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Add to favourites LO: Explaining why different regions of Earth experience different seasonal conditions
Ever noticed that some months are colder or warmer than others. Why is it hot in summer and cold in winter? This can be explained by the 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth.
The Earth spins on a tilt of 23.5 degrees. If it didn’t spin on a tile, the countries above and below the equator would get an equal amount of solar energy year round.
Since the Earth is tilted, the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun. This makes the days longer and the nights shorter. Since the sun is out more, they sun’s rays hit the ground and thus warm up the air.
As the Earth orbits the Sun and seasons transmission through summer to winter, there is a point where the day and night are of equal length. This is called the equinox. This occurs twice a year, on the 20th or March and the 22nd of September.
When it’s winter, the southern hemisphere is angled away from the sun. This means the sun shines lower in our skies for less time, meaning less time for the sun to warm up the ground, causing cooler climates.
The tilt is really noticeable in the Antarctic. In the summer, the tilt of the Earth causes the Sun to remain in the sky for 5 months! It never sets, instead sitting just above the horizon.
When it’s winter in the Antarctic, the sun sets in May and doesn’t rise again till July! That’s almost 4 months of darkness!
Every wonder why people in America celebrate a white Christmas, whilst in Australia we go to the beach? Again, this is because of the tilt. People in the northern hemisphere experience the opposite seasons to the southern hemisphere. When it’s summer in the north, it’s winter in the south.
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