Noon Sun Angle = 90 – Zenith Angle Instructions: complete ...

Noon Sun Angle Worksheet

Name

Equinox

Equinox

Solstice

Solstice

Date

March 22nd

September 22nd

June 22nd

December 22nd

Name

Subsolar Point (Latitude where the sun is overhead at noon)

0o

0o

23.5? N

23.5? S

Noon Sun Angle = 90 ¨C Zenith Angle

Zenith Angle = latitude where you are at ¡À subsolar point

If the subsolar point and your latitude are in the same hemisphere, subtract.

If the subsolar point and your latitude are in different hemispheres, add.

Note: if you get a negative number, it means that no sunlight is received at that time of year¡­ or it is

dark for 24 hours, use 0o as your answer.

Instructions: complete the table.

Problem

Time of Year

Subsolar

Point

Example

September 22

1

Equinox

23.5?N

90 ¨C

=

2

March 22

80?N

90 ¨C

=

3

September 22

80?S

90 ¨C

=

4

June 22

80?N

90 ¨C

=

5

June 22

80?S

90 ¨C

=

6

June 22

0?

90 ¨C

=

7

December 22

80?S

90 ¨C

=

8

December 22

80?N

90 ¨C

=

9

December 22

23.5 ?S

90 ¨C

=

10

March 22

34?N

90 ¨C

=

11.

June 22

34?N

90 ¨C

=

12.

December 22

34?N

90 ¨C

=

0?

Latitude

where you

are "at"

14?

Zenith Angle

Noon Sun Angle

Calculation

14 ¨C 0 = 14

90 ¨C 14 = 76

Noon

Sun

Angle

76?

More about Noon Sun Angles

North

South

This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33?N. The

diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon on the

December 22nd Solstice.

13. What is the angle of the sun¡¯s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ___________.

Show your work here:

14. What is the angle of the sun¡¯s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)?

___________________. Show your work here:

Bonus Questions

15. The original diagram is not correct. The summer angle should both be more vertical and the winter

angle should be shallower. Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture. Use the white

in the middle of the picture as the guide for your protractor.

16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?

KEY

Problem

Time of Year

Subsolar

Point

Zenith Angle

Noon Sun Angle

Calculation

Noon

Sun

Angle

0?

Latitude

where

you are

"at"

14?

Example

September 22

14 ¨C 0 = 14

90 ¨C 14 = 76

76?

1

Equinox

0?

23.5?N

23.5 ¨C 0 = 23.5

90 ¨C 23.5 = 66.5

66.5?

2

March 22

0?

80?N

80 ¨C 0 = 80

90 ¨C 80 = 10

10?

3

September 22

0?

80?S

80 ¨C 0 = 80

90 ¨C 80 = 10

10?

4

June 22

23.5? N

80?N

80 ¨C 23.5 = 56.6

90 ¨C 56.5 = 33.5

33.5?

5

June 22

23.5? N

80?S

80 + 23.5 = 103.5

6

June 22

23.5? N

0?

23.5 ¨C 0 = 23.5

90 ¨C 103.5 = -13.5

this means no

sunlight is received

90 ¨C 23.5 = 66.5

0?

24 hours

of night

66.5?

7

December 22

23.5? S

80?S

80 ¨C 23.5 = 56.5

90 ¨C 56.5 = 33.5

33.5?

8

December 22

23.5? S

80?N

80 + 23.5 = 103.5

9

December 22

23.5? S

23.5 ?S

23.5 ¨C 23.5 = 0

90 ¨C 103.5 = -13.5

this means no

sunlight is received

90 ¨C 0 = 90

0?

24 hours

of night

90?

10

March 22

0?

34?N

34 ¨C 0 = 34

90 ¨C 34 = 56

56?

11.

June 22

23.5? N

34?N

34 ¨C 23.5 = 10.5

90 ¨C 10.5 = 79.5

79.5?

12.

December 22

23.5? S

34?N

34 + 23.5 = 57.5

90 ¨C 57.5 = 32.5

32.5?

KEY

Original- not correct

North

South

Correct

North

South

This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Let¡¯s pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33?N.

The diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon

on the December 22nd Solstice.

13. What is the angle of the sun¡¯s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ___________.

Show your work here:

Zenith Angle = 33 - 23.5 = 9.5

Sun Angle = 90 ¨C 9.5? = 80.5?

14. What is the angle of the sun¡¯s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)? __________.

Show your work here:

Zenith Angle = 33.5 + 23.5 = 56.5

Sun Angle = 90 ¨C 56.5 = 33.5?

Bonus Questions

15. The original diagram is not correct. The summer angle should both be more vertical and the winter

angle should be shallower. Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture. Use the white

in the middle of the picture as the guide for your protractor.

See correction in diagram at the top of this page

16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?

The diagram shows that the sun is always shining from the south. The shade is always cast to

the north of the tree. The smart place to put a shade tree would be on the south side of the house.

Name

Instructions: FILL IN THE CIRCLE BY THE CORRECT ANSWER

1. Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere in June?

? A. Earth is closer to the sun in June

? B. Sun angles are high and days are long

? C. The sun sends out giant solar flares in June

? D. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

2. Which statement about the Vernal Equinox is correct?

? A. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all latitudes.

? B. Sun angles are low and days are short.

? C. It is the first day of fall.

? D. Earth¡¯s axis is pointed way from the sun.

3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer?

? A. In Antarctica

? B. In the Southern Hemisphere

? C. At the Equator

? D. In the Northern Hemisphere

4. Where can you go on Summer Solstice (June 21st) and have 24-hours of daylight?

? A. The Equator

? B. The Tropic of Cancer

? C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole

? D. All of the latitudes from the Antarctic Circle to the South Pole

5. When only a small amount of light hits a surface there is

? A. high solar flux and warm temperatures.

? B. high solar flux and cool temperatures.

? C. low solar flux and warm temperature.

? D. low solar flux and cool temperatures.

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