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Earth’s Axis Definition

Earth's axis, an imaginary line around which Earth rotates, tilts at 23.5°, causing seasonal changes. For example, this tilt leads to varying sunlight intensities, affecting weather patterns.

View Lesson on Causes of Seasons
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Causes of Seasons

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Earth's axis tilt causes summer in the Northern Hemisphere during June.
  • While the tilt of Earth's axis affects the number of hours of daylight, the equator always has 12 hours of daylight every day of the year.
  • New York City gets 15 hours of daylight in summer due to the tilt of Earth's axis.

Why Do We Need To Know About Earth's Axis

Learning about Earth’s axis is really important for many jobs. For example, astronauts and engineers need to know about Earth’s tilt and orbit when they plan trips to Mars to make sure everything goes safely and smoothly. This shows how important the Earth’s axis is for exploring space.

Also, knowing about the Earth’s tilt is key for jobs in environmental science, farming, moving goods around the world, and making solar power. By understanding how the tilt changes seasons, sunlight, and weather, people in these jobs can make smart choices, like when to grow food and how to set up solar panels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is latitude and what are some important lines of latitude on Earth?
Latitude are the imaginary lines that measure the distance north or south of the equator. The equator divides Earth equally into two hemispheres and is found at 0° latitude. The Arctic Circle is found at 66.5°N, and the Antarctic Circle is found at 66.5°S. The Tropic of Cancer is found at 23.5°N and the Tropic of Capricorn is found at 23.5°S.
Describe the cause-and-effect relationship between latitude from the equator and temperature.
The further you travel north or south of the equator, the more extreme the differences are between the seasons, including temperatures and hours of daylight. At the equator, there are very few differences between the seasons, with warmer temperatures all year long and hours of daylight always being 12 hours a day. The regions north of the equator experience winter in December and summer in June, whereas the opposite is true for regions south of the equator.
How does the intensity of light change for a location depending on the season?
In the summer, light intensity is higher than in the winter.
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