How Earth's Tilt Causes Seasons
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Khan Academy
What it is
- This video shows how Earth's axial tilt causes sunlight to reach the Northern and Southern Hemispheres differently, depending on the time of year.
- It also discusses long-range changes in the tilt of the Earth (Milankovich cycles) that can affect Earth's climate and the differences in the amount of energy or heat available in the atmosphere during different times of the year in different locations.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The video illustrates the positional relationship between the Sun and the Earth from a variety of viewpoints.
- A full transcript of the video is available.
Prerequisites:
- This is one of a series of videos about the orbit and tilt of the Earth. Consider beginning with this video.
Classroom Implementation:
- Consider having students use the season simulator to see animated graphs and images to help them visualize the changes.
Extensions:
- Students work in groups to make a diagram, a computer simulation, or a three-dimensional model of the Sun and the Earth to show how sunlight reaches different parts of the Earth at different places in the Earth's orbit.
- Physics classes investigate why the atmosphere reflects some of the Sun's radiation and the connection between the angle of sunlight and the surface area on Earth receiving the Sun's radiation.
- Biology classes use this resource for lessons about global cycles, wind patterns, biomes, and the distribution of life on Earth.
Related Resources:
- Other resources on this topic include this interactive presentation on solar radiation in Earth's atmosphere, this Khan Academy video that explains how the oceans keep the Southern Hemisphere from experiencing more severe temperatures, and this interactive database on temperature anomalies.
From the scientist review
This video resource dives into the true cause of Earth's seasons: its axial tilt, also called obliquity. Earth's tilt causes different amounts of daylight for the Northern and Southern hemispheres depending on where it is in its revolution around the Sun, causing seasons. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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