During a certain time of the year, the angle of the sun's rays at location C is smaller than the angle of the sun's rays at location D. Which location experiences cooler temperatures at that time?

Location C, because the smaller angle means the sunlight is spread out over more area

Explanation needed.

Location D, because the larger angle means the sunlight is spread out over more area

Location C, because Earth is tilted away from the sun at this time

Location D, because Earth is tilted towards the sun at this time

explanation needed

Question

Catalina Yoder

Biology

11 March, 08:46

During a certain time of the year, the angle of the sun's rays at location C is smaller than the angle of the sun's rays at location D. Which location experiences cooler temperatures at that time?

Location C, because the smaller angle means the sunlight is spread out over more area

Explanation needed.

Location D, because the larger angle means the sunlight is spread out over more area

Location C, because Earth is tilted away from the sun at this time

Location D, because Earth is tilted towards the sun at this time

explanation needed

+4

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Tobias Carrillo · Answer 1

The correct answer is B: Location D will experience cooler temperatures, because the larger angle means the sunlight is spread out over more area.

Explanation:

If solar radiation gets vertically to the earth's surface, the radiation intensity is higher than if they obliquely reach the earth's surface. In the same way, if a radiation angle is smaller than another one, the earth's surface will get more heat in the first case, than in the second one. This is because the radiation flux is the same in both cases, but in the second one, solar radiation must spread out over a bigger surface.

When solar rays fall upon the surface with a higher inclination, meaning a larger angle, they heat the surface much less, because the atmospheric heat must spread out over a higher atmosphere thickness, filtrating and dispersing an important part of that heat.

A greater inclination in the solar rays causes that these have to cross a greater amount of atmosphere, attenuating more than if they were incident more perpendicularly, meaning in a smaller angle.

Bo Decker · Answer 2

Answer: The correct answer is C: "Location C because Earth is tilted away at this time"

Explanation: The question is "During a certain time of the year, the angle of the sun's rays at location C is smaller than the angle of the sun's rays at location D. Which location experiences cooler temperatures at that time?" Meaning that they want you to tell them which location is cooler. If there are less sun rays shining on a location it would mean it isn't that warm. The one the matches that is location C. I hope that makes sense.

Whoever sees this. I hope you pass!