Which property affects the severity of the seasons all over the Earth?

Which property affects the severity of the seasons all over the Earth?

• A. Distance of the Sun from the Earth
• B. The tilt of the Earth
• C. The speed of the Earth's rotation
• D. The circumference of the Earth

Answer: (B)

Season severity comes from how tilted the Earth’s axis is relative to its orbit. The axis sits about 23.5 degrees off vertical, so through the year different hemispheres tilt toward or away from the Sun. This changes the Sun’s height in the sky at noon and how long the day lasts, which alters how much solar energy different areas receive. Hotter summers and colder winters arise because the Sun climbs higher and daylight is longer in those seasons, while the opposite happens in winter. If there were no tilt, there would be far less difference between seasons since the Sun’s angle would stay more constant and days wouldn’t vary much in length. The distance to the Sun changes a bit over the year, but that has only a small effect compared with the dramatic changes caused by the tilt. The speed of Earth’s rotation affects day length, not the seasonal heating pattern, and the circumference isn’t a factor in creating seasons.

Season severity comes from how tilted the Earth’s axis is relative to its orbit. The axis sits about 23.5 degrees off vertical, so through the year different hemispheres tilt toward or away from the Sun. This changes the Sun’s height in the sky at noon and how long the day lasts, which alters how much solar energy different areas receive. Hotter summers and colder winters arise because the Sun climbs higher and daylight is longer in those seasons, while the opposite happens in winter. If there were no tilt, there would be far less difference between seasons since the Sun’s angle would stay more constant and days wouldn’t vary much in length. The distance to the Sun changes a bit over the year, but that has only a small effect compared with the dramatic changes caused by the tilt. The speed of Earth’s rotation affects day length, not the seasonal heating pattern, and the circumference isn’t a factor in creating seasons.