Deck 3: Earth-Sun Geometry and the Seasons

Question 1

Choose the latitude with the highest Sun angle over the course of the year.

A) 50º
B) 45º
C) 40º
D) 35º
E) 30º

Answer 1

E

Question 2

The diameter of the Sun is about

A) 100 Earth diameters.
B) 1,000 Earth diameters.
C) 10,000 Earth diameters.
D) 100,000 Earth diameters.
E) 1,000,000 Earth diameters.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The subsolar point is

A) the point on Earth where the Sun's rays are 45º to the surface.
B) the point on Earth where the Sun's rays are parallel to the surface.
C) the point on Earth where the Sun's rays are perpendicular to the surface.
D) the point on Earth where the Sun's rays are 66½º to the surface.
E) none of these.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The circle of illumination on Earth

A) is constantly migrating across the surface of the Earth.
B) is the boundary between day and night.
C) never moves.
D) all of these.

Question 5

As the Earth revolves around the Sun,it also rotates (relative to a view above the North Pole)

A) clockwise about the plane of the ecliptic.
B) counterclockwise about the plane of the ecliptic.
C) clockwise about its axis of rotation.
D) counterclockwise about its axis of rotation.
E) none of these.

Question 6

Of the total amount of energy the Sun puts out,about how much does the Earth receive?

A) one-half of one hundredth
B) one half of one thousandth
C) one half of one millionth
D) one half of one billionth
E) one half of one trillionth

Question 7

Label the "Aphelion","Perihelion",and "Plane of the ecliptic" on the following figure.Each term is associated with one of the blank lines in the figure.Fill in the blanks to correctly label the figure.

Question 8

The diameter of the Earth

A) is greater when measured around the poles than when measured around the Equator.
B) is the same when measured around the poles as when measured around the Equator.
C) is less when measured around the poles than when measured around the Equator.
D) is dependent on the position of the Earth and the Sun.
E) changes slightly with the seasons.

Question 9

The temperature of the surface of the Sun is about _________.

A) 6000ºC.
B) 10,800ºC.
C) 15,000,000ºC.
D) 27,000,000ºC.
E) unknown

Question 10

The Earth revolves around the Sun (relative to a view above the North Pole)

A) clockwise.
B) counterclockwise.
C) oblately.
D) perpendicularly.
E) spherically.

Question 11

Light from the Sun takes _________ to reach the Earth.

A) virtually no time
B) 8.3 seconds
C) 83 seconds
D) 8.3 minutes
E) 83 minutes

Question 12

The universe we live in is about

A) 14 trillion years old.
B) 14 billion years old.
C) 14 million years old.
D) 14 thousand years old.
E) 14 hundred years old.

Question 13

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when

A) the Earth is near perihelion.
B) the Earth is near aphelion.
C) the Earth is near Vernal Equinox.
D) everywhere on Earth has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night.
E) the Earth is the farthest from the Sun.

Question 14

The point in the Earth's orbit where it is closest to the Sun is called

A) perihelion.
B) aphelion.
C) the plane of the ecliptic.
D) the rotation axis.
E) the semimajor axis.

Question 15

The Earth is the _________ planet from the Sun.

A) second
B) third
C) fourth
D) fifth
E) sixth

Question 16

The Moon orbits the Earth (relative to a view above the North Pole)

A) clockwise.
B) counterclockwise.
C) oblately.
D) perpendicularly.
E) spherically.

Question 17

The Sun and our solar system are about _________ years old.

A) 4,600,000
B) 46,000,000
C) 460,000,000
D) 4,600,000,000
E) 46,000,000,000

Question 18

The Earth is divided into __[1]____ time zones,and each one covers approximately ___[2]___ degrees of longitude each.
Answer 1 Choices:
32
24
18
7
4
Answer 2 Choices:
32
24
15
4

Question 19

The point in the Earth's orbit where it is the farthest from the Sun is called

A) perihelion.
B) aphelion.
C) the plane of the ecliptic.
D) the rotation axis.
E) the semimajor axis.

Question 20

Our Sun is just one of about _________ stars of the Milky Way Galaxy.

A) 40 trillion
B) 4 billion
C) 300 billion
D) 40 billion
E) 4 trillion

Question 21

Which of the following is true about axial tilt for the Southern Hemisphere?

A) in March it points toward the Sun and in September it points away from the Sun.
B) in March it points away from the Sun and in September it points toward from the Sun.
C) in June it points toward the Sun and in December it points away from the Sun.
D) in June it points away from the Sun and in December it points toward the Sun.
E) none of these.

