4.3 From one season to the next
Because Earth has a globular shape, the Sun's radiation does not divide equally to the planet's surface. The closer an area is to Earth's equator, the more solar radiation the area receives. This concentrated solar radiation results in a high amount of light and heat. In contrast, near the polar regions of the planet, the solar radiation has to cover a larger surface area, and is therefore less concentrated.
You can investigate this phenomenon by shining a flashlight on a soccer ball: when pointing the flashlight at the center of the ball (near its "equator"), the result is a small, concentrated spot of light. When you move the light towards the top or bottom of the ball (closer to its "poles"), the resulting spot of light becomes larger and less bright. A similar phenomenon takes place between the Sun and the Earth.
The imaginary axis between the Earth's North and South Poles is slanted at a 23,5 degree angle. When our planet orbits around the Earth, this angle remains the same. This, in combination with the way in which solar radiation is concentrated differently between the planet's equator and its polar regions, creates the planet's seasons. The equator receives high amounts of solar radiation throughout the year, resulting in an endless summer. In contrast, the North and South Poles receive only little sunlight, and as a result experience no summer.
The amount of daylight varies depending on whether an area is slanted towards or away from the Sun. When a polar region is slanted towards the Sun, it experiences more daylight hours than during other times of the year. The result is the season we call summer. However, as the solar radiation still has to cover a larger surface area than near the equator, the summers of polar regions remain relatively cold compared to areas closer to the equator.
Europe is located closer to the North Pole than the equator. This results in clearly defined seasons.
Earth's slanted axis also results in differences between the times of seasons on different hemispheres. When the Northern Hemisphere faces the Sun and experiences its summer, the Southern Hemisphere faces away from the Sun and experiences its winter. Likewise, when the Southern Hemisphere receives more sunlight and experiences its summer, the Northern Hemisphere faces less sunlight and experiences its winter.
You can investigate this phenomenon by shining a flashlight on a soccer ball: when pointing the flashlight at the center of the ball (near its "equator"), the result is a small, concentrated spot of light. When you move the light towards the top or bottom of the ball (closer to its "poles"), the resulting spot of light becomes larger and less bright. A similar phenomenon takes place between the Sun and the Earth.
The imaginary axis between the Earth's North and South Poles is slanted at a 23,5 degree angle. When our planet orbits around the Earth, this angle remains the same. This, in combination with the way in which solar radiation is concentrated differently between the planet's equator and its polar regions, creates the planet's seasons. The equator receives high amounts of solar radiation throughout the year, resulting in an endless summer. In contrast, the North and South Poles receive only little sunlight, and as a result experience no summer.
The amount of daylight varies depending on whether an area is slanted towards or away from the Sun. When a polar region is slanted towards the Sun, it experiences more daylight hours than during other times of the year. The result is the season we call summer. However, as the solar radiation still has to cover a larger surface area than near the equator, the summers of polar regions remain relatively cold compared to areas closer to the equator.
Europe is located closer to the North Pole than the equator. This results in clearly defined seasons.
Earth's slanted axis also results in differences between the times of seasons on different hemispheres. When the Northern Hemisphere faces the Sun and experiences its summer, the Southern Hemisphere faces away from the Sun and experiences its winter. Likewise, when the Southern Hemisphere receives more sunlight and experiences its summer, the Northern Hemisphere faces less sunlight and experiences its winter.