Do the poles receive more solar radiation than the equator?
It receives less solar radiation than the equator because the angle of incidence is much smaller. The sun’s rays do not strike the Earth’s surface as directly at the North Pole; they are less focused. The difference in the amount of solar energy the land receives causes the atmosphere to move the way it does.
Why does the equator receive more energy than the poles?
Due to the tilt of the Earth, the Equator is closer to the sun so receives more of its energy. The Equator has a smaller surface area so heats up quickly compared to the poles. This means more heat from the sun makes it to the surface of the Earth.
What happens when the equator receives more of the sun’s energy?
The Earth near the Equator receives more of the sun’s energy than the North and South Poles. When the Earth’s surface absorbs the sun’s energy, it turns the light into heat. This heat on the Earth’s surface warms the air above it. The air over the Equator gets warmer than the surface air near the poles.
What happens when the sun’s rays strike the ground at a high angle?
When the sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface near the equator, the incoming solar radiation is more direct (nearly perpendicular or closer to a 90˚ angle). At higher latitudes, the angle of solar radiation is smaller, causing energy to be spread over a larger area of the surface and cooler temperatures.
Which planet receives the least amount of energy from the sun?
Neptune receives the least amount of solar energy.
Why is the amount of solar radiation lower at the poles than at the equator?
The direction of the Earth’s poles, relative to the Sun, causes the difference in energy received at the Equator and the poles. The normal amount of solar radiation reduces from the Equator to the poles. This is because the low latitudes (near the Equator deliver relatively large amounts of radiation all year,…
What is the difference between the equator and the Poles?
Difference between Equator and Poles. Key Difference: The equator is the point from which the latitude is calculated. In other words, it is the 0° latitude line. A pole consists of two points: North Pole and South Pole. The North Pole lies 90° on the north of the equator and the South Pole lies 90° on the south of the equator,…
How does the amount of solar energy change with latitude?
This graph shows how the solar energy received at local noon each day of the year changes with latitude. At the equator (gray line), the peak energy changes very little throughout the year. At high northern (blue lines) and southern (green) latitudes, the seasonal change is extreme. (NASA illustration by Robert Simmon.)
Why does the pole get more sunlight than the tropics?
In the “summer hemisphere,” the combination of more direct sunlight and longer days means the pole can receive more incoming sunlight than the tropics, but in the winter hemisphere, it gets none.