College

Complete the sentence using the numbers 90, 23.5, or 38.1.

Earth has seasons because its axis of rotation is tilted at ____ degrees to the orbital plane.

Answer :

Sure! Let's break down the question step by step and find out why Earth has seasons.

The question asks for the tilt angle of Earth's axis of rotation relative to its orbital plane around the Sun.

- Earth experiences seasons because its axis is tilted at an angle.
- This tilt causes different parts of Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year, leading to the different seasons.

From the given numbers – 90, 23.5, and 38.1 degrees – we need to find the one that represents the Earth's axial tilt.

- 90 degrees is a right angle and is much too large for describing Earth's axial tilt.
- 38.1 degrees is also quite large for the axial tilt of Earth.

The correct tilt angle of Earth's axis is approximately 23.5 degrees. This tilt is responsible for the seasonal variations we experience throughout the year.

So, completing the sentence:

"Earth has seasons because its axis of rotation is tilted at 23.5 degrees to the orbital plane."