Question

A friend claims that the change of seasons arises completely from Earth’s distance from the Sun because Earth’s orbit is elliptical. At its closest, Earth is about 147 million kilometers from the Sun. At its farthest, the distance is 152 million kilometers. Do you agree with the friend’s claim? Use your model to support or disprove this statement.

Answer 1

Earth does have an elliptical orbit, but the path is nearly circular based on the distances given. The model shows that Earth’s axis is tilted. During summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the hemisphere tilts toward the Sun. The Southern Hemisphere experiences winter at that time, because it points away from the Sun.