All Flashcards
What is solar radiation?
Energy from the sun.
Define latitude.
The angular distance of a place north or south of the earth's equator.
What is an equinox?
Time when day and night are approximately equal in length.
What is a solstice?
Summer/winter; longest/shortest days of the year.
Cause: Earth's tilt. Effect?
Seasons.
Cause: Direct sunlight at the equator. Effect?
More intense solar energy.
Cause: Angled sunlight at higher latitudes. Effect?
Less intense solar energy.
Cause: Earth's tilt towards the sun. Effect?
Longer days, more direct sunlight, warmer temperatures.
Cause: Earth's tilt away from the sun. Effect?
Longer nights, less direct sunlight, colder temperatures.
Why is Earth's tilt important?
It causes the seasons.
What is the relationship between latitude and solar energy?
Lower latitudes receive more direct solar energy.
What happens during the summer solstice?
Longest day of the year; Earth's tilt is most directly towards the sun.
What happens during the winter solstice?
Shortest day of the year; Earth's tilt is most directly away from the sun.
What defines an equinox?
Day and night are approximately equal in length; tilt is neither towards nor away from the sun.
How does solar radiation affect different biomes?
Solar radiation affects biomes differently based on the season and latitude.
What happens to daylight hours in the winter?
Shorter days, longer nights, less direct solar radiation.
What happens to daylight hours in the summer?
Longer days, shorter nights, more direct solar radiation.
Why does the equator receive more solar radiation?
Solar radiation hits directly, resulting in more energy per unit area.
What happens to solar radiation at higher latitudes?
Solar radiation is spread over a larger area, leading to less energy per unit area.