4.7 Solar Radiation and Earth's Seasons

• Solar radiation drives Earth's weather patterns and climate through the greenhouse effect
• High-energy waves like UV radiation can disrupt biological molecules.
• Solar radiation drives Earth's weather and climate through the greenhouse effect
• What type of solar radiation supports life through photosynthesis?

  Visible light
• Latitudinal differences in solar radiation are a primary driver of Earth's climate.
• Earth's axial tilt is approximately 23.5°
• The Earth's orbit is perfectly circular.

  False
• Match the season with its corresponding key event:

  Spring ↔️ Spring Equinox

  Summer ↔️ Summer Solstice

  Autumn ↔️ Autumn Equinox

  Winter ↔️ Winter Solstice
• The solar constant, denoted by S, quantifies the intensity of solar radiation.
• Which type of solar radiation has the lowest energy level?

  Infrared radiation
• Infrared radiation warms the Earth's surface and atmosphere.
• Why does solar radiation vary at different latitudes?

  Angle of incidence
• Match the latitude region with its angle of incidence:

  Equatorial ↔️ Direct

  Polar ↔️ Shallow

  Mid-Latitudes ↔️ Moderate
• Earth's axial tilt is the angle of 23.5° between its rotational axis and its orbital plane.
• What happens to solar radiation when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun?

  Summer
• What is the angle of Earth's axial tilt?

  $23.5°$
• When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it receives high levels of solar radiation
• Match the hemisphere with its season when tilted towards the Sun:

  Northern Hemisphere ↔️ Summer

  Southern Hemisphere ↔️ Winter
• Order the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere based on Earth's orbit around the Sun:

  1️⃣ Spring

  2️⃣ Summer

  3️⃣ Autumn

  4️⃣ Winter
• The Spring Equinox occurs on March
• What occurs during the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere?

  Longest day
• Match the event with its description:

  Solstice ↔️ Maximal tilt towards Sun

  Equinox ↔️ Sun crosses celestial equator
• The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.

  False
• What are the three components of solar radiation?

  Visible light, infrared, UV
• Visible light has a wavelength range of $380 - 750$ nm and drives photosynthesis
• Infrared radiation warms the Earth's surface and atmosphere.
• Match the type of solar radiation with its key impact:

  Visible light ↔️ Enables vision

  Infrared radiation ↔️ Heats Earth

  Ultraviolet (UV) radiation ↔️ Causes sunburns
• Why does solar radiation vary at different latitudes?

  Angle of incidence
• At the equator, sunlight strikes at a direct angle, resulting in higher temperatures
• Earth's seasons are primarily affected by its axial tilt and revolution around the Sun.
• Order the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere from warmest to coldest:

  1️⃣ Summer

  2️⃣ Spring

  3️⃣ Autumn

  4️⃣ Winter
• What is the approximate inclination of Earth's axial tilt?

  $23.5°$
• Earth completes one orbit around the Sun every 365.25 days.
• The Northern Hemisphere experiences spring when tilted towards the Sun.
• Match the hemisphere with its key seasonal event:

  Northern Hemisphere ↔️ Summer Solstice

  Southern Hemisphere ↔️ Winter Solstice
• What type of path does the Earth follow in its orbit around the Sun?

  Elliptical path
• The Earth completes one revolution around the Sun approximately every 365.25 days.
• When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it experiences spring and summer.
• What seasons does the Southern Hemisphere experience when the Northern Hemisphere has spring and summer?

  Autumn and winter
• Solstices and equinoxes are astronomical events marking the change of seasons.