Guiding question: How does the tilt of Earth’s axis affect the light received by Earth as it revolves around the sun?
Hypothesis: I think that when the Earth is tilted towards the sun, it will get the most sunlight in the northern hemisphere, so therefore, it will be summer. Therefore, when it is winter in our hemisphere, the Earth is tilted further away from the sun, because we are not getting as much sunlight. That is also the reason why the day is shorter during winter.
What is the procedure?
Firstly, you need to gather all the materials that you need for this project. You will need a stack of books, CDs, or anything else to put your flashlight on. The flashlight represents the sun. Then, you will need a wooden stick to put your "Earth" on. The Earth should be represented by a styrofoam ball. You also need a toothpick, which you should put in the middle of the equator and the North Pole. This toothpick will help you, because it will give you an idea of how much light is cast, by the type of shadow that is shown. You will also need a protractor.
So, before you start, you need to tape your wooden stick with the "Earth" on the protractor at 23.5 degree tilt. Then, you should turn on the light, and put an acetate sheet over it, with clearly marked squares. Observe the Earth when it is both tilted away and from the sun. Also, note the pattern of the shadowed squares on the Earth. Where are they the clearest, and how do they look in different places?
Observations (questions from the textbook):
1.When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the most concentrated light is recieved by the places that are around the equator, or a litte bit south. You could see that from the squares whose shadows were on the Earth. At the equator, and in the Southern Hemisphere, the squares are much more distinct, and can be seen better. However, in the Northern Hemisphere they spread out quite a bit, and they even form rectangles around the North Pole. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, obviously the north gets more direct sunlight. During summer in the North Hemisphere, the countries that probably get the most sunlight are Spain, Portugal, Italy, etc. That would make sense, because those places are the warmest during summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, but also, they are near the equator, where the sunlight is usually centered.
2. During winter, the area between the equator and the North Pole, doesn't get a lot of sunlight, which means that the squares are quite spread out here. Also, the shadow is quite small, because the lighting is mostly focused on the Southern Hemisphere. In the summer however, there is much more concentrated light in that area, so the shadow from the toothpick can be seen more easily, and it goes a farther way. Also, the squares are more sharp and visible in that area then the ones in the Southern Hemisphere.
3. When the squares get larger on the "Earth", it shows that in those places the light is not very concentrated, and therefore in those places the amount of heat would be much smaller then it is in the squares that are smaller, and are usually around the equator.
4. In my opinion, by doing this small lab, I believe that the areas that are the coldest on our planet are probably the Poles. the Northa and the South Pole are almost never exposed to direct light, and therefore the amount of heat is very small. That is why those areas are covered in snow all-year long. As for the warmest, I think that it is the areas that are placed around the equator, because that is where most of the sun is directed to, in both winter and summer. Some of those countries would be the northern part of Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, as well as some parts of Central Asia.
5. The toothpick's shadow will probably be the longest when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. I think this because that is when most light in concentrated on that area. When it is winter, the toothpick's shadow is the shortest, because there isn't a lot of light in that area. It is mostly concantrated on the Southern Hemisphere.
6. The further away the angle is centered, most likely is that area not going to get a lot of light and heat, because it is further away from the sun. When the angle is shorter, or smaller, the area will probably get more sunlight, and it will be warmer.
Conclusion:
Basically, the seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth. Without that tilt we would have no seasons. When the Earth is tilted towards the sun in our perspective, more light is being concentrated in the Northern Hmpisphere. Therefore, there is more heat in the part of the planet we live in. The more tilted the Northern Hemisphere gets, the warmer the weather starts getting. That is why we have spring and then summer. When the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Earth, more light is concetrated there, so people in that part of the world will be experiencing warmer seasons, while we would probably be in autumn or winter. Seasons are and have been very important to our daily lives. Firstly, by following and observing the seasons, people have learned to develop a calendar. Also, by observing the sun at different points in the day, during the Earth's rotation, people learned to make the first sun-based clock. Seasons have also influenced farming, and the rise of civilizations in general.
