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(a)
The explanation for variation in the number of daylight hours due to the inclination of and constant orientation of earth’s axis.
(a)
Answer to Problem 1CQ
Due to the inclination and orientation of the axis of the earth, the intensity of sunlight on a particular location changes as the earth rotates. This causes a variation in the number of daylight hours.
Explanation of Solution
The axis of the earth is tilted and always points towards the North Star. As a result the orientation of the axis of the earth changes throughout the year as it revolves around the sun. At some instant the axis points towards the sun and at the other instance it points away from the sun.
As the orientation of the earth’s axis changes throughout the year, the distribution of sunlight also changes across different latitude. This causes a seasonal variation in the number of hours of daylight. The variation in intensity is due to the angle at which the sun’s rays hit the earth and it changes throughout the year.
(b)
The explanation for variation in seasons throughout the year due to the inclination of and constant orientation of earth’s axis.
(b)
Answer to Problem 1CQ
Due to the inclination and orientation of the axis of the earth the intensity of sunlight on a particular location changes as earth rotates. This causes variation in seasons throughout the year.
Explanation of Solution
The axis of the earth is tilted and always points towards the North Star. As a result the orientation of the axis of the earth changes throughout the year as it revolves around the sun. At some instant, the northern hemisphere is towards the sun and at the other instance the southern hemisphere is away from the sun.
Seasons change occurs throughout the year due to the variation of sunlight falling on the earth. The hemisphere close to the sun experiences winter while the other experiences summer and vice versa.
The following figure shows the position of the earth throughout a year.
Figure-(1)
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Chapter 14 Solutions
Integrated Science
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- When Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun during June, some would argue that the cause of our seasons is that the Northern Hemisphere is physically closer to the Sun than the Southern Hemisphere, and this is the primary reason the Northern Hemisphere is warmer. What argument or line of evidence could contradict this idea?arrow_forwardKEY TERMS 1. Cartesian coordinate system (15.1) 2. parallels (15.2) 3. meridians 4. great circle 5. latitude 6. longitude 7. Greenwich (prime) meridian 8. solar day (15.3) 9. sidereal day 10. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) 11. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) 12. International Date Line (IDL) 13. Daylight Saving Time (DST) 14. altitude (15.4) 15. zenith angle 16. summer solstice (15.5) 17. winter solstice 18. autumnal equinox 19. vernal equinox 20. tropical year 21. sidereal year 22. Gregorian calendar 23. precession (15.6) For each of the following items, fill in the number of the appropriate Key Term from the preceding list. a. _____ Zuluarrow_forwardExplain why the year 1800 was not a leap year, even though years divisible by four are normally considered to be leap years.arrow_forward
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