Name:________________________________________
Date:______________
Chapter 5 The Earth-Moon System
Lesson 2 Earth and the Sun
Why Are There Seasons? (p.C24-C25)
Motions of the Earth
 Seasons are caused by the Earth’s motion around the Sun
 Earth revolves, or travels in its orbit, once around the Sun every 365 ¼ days
 Revolution- one complete trip around the Sun
 While Earth is revolving, it is also rotating on its axis
 Earth axis is tilted at an angle of 23 ½o and always points in the same direction
 The revolution of the tilted Earth around the Sun causes different seasons
When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun
 The Sun’s incoming rays strike the Northern Hemisphere at high angles
 At this time the Northern Hemisphere has summer
When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun
 The Sun’s incoming rays are slanted at low angles in the Northern Hemisphere
 Now the Northern Hemisphere has winter
Day and Night
 Remember, during the day, Earth is facing the Sun
 At the same time, Earth’s opposite side is facing away from the Sun,
experiences night
Where Is the Sun in Summer and in Winter?
 Summer- incoming rays from Sun hit Earth at high angles
 Winter- the Suns rays are slanted at low angles
 Spring and fall- the angles of the rays are somewhere in between
How would the seasons be affected if Earth was not tilted on its axis?
The seasons would not change if Earth was not tilted on its axis.
Explain why we have seasons.
The revolution of the tilted Earth around the Sun is the reason why we have seasons.
When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, the Sun’s incoming rays
strike the Northern Hemisphere at direct angles. At this time the Northern
Hemisphere has summer. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the
Sun, the Sun’s incoming rays are slanted at low angles in the Northern Hemisphere.
Now the Northern Hemisphere has winter.
Name________________________________________
Date:______________
Chapter 5 The Earth-Moon System
Lesson 2 Earth and the Sun
Why Are There Seasons? (p.C24-C25)
Motions of the Earth
 ___________________ are caused by the Earth’s ____________ around the
Sun
 Earth _______________, or travels in its orbit, once around the Sun every
________________ days
 Revolution- one complete __________ around the __________
 While Earth is _______________, it is also _______________on its _____
 Earth axis is ____________ at an angle of ____________ and always
_____________ in the same ____________________
 The __________________of the tilted Earth around the Sun causes different
____________________
When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun
 The Sun’s incoming rays strike the _______________ Hemisphere at
_________________________
 At this time the Northern Hemisphere has ___________________
When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun
 The Sun’s incoming rays are ______________ at ___________________ in the
Northern Hemisphere
 Now the Northern Hemisphere has ________________
Day and Night
 Remember, during the ________, Earth is ______________ the Sun
 At the same time, Earth’s opposite side is facing __________ from the Sun,
experiences ____________
Where Is the Sun in Summer and in Winter?
 ________________- incoming rays from Sun hit Earth at high angles
 ________________- the Suns rays are slanted at low angles
 ______________ and ___________ the angles of the rays are somewhere
in ______________
How would the seasons be affected if Earth was not tilted on its axis?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Explain why we have seasons.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
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