Reasons for Seasons

Reason for the Seasons

22/5/2011

Kyle C.

Guiding Question:

How does the tilt of the Earth’s axis affect the light received by Earth as it revolves around the sun?

Hypothesis:

The amount of the light will depend on the tilt; meaning when Australia is summer, Europe or America is experiencing snow, this happens due to the tilt.

Materials:

Books

Flashlight

Paper

Pencil

Protractor

Toothpick

Acetate sheet with thick grid lines drawn on it

Plastic foam ball marked with poles and equator

Procedure:

1. Make a pile of books about 15 cm high.
2. Tape the acetate sheet to the head of the flashlight on the pile of books.
3. Carefully push a pencil into the South Pole of the plastic foam ball, which represents the Earth.
4. Use the protractor to measure a 23.5tilt of the axis of your Earth away from your “flashlight sun.” This position represents winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
5. Hold the pencil so that Earth is steady at this 23.5angle and about 15 cm from the flashlight head. Turn the flashlight on. Dim the room lights.
6. The squares on your model should show up on your model Earth. Move the ball closer if necessary or dim the room lights more. Observe and record the shape of the squares at the equator and at the poles.
7. Carefully stick the toothpick straight into your model Earth about halfway between the equator and the North Pole. Observe and record the length of the shadow.
8. Without changing the tilt, turn the pencil to rotate the model Earth once on its axis. Observe and record how the shadow of the toothpick changes.
9. Tilt your model Earth 23.5 toward the flashlight. This is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Observe and record the shape of the squares at the equator and at the poles. Observe and record how the shadow of the toothpick changes.
10. Rotate the model Earth and note the shadow pattern.

Reason for the Seasons Questions:

1. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which areas on Earth get the most concentrated light? Which areas get the most concentrated light when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the opposite of Northern Hemisphere (Southern Hemisphere) receives the concentrated light. As I mentioned above, that’s why there are differences in Australia and Europe

2. Compare your observations of how the light hits the area halfway between the equator and the North Pole during winter and during summer

My observations suggest that when the light hits the area halfway between the equator and North Pole during winter and during summer, there is difference in lightness. There are a lot of shadows during summer, and there is a lot of sunlight. On the other hand, it is dark in winter.

3. If the squares projected on the ball from the acetate become larger, what can you infer about the amount of heat distributed in each square?

If so, then the areas on earth (squares) will be simply hotter.

4. According to your observations, which areas on Earth are consistently coolest? Which areas are consistently warmest? Why?

The coolest places on earth are the North and South Poles, meanwhile the hottest are the countries located around the equator. The equator receives more directed sunlight causing heat.

5. What time of year will the toothpick’s shadow be longest? When will the shadow be shortest?

My prediction suggests that the toothpick’s shadow will be shortest in summer and will be longest around/during Winter-Spring.

6. How are the amounts of the heat and light received in a square related to the angle of the sun’s rays?

The amounts of heat and light received in a square (grid) symbolize how much heat is received in a certain area. Due to this grid, we can easily see the location of the light’s destination.

7. Use your observations of an Earth-sun model to write an explanation of what causes the seasons.

The tilt causes the seasons to alter; without the tilt movement, we would be living in one season. The tilt movement causes the equator to be hotter than the poles, giving people around the equator to adapt to different conditions.

Conclusion:

As my partner Jude and I kept revolving the ball until we found why seasons exist, we found that the tilt will likely be remaining the same as Earth revolves (So probably, seasons chance due to Earth’s tilt). To add on, seasons are created because of the earth’s rotation and revelation, seasons give importance to us; farming or traveling may depend on the earth’s tilt. With this knowledge we are capable of how the seasons work and the earth’s movement.