Use the light-dark graph for one site. Which Earth motion causes the repeating daily cycle shown?

A Foucault pendulum keeps nearly the same swing plane while the floor slowly turns beneath it. Which Earth motion does this demonstrate?

Winds moving long distances in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right of their starting path. Which Earth motion produces this Coriolis deflection?

A nearby star appears slightly shifted against distant stars in January and July. Which Earth motion makes this annual parallax possible?

Use the Sun-path diagram for one clear day. What actual Earth motion makes the Sun appear to cross the sky from east to west?

The graph shows the Sun's noon altitude changing through a year at one latitude. Which combined motions best explain the annual pattern?

In Earth science, a year is defined by which motion of Earth?

The orbit diagram shows Earth's axis pointed the same way at four positions. What feature must stay nearly constant for seasons to repeat yearly?

Use the orbit diagram. When the North Pole leans toward the Sun, what season is beginning in the Northern Hemisphere?

In the same tilted-axis orbit situation, what season begins in the Southern Hemisphere when the North Pole leans toward the Sun?

Use the orbit diagram. At a position where neither hemisphere leans toward the Sun, which statement describes that day?

The orbit diagram shows the North Pole tilted away from the Sun. What daylight pattern occurs in the Northern Hemisphere?

At the orbit position where the North Pole leans most toward the Sun, what happens inside the Arctic Circle?

Use the orbit diagram. When the Northern Hemisphere is most tilted toward the Sun, where do vertical noon rays strike Earth?

Use the orbit diagram. When the Southern Hemisphere is most tilted toward the Sun, where do vertical noon rays strike Earth?

On the orbit diagram, which seasonal position gives nearly equal daylight and darkness worldwide?

The diagram shows opposite seasons in the two hemispheres at the same time. What conclusion does this support?

Use the Sun-path diagram. Which path gives the most intense noon insolation at the surface?

Use the noon-altitude graph for a midlatitude Northern Hemisphere site. During which month is noon insolation most direct?

Use the Sun-path diagram. Which path most likely represents winter at a midlatitude Northern Hemisphere site?

Two identical surfaces receive noon sunlight at 30 degrees and 70 degrees altitude. Which surface heats faster, and why?

Use the daylight graph for 40 degrees N. Which month has the shortest insolation duration?

Use the air-temperature graph for a clear day. When does the highest temperature occur?

At a sunny site, insolation peaks at local noon but air temperature peaks later. What causes this daily temperature lag?

Use the daylight graph. After which plotted month do daylight hours begin decreasing at this Northern Hemisphere site?

Use the Sun-path diagram for a midlatitude Northern Hemisphere observer. Where is the Sun at its highest point?

Long-exposure photographs show stars making circular trails around the north celestial pole. Which Earth motion causes those trails?

Polaris appears nearly fixed while nearby stars circle it. Why does Polaris stay almost in place in the Northern Hemisphere sky?

Use the time-zone graph. How many degrees of longitude correspond to about one hour of solar-time difference?

City B has local solar noon later than City A. If both are in the Northern Hemisphere, where is City B relative to City A?

Use the Sun-path diagram. What apparent direction does the Sun travel across the sky during the day?

Use the longitude-time graph. A location 30 degrees east of another has about what solar-time difference?

Two towns at the same longitude have the same local solar noon, even if their latitudes differ.

The Sun-path diagram shows three arcs for one Northern Hemisphere site. Which arc represents the longest daylight duration?

Use the rotation graph. About how far has Earth rotated after 3 hours?

Two cities are separated by 45 degrees of longitude. About how many hours apart are their local solar times?

An observer measures Polaris 38 degrees above the northern horizon. What is the observer's latitude?

At latitude 40 degrees N, what is the noon Sun altitude on the March equinox?

At latitude 40 degrees N, what is the noon Sun altitude on the June solstice?

Use the ellipse diagram. What is the eccentricity of this orbit?