Seasons in 3D Vocab

Vocabulary

 Axis – an imaginary line around which an object rotates.

o Earth’s axis runs from the North Pole to the South Pole.

 Equinox – one of the two days of the year in which the length of the day is equal to the

length of the night.

o On the equinoxes, neither the Northern Hemisphere nor the Southern

Hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the Sun.

o In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox occurs around March 21, and

the fall equinox occurs around September 22.

 Latitude – a location’s distance north or south of the equator.

o Latitude is measured in degrees north or south.

o The latitude of the equator is 0°, the latitude of the North Pole is 90° N, and the

latitude of Washington, D.C., is 38° N.

 Northern Hemisphere – the part of Earth located north of the equator.

 Revolve – to move around another object.

o The path most celestial bodies follow as they revolve around another celestial

body is called an orbit. Most orbits are elliptical in shape.

 Rotate – to spin around an axis.

 Solar energy – amount of energy from the Sun that a location receives in a day.

o Solar energy is measured in watts per square meter (W/m2

).

o The term solar energy can also refer to any type of radiation from the Sun.

 Solar intensity – the amount of solar energy striking a location in a single hour.

 Southern Hemisphere – the part of Earth located south of the equator.

 Summer solstice – the longest day of the year.

o In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around June 21. In the

Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around December 21.

 Winter solstice – the shortest day of the year.

o In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs around December 21. In

the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs around June 21.