Transcript Solar Energy and a Spherical Earth

Solar Energy and a Spherical Earth
Chapter 14.1
►
Characteristics of Earth:
1. Spherical
2. Rotating
3. Orbiting
►
These characteristics affect the amount of
solar radiation absorbed by different
regions.
Basic Ideas
► The
Earth orbits the
Sun in one year
► The Earth spins around
once each day
► The Moon orbits the
Earth about once a
month
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Latitude vs. Longitude
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Longitude lines:
Run North to South
Are all the same
length
Are longer than any
line of latitude
Measures distance
East or West from the
PRIME MERIDIAN
(00 -1800)
Latitude vs. Longitude
►
1.
2.
3.
4.
Latitude lines:
Run from East to West
Are parallel to each other
Measure distances North
and South of the Equator
(00 - 900)
The Tropics of Cancer
and Capricorn (23.5°)
and the Arctic and
Antarctic Circles are other
notable lines of latitude
How did the lines
of latitude get
special names?
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How does the spherical shape of Earth
influence the climate of different
regions?
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►
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A beam of sunlight that strikes
the equator is perpendicular to
Earth’s surface
Earth’s surface absorbs the
maximum amount of energy
from the Sun at the equator
Energy reaching a region at a
higher or lower latitude is
spread over a larger area
Therefore the Earth’s surface in
this region absorbs less energy
than at the equator
Why doesn’t the temperature throughout
the world stay the same all year?
Orbit
Earth is rotating on its
axis (365 times for
every trip) while it
rotates around the
sun
► Orientation
Earth’s axis is tilted
relative to the plane
of its orbit
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Seasons
…
Why
does
the
Earth
have
Seasons
?
Why does the Earth have seasons?
Day vs Night
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At the equator the length of “day” is approximately the same all year long
 12 hours of daylight / 12 hrs of darkness
►
At the north/south poles, the period of daylight changes from winter to
summer and back again
 Winter in the north has darkness for almost 24 hrs
 Summer in the north has light for almost 24 hrs
 The opposite season/daylength exists at the south pole
► For areas in between, the period of daylight changes
throughout the year  getting longer as summer is
approached/getting shorter as winter is approached
►
This is due to the tilt of the Earth on its axis and the Earth’s position
relative to the sun
A scene you will probably never get to
see in person.
This is the sunset at the North Pole
with the Moon at its closest point.
An amazing photo!