperature colder in the winter even though we get the same sunshine?

• The rays in winter are indirect and weaker

• The rays in winter are direct and stronger.

• The rays in summer are indirect and weaker.

• The rays in summer are direct and stronger.

Let's demonstrate this...

​We need Polaris and Earth

Let's demonstrate the cause of the seasons. We need one person to represent the north star, Polaris, and someone to represent Earth as it revolves around the sun. Since I am the center of your universe in this room, I will be the sun...

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