Hypothesis: I think that when the Earth is tilted towards the sun, it will get the most sunlight in the northern hemisphere, so therefore, it will be summer. Therefore, when it is winter in our hemisphere, the Earth is tilted further away from the sun, because we are not getting as much sunlight. That is also the reason why the day is shorter during winter.
What is the procedure?
Firstly, you need to gather all the materials that you need for this project. You will need a stack of books, CDs, or anything else to put your flashlight on. The flashlight represents the sun. Then, you will need a wooden stick to put your "Earth" on. The Earth should be represented by a styrofoam ball. You also need a toothpick, which you should put in the middle of the equator and the North Pole. This toothpick will help you, because it will give you an idea of how much light is cast, by the type of shadow that is shown. You will also need a protractor.
So, before you start, you need to tape your wooden stick with the "Earth" on the protractor at 23.5 degree tilt. Then, you should turn on the light, and put an acetate sheet over it, with clearly marked squares. Observe the Earth when it is both tilted away and from the sun. Also, note the pattern of the shadowed squares on the Earth. Where are they the clearest, and how do they look in different places?
Observations (questions from the textbook):
1.When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the most concentrated light is recieved by the places that are around the equator, or a litte bit south. You could see that from the squares whose shadows were on the Earth. At the equator, and in the Southern Hemisphere, the squares are much more distinct, and can be seen better. However, in the Northern Hemisphere they spread out quite a bit, and they even form rectangles around the North Pole. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, obviously the north gets more direct sunlight. During summer in the North Hemisphere, the countries that probably get the most sunlight are Spain, Portugal, Italy, etc. That would make sense, because those places are the warmest during summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, but also, they are near the equator, where the sunlight is usually centered.
2. During winter, the area between the equator and the North Pole, doesn't get a lot of sunlight, which means that the squares are quite spread out here. Also, the shadow is quite small, because the lighting is mostly focused on the Southern Hemisphere. In the summer however, there is much more concentrated light in that area, so the shadow from the toothpick can be seen more easily, and it goes a farther way. Also, the squares are more sharp and visible in that area then the ones in the Southern Hemisphere.
3. When the squares get larger on the "Earth", it shows that in those places the light is not very concentrated, and therefore in those places the amount of heat would be much smaller then it is in the squares that are smaller, and are usually around the equator.
4. In my opinion, by doing this small lab, I believe that the areas that are the coldest on our planet are probably the Poles. the Northa and the South Pole are almost never exposed to direct light, and therefore the amount of heat is very small. That is why those areas are covered in snow all-year long. As for the warmest, I think that it is the areas that are placed around the equator, because that is where most of the sun is directed to, in both winter and summer. Some of those countries would be the northern part of Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, as well as some parts of Central Asia.
5. The toothpick's shadow will probably be the longest when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. I think this because that is when most light in concentrated on that area. When it is winter, the toothpick's shadow is the shortest, because there isn't a lot of light in that area. It is mostly concantrated on the Southern Hemisphere.
6. The further away the angle is centered, most likely is that area not going to get a lot of light and heat, because it is further away from the sun. When the angle is shorter, or smaller, the area will probably get more sunlight, and it will be warmer.
Conclusion:
Basically, the seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth. Without that tilt we would have no seasons. When the Earth is tilted towards the sun in our perspective, more light is being concentrated in the Northern Hmpisphere. Therefore, there is more heat in the part of the planet we live in. The more tilted the Northern Hemisphere gets, the warmer the weather starts getting. That is why we have spring and then summer. When the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Earth, more light is concetrated there, so people in that part of the world will be experiencing warmer seasons, while we would probably be in autumn or winter. Seasons are and have been very important to our daily lives. Firstly, by following and observing the seasons, people have learned to develop a calendar. Also, by observing the sun at different points in the day, during the Earth's rotation, people learned to make the first sun-based clock. Seasons have also influenced farming, and the rise of civilizations in general.
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