Question 22

If the Earth's axial tilt were perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic,the seasons on Earth would be

A) much more severe, with longer, colder winters and fiercely hot summers.
B) the same as they are now.
C) milder than now, with winters not as cold and summers not as hot as at present.
D) practically nonexistent.
E) a little more severe than at present, with winters a little colder and summers a little hotter.

Question 23

On the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice,the subsolar point is located at the

A) Arctic Circle.
B) Tropic of Cancer.
C) Equator.
D) Tropic of Capricorn.
E) Antarctic Circle.

Question 24

If the subsolar point is moving from the Tropic of Cancer toward the Equator,what season of the year is it in the Southern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 25

Which of the following is true about axial tilt for the Northern Hemisphere?

A) in March it points toward the Sun and in September it points away from the Sun.
B) in March it points away from the Sun and in September it points toward from the Sun.
C) in June it points toward the Sun and in December it points away from the Sun.
D) in June it points away from the Sun and in December it points toward the Sun.
E) none of these.

Question 26

Which of the following is not a time zone of the contiguous United States?

A) Atlantic
B) Central
C) Mountain
D) Pacific
E) Eastern

Question 27

If the subsolar point is moving from the Equator toward the Tropic of Cancer,what season of the year is it in the Northern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 28

The Earth's axis of rotation makes an angle of ______ degrees from a line perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic.

A) 12
B) 23½
C) 24
D) 66½
E) 90

Question 29

If the subsolar point is moving from the Tropic of Capricorn toward the Equator,what season of the year is it in the Southern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring.
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 30

If the subsolar point is moving from the Tropic of Cancer toward the Equator,what season of the year is it in the Northern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 31

Where is the subsolar point when all latitudes above 66.5ºS receive 24 hours of daylight?

A) the Arctic Circle
B) the Tropic of Cancer
C) the Equator
D) the Tropic of Capricorn
E) the Antarctic Circle

Question 32

Where is the subsolar point when all latitudes receive 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness?

A) the Arctic Circle
B) the Tropic of Cancer
C) the Equator
D) the Tropic of Capricorn
E) the Antarctic Circle

Question 33

If the subsolar point is moving from the Equator toward the Tropic of Capricorn,what season of the year is it in the Southern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 34

Place the following dates on the correct letter in the figure:
March 21
June 21
September 21
December 21.
Figure 3.12

Question 35

The fundamental causes of the seasons are the

A) the orbital path Earth takes around the Sun.
B) distance of the Earth from the Sun.
C) tilt of the Earth's rotation axis with respect to the plane of the ecliptic.
D) Earth-Moon-Sun relationship.

Question 36

On the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice,the subsolar point is located at the

A) Arctic Circle.
B) Tropic of Cancer.
C) Equator.
D) Tropic of Capricorn.
E) Antarctic Circle.

Question 37

The reference point for the beginning and end of each calendar day is

A) the Prime Meridian.
B) Greenwich, England.
C) the International Date Line.
D) the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) system.
E) the International Prime Meridian conference.

Question 38

If the subsolar point is moving from the Equator toward the Tropic of Capricorn,what season of the year is it in the Northern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 39

On the Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox,the subsolar point is located at the

A) Arctic Circle.
B) Tropic of Cancer.
C) Equator.
D) Tropic of Capricorn.
E) Antarctic Circle.

Question 40

If the subsolar point is moving from the Equator toward the Tropic of Cancer,what season of the year is it in the Southern Hemisphere?

A) winter moving into spring
B) spring moving into summer
C) summer moving into fall
D) fall moving into winter
E) none of these

Question 41

As the subsolar point is heading south after reaching the Tropic of Cancer,which hemisphere is receiving the greatest amount of sunlight?

A) Northern
B) Eastern
C) Western
D) Southern
E) none of these

Question 42

As the subsolar point is heading south after crossing the Equator,which hemisphere is receiving the greatest amount of sunlight?

A) Northern
B) Eastern
C) Western
D) Southern
E) none of these

Question 43

In the Northern Hemisphere,at which time of the year does the Sun reach its highest point in the sky at solar noon?

A) Spring Equinox
B) Summer Solstice
C) Fall Equinox
D) Winter Solstice
E) none of these

Question 44

As the subsolar point is heading north after crossing the Equator,which hemisphere is receiving the greatest amount of sunlight?

