What Causes Seasons?

What Causes

Seasons?

By Mike Cummings

​Seasons are times of the year created by changing weather patterns due to several physical characteristics or factors that Earth experiences.

​Some places near the equator, may experience different seasons than what you and I experience. In temperate climates, we experience the 4 different seasons known as spring, summer, fall and winter. In tropical climates they may experience seasons differently. In tropical climates they may experience a dry season and a rainy season, while some places experience no seasons at all.

Multiple Choice

How many seasons do people in temperate climates have?

• Two

• One

• Four

• Eight

​So, why four seasons?

​There are many factors for us to have seasons, but the PRIMARY factor is the Earth's 23.5^o tilted axis. If Earth was straight up and down we would experience no seasons at all.

Multiple Choice

What is the number one reason for Earth to have seasons?

• Our location

  around the Sun

• The location of the

  direct rays of the

  Sun

• The number of

  hours a day

• Earth's tilt

Multiple Choice

What is the degree of Earth's tilt?

• 24.5^o

• 23^o

• 27.4^o

• 23.5^o

​So, why four seasons?

​Another main reason is our

movement around the Sun in our elliptical orbit. Our REVOLUTION, or movement around the Sun puts us in a different location every day!​

Multiple Choice

What type of orbit/revolution does Earth have?

• Oval

• Elliptical

• Square

• Round

​Earth's tilted axis ALWAYS points in the same direction no matter where it is at in its revolution around the Sun. Earth's axis does not change direction, this is a misconception. So whether we are experiencing winter or summer, the angle is always pointing in the same direction.

​The Earth's revolution around the Sun causes Earth to be in different locations at different times of the year. This allows the Sun's direct rays to strike at different places throughout the year.

Multiple Choice

Earth's movement around the Sun causes what to occur?

• The Sun's rays

  to change angles

• Causes night

  and day

• Causes tides

• Popcorn to pop

​When Earth's revolution places the tilt farthest from the Sun, we have winter. This is known as the WINTER SOLSTICE. It occurs on December 21 and is the shortest day of the year, due to us getting the least amount of sunlight.

Multiple Choice

Which event occurs on December 21st?

• Christmas

• Summer Solstice

• Spring Equinox

• Winter Solstice

​During our WINTER SOLSTICE the direct rays of the Sun are located at the Tropic of Capricorn - this is the farthest south these rays reach. When this happens the North Pole is completely in the dark for 24 hours a day!

Multiple Choice

During the Winter Solstice the direct rays of the Sun are located over the;

• Equator

• Tropic of

  Capricorn

• Arctic Circle

• Tropic of

  Cancer

​As Earth continues to revolve around the Sun it eventually reaches a point known as a VERNAL (Spring) EQUINOX. This is the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Summer Solstice.

​During the VERNAL (Spring) EQUINOX the Sun's direct rays are at the Equator. This makes every place on Earth have equal day and night time hours.

Multiple Choice

Where are the direct rays of the Sun during the Vernal (Spring) Equinox?

• At the Arctic

  Circle

• At the Tropic

  of Cancer

• At the Equator

• At the Antarctic

  Circle

​One more quarter trip on our revolution lands us in our location known as the Summer Solstice. This occurs on June 21st and is the longest day of the year for us in the Northern Hemisphere.

Multiple Choice

What do we call the longest day of the year?

• Summer Equinox

• Autumnal Solstice

• Winter Solstice

• Summer Solstice

Multiple Choice

When is the longest day of the year?

• March 21

• June 21

• March 21

• September 21

​During the Summer Solstice, the Sun's direct rays have moved to the Tropic of Cancer. This means that the Northern Hemisphere is getting more direct sunlight and that causes temperatures to rise.

Multiple Choice

During the Summer Solstice, the direct rays are located at the;

• Tropic of

  Cancer

• Arctic Circle

• Tropic of

  Capricorn

• Equator

​Following the Summer Solstice is the AUTUMNAL (Fall) EQUINOX. Like the Vernal (Spring) Equinox, the direct rays of the Sun are over the Equator and everywhere on Earth experiences equal day and night. The Autumnal Equinox occurs around September 21.

Multiple Choice

When does the Autumnal Equinox occur?

• June 21

• December 21

• September 21

• March 21