question_answer 3)

1.(d) Differentiate between the summer and winter solstice.  

Answer:

On 21st June the North pole is inclined towards the sun while the South pole is away from it. The suns rays will fall vertically on the tropic of cancer. Hence the greater part of the northern hemisphere will receive more sunlight and the days will be long and nights shorter. This part of the earth will receive more heat and hence will have summer season. This position is called summer solstics. The sun's rays will be slanting in the southern hemisphere and therefore will be having winter season. After 3 months again i.e., on 22nd December, the southern hemisphere comes in front of the sun while the northern hemisphere is away from it. The vertical rays of the sun are now falling vertically on places at 23 1/2°   south of the equator. That is on the tropic of capricom. During this period the northern hemisphere remains in the grip of cold while the southern hemisphere experiences summer season. The days are longer and the nights are shorter in the southern hemisphere. This period is called as winter solstics.