CLASS 6 · LEARNING KNOWLEDGE

Seasons and the tilt of the Earth’s axis – basics

How it works

The Earth rotates once every 24 hours about its own axis, which is inclined by about 23.5° relative to the perpendicular to its orbit. This tilt remains nearly constant over the course of the year while the Earth orbits the Sun in one year. As a result, the angle at which sunlight strikes the Northern and Southern Hemispheres changes. This leads to the seasons: in summer, the respective hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun (more sunlight, longer days), in winter away from it (less sunlight, shorter days). At the equator the differences are small, at the poles especially large.

Note
The tilt of the Earth’s axis causes the seasonal differences in day length and solar altitude because it determines how steeply the Sun shines on different regions of the Earth.

An example

Why is it warmer on the Northern Hemisphere in summer than in winter?

In summer, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. As a result, the sun’s rays hit the Earth’s surface more steeply and the days are longer. This means the Earth receives more energy and it becomes warmer.

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Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: Astronomy. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.