The Seasons: Earth’s Tilt and Rotation
Introduction:
Have you ever wondered why the weather changes throughout the year? Why is it hot in the summer and cold in the winter? The answer lies in Earth’s tilt and rotation. In this lesson, we will explore the causes of the seasons and how they affect our planet.
Key Concepts:
- Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun.
- This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive different amounts of sunlight throughout the year.
- The four seasons – spring, summer, fall, and winter – result from this uneven distribution of sunlight.
- The equinoxes and solstices mark the transitions between the seasons.
Equations and Formulas:
- None needed for this lesson.
Examples:
- The Northern Hemisphere experiences summer when the North Pole is tilted towards the sun, and winter when the North Pole is tilted away from the sun.
- The opposite is true for the Southern Hemisphere, where summer occurs when the South Pole is tilted towards the sun, and winter when it is tilted away.
- The equinoxes occur when the sun is directly overhead at the equator, resulting in equal amounts of daylight and darkness around the world.
- The solstices occur when the tilt of Earth’s axis results in the maximum amount of daylight (summer solstice) or the minimum amount of daylight (winter solstice) for each hemisphere.
References for Further Learning:
- "Why Do We Have Seasons?" – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- "The Reason for Seasons" – NASA Climate Kids
- "Seasons" – Earth Observatory, NASA
