Solar Energy on Earth

When Earth receives energy from the sun,

• all of these

• some energy is reflected back into space

• some is absorbed by the atmosphere

• some is absorbed by land and water on Earth's surface

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

Julie and Mary are modeling how the sun heats Earth. Julie hangs a sheet of graph paper on a wall. Mary holds a flashlight and shines it in a straight line toward the graph paper which Julie dims the lights in the classroom. The diagram shows their model of the Sun heating the Earth at the equator. How can the students change their model to represent how the Sun heats the Earth in places where the climate is cold all year?

• They can tilt the angle of the graph paper.

• They can use graph paper with larger squares.

• They can use a flashlight with a narrower beam.

• They can move the flashlight farther away from the graph paper.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

Why is Earth warmer at the equator and colder at the poles? (p.152-153)

• Earth's spherical shape causes the equator to receive direct sunlight all year resulting in more sunlight per unit of surface area.

• Earth's spherical shape causes the equator to get less direct sunlight all year resulting in less sunlight per unit of surface area.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Why are latitudes near the poles cold? (p.152-153)

• The poles receive a lot of direct sunlight and have more energy per unit of surface area.

• Sunlight is spread over a larger area near the poles resulting in less energy per unit of surface area.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Why is the sun’s energy that reaches the equator more intense than that which reaches the poles?

• The equator is closer to the sun than the poles are.

• The sun’s rays hit the equator at an angle near 90°.

• The sun’s rays are spread out over a small area at the poles.

• The sun’s rays are spread out over a large area at the equator. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The energy from the sun is created by a process called:

• nuclear fission

• nuclear fusion

• nuclear reaction

• nuclear core

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

Which of the following is a benefit of solar energy?

• It is a non-renewable resource

• It produces harmful emissions

• It is a renewable resource

• It is only available at night

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Most solar energy that reaches Earth’s atmosphere is

• absorbed by Earth’s surface.

• reflected by the Earth's surface

• absorbed by clouds, ozone, and gases

• scattered by clouds

How long does it take for the sun's energy to reach the Earth?

• 8 seconds

• 8 minutes

• 8 hours

• 8 days

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

All of the solar energy that enters Earth's atmosphere does not reach Earth's surface because it is either absorbed or....

• scattered

• refracted

• reflected

• all of the above