SCIENCE
ECOLOGY
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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the sun’s rays strike at a direct angle
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they are at a higher altitude and closer to the sun.
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the sun’s rays strike at an oblique angle.
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None of the above
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Detailed explanation-1: -When the sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface near the equator, the incoming solar radiation is more direct (nearly perpendicular or closer to a 90˚ angle). Therefore, the solar radiation is concentrated over a smaller surface area, causing warmer temperatures.
Detailed explanation-2: -The Earth’s shape is spherical. This causes the Sun’s rays to strike the Earth’s surface at different angles, creating variances in temperatures on Earth. The equator receives the most direct sunlightbecause sunlight arrives at a perpendicular (90 degree) angle to the Earth.
Detailed explanation-3: -Low sun angle goes with shorter days and cooler temperatures. The closer a place is to the equator, the higher the average sun angle is. That is why the tropics are, well, tropical. Similarly, the low average sun angle at high latitudes gives those places an Arctic climate.
Detailed explanation-4: -The more sunlight a surface absorbs, the warmer it gets, and the more energy it re-radiates as heat. This re-radiated heat is then absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases and clouds, and warm the atmosphere through the greenhouse effect.
Detailed explanation-5: -Since the Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees, then on this particular day, the Sun’s rays are striking the Earth directly at a latitude approximately 23.5 degrees north of the equator (that is, the Sun’s rays are coming in at an angle of 90 degrees here; this is the subsolar point).