1 Earth Science - Seasons and Motions

Which side of earth is experiencing nighttime/darkness?

• Side A

• Side B

Earth's axis is tilted off of the ecliptic plane by how much?

• 90 degrees

• 22.7 degrees

• 23.5 degrees

• 25.3 degrees

2 Parts: One complete revolution of Earth around the Sun takes about ______ and one rotation takes about _______.

• 365 days; 24 hours

• 1 day; 1 year

• 24 hours; 365 days

• 365 hours; 24 days

Earth has seasons AND we view our Sun's zenith change on a daily basic because:

• Earth rotates on its axis exposing 1/2 to sunlight and 1/2 to darkness

• Earth's axis is tilted as it revolves around the sun leading to a difference of direct sunlight

• The distance between Earth and the sun changes; when we are closer, we are hotter and the Sun is higher

• the temperature of the sun changes.

Which of the following is FALSE? 

• The Earth experiences day/night based on its rotation; the side that is illuminated is daytime
• The Earth's orbit is elliptically shaped; where we are closest to the Sun is called aphelion
• Different parts of the Earth experience different amounts of direct sunlight thus receive different heat densities
• We perceive the Sun moving through the sky in its arced path due to viewing it from a rotating body (it is us doing the moving)

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the sun is

• directly over the equator.

• shining directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, the point farthest south it will ever be.

• closest to Earth.

• shining directly over the Tropic of Cancer, the point farthest north it will ever be.

Which of the following leads to a greater heat density a region on Earth? Indirect sunlight or Direct sunlight?

• indirect

• direct

• does not matter

Which type of sun rays represents direct sunlight which we (42 North latitude) receive during the summer season in the northern hemisphere?

• A

• B

During the summer solstice, we (42 N latitude) experience the Sun:

• At 90^o above the horizon

• At it greatest angle above the horizon for the year but it is NOT perpendicular to the surface because we are not located at the Tropic of Cancer

• Closer to us, leading to greater heat

• Shining brighter but for fewer daylight hours than in winter

We experience this season when the Northern Hemisphere is located closest to the Sun?

• spring

• summer

• fall

• winter