What two, very simple, factors control the amount of solar radiation that any location on Earth will receive. These factors therefore control the general temperature of that location?

Question

What two, very simple, factors control the amount of solar radiation that any location on Earth will receive.  These factors therefore control the general temperature of that location?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Solar radiation received at a location depends primarily on day length and the sun’s angle above the horizon.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Solar insolation (energy received) depends on two simple factors: the intensity of sunlight striking a horizontal surface (governed by sun angle) and the duration of sunlight (day length).
- The cosine (or “solar zenith”) law: instantaneous irradiance on a horizontal surface = I0 × cos(θ), where I0 is the solar constant (outside atmosphere) and θ is the sun’s zenith angle (angle from directly overhead).
- Day length is controlled by latitude and Earth’s axial tilt and determines how many hours that irradiance is received.

2. Complete reasoning process step by step
- For any moment, energy per unit area = I0 × cos(θ). As θ increases (sun lower in sky), cos(θ) decreases and intensity falls.
- Daily energy = (average instantaneous irradiance over daylight) × (day length). For a simple estimate, approximate daily energy ∝ (cos of midday sun angle) × (hours of daylight).

3. Calculations with intermediate steps
- Example: equator midday θ ≈ 0°, cos(0°)=1, day length ≈ 12 h → E_equator ≈ I0 × 1 × 12 = 12 I0 (units: I0·hours).
- Example: higher latitude in winter midday θ ≈ 60°, cos(60°)=0.5, day length ≈ 8 h → E_highlat ≈ I0 × 0.5 × 8 = 4 I0.
- Ratio: E_highlat / E_equator = 4/12 = 1/3, showing much less daily energy due to both lower sun angle and shorter day.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- Day length sets the duration of incoming energy; sun angle controls instantaneous intensity per unit area via the cosine law. Together they determine total daily insolation and therefore the general temperature.

5. Why other options are incorrect
- “Day Length and Nearness to Sun”: Earth–Sun distance varies only ~±1.7% seasonally, so it is not the dominant control on local temperature.
- “Sun Angle and Width of the Equator”: “Width of the Equator” is meaningless for local insolation; sun angle is correct but the second term is wrong.
- “Nearness to Pole and First day of Summer”: “Nearness to pole” is a vague restatement of latitude (it affects angle/day length but isn’t the simple controlling factors), and the first day of summer is arbitrary and not a controlling physical variable.

6. Conclusion confirming the answer
- Therefore the two very simple factors that control how much solar radiation a location receives are Day Length and Sun Angle, which matches the provided correct answer.

What two, very simple, factors control the amount of solar radiation that any location on Earth will receive. These factors therefore control the general temperature of that location?Single choice

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