The tilt of earth’s axis

Why does the sun rise and set at different positions around the year?

Why are some days shorter than others?

Why do we have hot and cold seasons?

The Sun’s Angle

The United States is in the northern hemisphere. When your hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, it is your summer season and you observe the following –

1. The sun rises earlier and sets later
2. The sun rises to a higher position in the sky
3. The path of the sun is longer in the sky
4. There are more hours of daylight on an average
5. Your days are longer and warmer

You observe exactly the opposite in winter. The sun rises late and sets early, it remains at a much lower position in the sky, the path is much shorter, and you have shorter and colder daylight hours.

All of this is attributable to the tilt of the earth’s axis.

Check Point

1. The earth’s axis is tilted by _____ degrees on average.
2. Which of the following are due to the earth’s axis tilt?
   1. The seasons
   2. The daylight hours
   3. When the sun rises and sets
   4. All of the above
3. When the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, the northern hemisphere is experiencing ______ season.
4. When the north pole is nearer the sun, the southern hemisphere is experiencing ______ season.
5. Which of the following do you observe in winter in the northern hemisphere?
   1. The sun rises later and sets earlier
   2. The sun stays lower and for a lesser time in the sky
   3. The path of the sun is shorter
   4. All of the above

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