Earth/Sun Relationship

Earth/Sun Relationship

• Temperature

• The condition of the atmosphere at a given place and time.

Climate

• Weather patterns – weather conditions averaged over a long period of time.

• Includes rare events (hurricanes) and long term global changes.

What the is the Earth and sun relationship?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hawBb3wbk

Things you need to know!

• Rotation – The spinning of earth on its axis which takes exactly 24 hours/day.

Things you need to know.• Revolution – The orbit of the earth around the

sun which takes 365.26 days = one year.

Things you need to know.• Tilt – The earth is not completely upright. It is

actually tilted at 23.5 degrees from perpendicular.– This is one of the main reasons for the seasons.

Seasons

• The Northern and Southern hemispheres have opposite seasons on the same dates.

Summer and Winter solstice

• Summer Solstice – June 21st or 22nd. All locations above the equator have day lengths greater than 12 hours. (longest day)– It is the exact opposite in the southern

hemisphere.

Winter Solstice – December 21st or 22nd. All locations north of the equator have days less than 12 hours. (shortest day)

It is the exact opposite in the southern hemisphere.

Summer and Winter Solstice

Why does the Northern Hemisphere have a longer day than the Southern Hemisphere during the June (Summer) Solstice?

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Equinox

• means equal day and night.

• Autumnal and Vernal (Spring) – This is when we either have autumn or spring.

• Autumnal equinox is September 22nd or 23rd.

• Vernal (Spring) equinox is March 20th or 21st.

• The poles are not tilted toward or away from Sun.

Equinox

• Why do both equinoxes have equal days and night?

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Latitudes

• Low Latitudes – Zone between tropic of cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.

• These are near the equator.

High Latitudes

The poles - Have high numbers in latitudes.

What do you think their climate will be like?

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Mid - Latitudes

• Temperatures vary between hot and cold depending on the amount of direct sunlight or time of year.

They have 4 distinct seasons.

Tropic of Cancer

• Currently lies 23° 26′ 22″ north of the Equator.

Tropic of Capricorn

• It lies 23° 26′ 22″ south of the equator.