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Name: Alex Koonce________ Class Period: 2_____________ Date: 09/11/14____________

SEASONS WEBQUEST
Click on the following link to answer the following questions:
http://www.astronomy.org/programs/seasons/
1. During which season is the earth closest to the sun, summer or winter? Winter
Scroll down to the Direct Energy vs. Indirect Energy picture of the flashlights.
2. Direct energy always produces concentrated shadows while indirect energy creates less
concentrated shadows.
3. Why is this important to how warm we feel?
In retrospect, a concentrated shadow of direct sunlight is more powerful than less concentrated
indirect sunlight. For example if you held an iron directly to your hand it would burn, but if you
held it indirectly to your hand it obviously wouldnt hurt.
Click on the following link to answer more questions.
http://vortex.plymouth.edu/sun/sun.html

Click on Why are there seasons?
1. Explain the difference between an equinox and a solstice:
An equinox is when days and nights are equal around the world while a solstice is when either
day or night is the longest time of the year.
2. How many of each do we have each year? Four
Name them:
Solstices: Equinoxes:
a. June 21 a. March 21
b. December 20 b. September 21

Click on Rotation
1. In which direction does the Earth spin on its axis? Counter Clockwise
Click on Solstices
2. In which direction is the Northern Hemisphere tilted during mid-Spring and summer?
Towards the Sun
3. How does this effect the amount of daylight we have during this time?
Days consist of more daylight
4. During what time of year does the North Pole experience 24 hours of sunlight?
Around the time of the solstice
South pole? Around the Winter Solstice
Click on Our Orbit
5. Draw and label the Earths position in relation to the sun during each of the 4 seasons:














Click on Temperatures

1. During what season does the Northern Hemisphere receive more concentrated energy
from the sun? (look at the flashlight example for a clue)
Summer
2. During what season (time of year) does the Sun have to travel through more atmosphere?
Winter
If you were having to explain the reasons for the seasons to a 5
th
grader who is convinced that
seasons come from being closer or further away from the Sun explain how you would do it
below: (Include at least 3 things you learned from these sites!)
Contrary to popular belief, the seasons are not caused by how close or far away the earth is from
the sun. It is actually caused by the tilt of the earth on its axis as it rotates and orbits around the
sun. Depending on the angle of the earth to the sun the sunlight is either more concentrated or
less concentrated. Funny enough, during Winter, the earth is closer to the sun than it is during
Summer. The main difference in season is direct energy and indirect energy. When you put
your hand directly on a stove top it burns but if you put half of your hand on the stove top it isnt
as bad. If youre having trouble grasping this, its okay, even scientists today are blown away
by it.
5.

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