Seasons on Earth Review
1. What causes seasons to change on earth?
2. Explain the role that the star, Polaris, plays in understanding seasons.
3. a. What range of latitudes (N and S) defines the tropics?
b. What range of latitudes (N and S) defines the temperate region?
c. What range of latitudes (N and S) defines the polar region?
4. What season is occurring when the sun is shining directly on 12 north latitude and moving higher in
latitude each day?
5. When the sun is shining directly on 12 north latitude what is the range of latitudes where no light shines?
6. Explain why the tropics are always warm and the Polar Regions experience periods of tremendous cold.
7. On March 21st, which latitude, if any, has a longer day, 10S or 30N? EXPLAIN why.
8. If you live at 15N latitude, which day do you receive more hours of daylight, the vernal equinox or the
winter solstice? EXPLAIN why.
9. Fill in the diagram below that shows where the sun would be at sunrise, sunset, high noon, mid morning
and mid afternoon.
E __________________________________________________________ W
10. Perihelion means when the earth is closest to the sun during its yearly orbit. Aphelion means when the
earth is farthest from the sun during its yearly orbit. When the earth and sun are in perihelion, which
latitude, if any, has a longer day, 10S or 30N? EXPLAIN why.
11. Consider a day in the year when the sun’s rays fall directly on 10S latitude. On this day….
a. What is the latitude where complete darkness begins? In other words, the most extreme latitude
where light will shine?
b. What RANGE of latitudes (including N and S) would receive complete light?
c. What RANGE of latitudes (including N and S) would receive complete darkness?
d. What two months could this occur?
Three days later, the sun’s rays hit directly on 10.5S.
e. What one month must this be happening?
f. In Maine, is the day shorter or longer than it was three days ago?
12. Explain why the amount of light we receive each day varies in Maine.
13. Explain why the southern hemisphere has winter when we in the northern hemisphere have summer.
14. What season are we (in Maine) experiencing when the Earth is in perihelion?
15. Explain why it is warm in the summer and cold in the winter in Maine.
16. Explain why it is warm in summer and colder in winter in Canada.
17. Explain why Florida has very hot summers and warm winters.
18. Maine is at 45 N latitude. This is exactly half way between the equator and north pole. What do you think
our location has on influencing our temperatures?
19. Where do cold air masses develop in the northern hemisphere?
20. Where do warm air masses develop in the northern hemisphere?
21. How would this be different if you lived in the southern hemisphere?
22. Every place on Earth receives the same amount of light over the course of the year. Explain how this
statement makes sense.
23. The diagram below shows the sun path at different times of the year. Explain the position of the changes
through the seasons.