A) Northern
B) Eastern
C) Western
D) Southern
E) none of these

Question 45

Where is the subsolar point when all latitudes above 66.5ºN experience 24 hours of darkness?

A) the Arctic Circle
B) the Tropic of Cancer
C) the Equator
D) the Tropic of Capricorn
E) the Antarctic Circle

Question 46

The Milky Way Galaxy is approximately 40,000 light-years in diameter.

Question 47

Select all of the following statements that are true.

A) The subsolar point is always at the Equator.
B) During the Equinoxes every place on the Earth has a 12-hour day.
C) In the Northern Hemisphere the Sun's angle gets lower from August to November.
D) The North Pole is the only place on Earth that can have a 24-hour night.

Question 48

The intensity of solar radiation received on Earth varies by latitude.

Question 49

Where is the subsolar point when all latitudes above 66.5ºS experience 24 hours of darkness?

A) the Arctic Circle
B) the Tropic of Cancer
C) the Equator
D) the Tropic of Capricorn
E) the Antarctic Circle

Question 50

If it is 2 P.M.Greenwich,UK (UTC),and it is 8 P.M.where you are; at what longitude must you be?

A) 60°E
B) 90°E
C) 90°W
D) 60°W

Question 51

The Earth is not a perfect sphere in shape.

Question 52

On August 27 of each year,in which direction has the subsolar point moved compared to August 20?
a) east
b) south
c) west
d) north

Question 53

An equinox occurs when the subsolar point is at

A) 66.5º N or S latitude.
B) 23.5º N or S latitude.
C) 15º N or S latitude.
D) 0º latitude.
E) none of these.

Question 54

The Milky Way Galaxy contains approximately 400 million stars.

Question 55

From the Midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere,the motion of the Sun throughout the day is best described as

A) arcing across the northern portion of the sky.
B) arcing across the southern portion of the sky.
C) arcing across the eastern portion of the sky.
D) arcing across the western portion of the sky.
E) rising to your right and setting to your left as you face the Sun's solar noon position.

Question 56

The Sun "sets" on which horizon?

A) north
B) east
C) south
D) west

Question 57

As the subsolar point is heading north after reaching the Tropic of Capricorn,which hemisphere is receiving the greatest amount of sunlight?

A) Northern
B) Eastern
C) Western
D) Southern
E) none of these

Question 58

What is the difference in the distance from the Sun when the Earth is in perihelion and aphelion?

A) about 25,000 km
B) no difference; the orbit is consistent
C) about 5 million km
D) about 5000 km

Question 59

Which is the more accurate statement?

A) The Sun rises due east and sets due west.
B) Because the Earth spins from west to east the Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west.
C) Because the Earth spins from east to west the Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west.
D) The Sun rises slightly north of east and sets slightly south of west.
E) The Sun rises slightly south of east and sets slightly north of west.

Question 60

At what time does the Sun reach its highest position in the sky during the day?

A) aphelion
B) perihelion
C) Greenwich Mean Time
D) solar noon
E) 12:00 A.M.

Question 61

The Earth's diameter is greater when measured around the poles than when measured around the Equator.

Question 62

The Earth is broken into 24 time zones,with each time zone being exactly 15º wide.

Question 63

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is closest to the Sun.

Question 64

The difference in the distance from the Sun between the aphelion and the perihelion points is about 3 million miles.

Question 65

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is farthest from the Sun.

Question 66

Summer in the Southern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is farthest from the Sun.

Question 67

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is closest to the Sun.

Question 68

In general,higher latitudes receive less intense solar radiation than lower latitudes.

Question 69

The Earth follows a circular orbit around the Sun.

Question 70

The International Date Line is the standard for the entire time zone system.

Question 71

The daily intensity of solar radiation received on Earth varies by longitude.

Question 72

Winter in the Southern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is closest to the Sun.

Question 73

Summer in the Southern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is closest to the Sun.

Question 74

When viewed above the North Pole,the Earth rotates in a clockwise direction about its axis of rotation.

Question 75

As the Earth revolves around the Sun,it moves in a clockwise direction relative to a view above the North Pole on the plane of the ecliptic.

Question 76

Winter in the Southern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is farthest from the Sun.

Question 77

When viewed above its North Pole,the Moon rotates in a counterclockwise direction about its axis of rotation.

Question 78

In the UTC system,time at any given place is calculated relative to how many hours ahead or behind that particular location is relative to the Greenwich meridian.

Question 79

The diameter of the Sun is about 1000 times the diameter of the Earth.

Question 80

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the Earth is farthest from the Sun.