Understanding Seasons and Solstices

What causes the seasons on Earth?

• Distance from the Sun

• Earth's 23.5° axis tilt

• Speed of Earth's rotation

• Amount of clouds in the sky

What is a solstice?

• When day and night are equal

• When Earth is closest to the Sun

• When the Sun is directly over the equator

• When the Sun is closest to Earth's poles

During the Northern Hemisphere's summer, the North Pole is:

• Rotating faster

• Moving away from the Sun

• Tilted toward the Sun

• Tilted away from the Sun

What happens during an equinox?

• The Sun's rays are directly over the poles

• The Sun's rays are directly over the equator

• Earth is farthest from the Sun

• Seasons change immediately

Why does the Northern Hemisphere experience cooler temperatures in winter?

• The Sun's rays spread across a wider area

• Earth moves faster in its orbit

• The Sun produces less heat

• Earth is farther from the Sun

When the Northern Hemisphere has a Winter Solstice, what occurs in the Southern Hemisphere?

• Fall Equinox

• Spring Equinox

• Winter Solstice

• Summer Solstice

During an equinox, what is true about daylight hours?

• The North has more daylight

• The South has more daylight

• Day and night are nearly equal

• There is constant daylight

How many solstices occur in a year?

• One

• Two

• Four

• Three

During summer in the Northern Hemisphere:

• The days are shorter

• The Sun's rays are less direct

• The Sun's rays are more direct

• The Earth is closest to the Sun

What occurs halfway between the two solstices?

• Meteor showers

• Equinox

• Solar eclipse

• Lunar eclipse