A physical geographer compares two coastal cities: one at the equator and one near the poles. Both receive the same duration of sunlight in a day. The reason the equatorial city remains warmer is:
Sunlight at the equator is more direct, concentrating energy
The Sun’s rays strike the equator almost vertically, so the same beam of sunlight spreads over a small area of the ground and delivers a high amount of energy per square metre. Near the poles the same beam hits the surface at a low, slanting angle and spreads over a much larger area, so the energy per square metre is much smaller. Duration of daylight is not the only factor — intensity per unit area matters more.
Water proximity does not make the polar city absorb less sunlight; both cities are coastal. Surface reflection is actually higher near the poles because of snow and ice, so the claim that reflection is higher at the equator is the wrong way round. Equal daylight duration alone cannot equalise temperatures when the intensity of sunlight is so different.
Hence, the answer is Sunlight at the equator is more direct, concentrating energy.
Similar Questions
A climate scientist puts sensors on the valley floor and on the slopes. During the day, the sensors on the slopes show higher temperatures and more wind blowing up from the valley. Which phenomenon does this indicate?
An ecologist analyzes wind patterns and concludes they originate from the equator toward the poles. The underlying principle for this observation is:
Water stored in earthen pots remains cool even in summer due to _____.
The radiations emitted by a hot furnace are:
Two resistors A and B of \(12\ \Omega\) and \(24\ \Omega\) respectively are connected in series with a \(6\text{ V}\) battery. The total heat dissipated in the resistors in 1 second will be ______.
When lead nitrate is heated, lead oxide, oxygen gas and a brown mystery gas are formed. What is that mysterious gas?
Important Questions from Heat and Transfer
In summer season, the top and outer surface of the house are painted white because:
Which of the following is a process in which hot, less dense materials rise upward and are replaced by colder, more dense materials?
What is the heat released by a heating filament rated 24 W when it is kept on for 6 seconds?
Space is left between logs of wood when they are burnt, so that:
On a hot summer afternoon, the tent made up of fabric will be preferred as white colour is:
