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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Effect of sun angle on climate

Effect of sun angle on climate

The amount of heat energy received at any location on the globe is a direct effect of sun angle on climate, as the at which strikes the varies by location, time of day, and due to th around the sun and the around its tilted axis. Seasonal change in the angle of sunlight, caused by the tilt of the Earth's is the basic mechanism that results in warmer weather in summer than in winter Change in is another factor. (See also ).


When sunlight shines on the earth at a lower (sun closer to the horizon), the energy of the sunlight is spread over a larger area, and is therefore weaker than if the sun is higher overhead and the energy is concentrated on a smaller area. (See Figure 1.)


The sunbeam entering at the shallower angle must also travel twice as far through the Earth's which reflects some of the energy back into space.

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