Question

1. Examine this Interactive Lab on Earth-Sun Geometry hosted by the University of Nebraska - Lincoln closely. After you investigate several different latitude settings, write a brief paragraph describing how solar intensity varies with latitude throughout the year. (HINT: First, set the latitude to your location by moving the stick figure in the black box in the upper right of the webpage until the “observer’s latitude” is the same as yours. Your latitude can be determined by a Google search for “New Jersey latitude”. Then click the “start animation” button in the lower right of the web page, and watch the sun angles (pictured in the box above) progress through the days of the year. Next use the red needle with the red triangle on top located to the left of the “start animation” button to move more slowly through the days to find the maximum and minimum Sun angles.)

            a) Write brief paragraph here.

            b) What are the maximum and minimum Sun angles at your latitude? On what dates do they occur? How do these angles compare to those that occur at the equator on the same dates?

   c) What is the range of Sun angles at your latitude throughout the year? How does your range compare to the range at the equator and at the Arctic Circle?

Answer 1