Explain why we have seasons and compare/contrast the cycle of seasons for both hemispheres

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Because Earth's axis of rotation is inclined 23.4 degrees, the Sun moves into the northern sky in the spring and into the southern sky in the fall. This is what causes the cycle of seasons. The vernal equinox, the summer solstice, the autumnal equinox, and the winter solstice mark the beginnings of the seasons.
2
Both of Earth's hemispheres go through cycles of seasons because of changes in the amount of solar energy they receive at different times of the year. During the spring and summer months, the Northern Hemisphere receives direct sunlight and longer daytime hours resulting in warmer weather; whereas, the Southern Hemisphere receives indirect (angled) sunlight and shorter daytime hours resulting in cooler weather. The opposite is true during the fall and winter months where the Southern Hemisphere receives direct sunlight and longer daytime hours. Global atmospheric circulation patterns keep the Northern and Southern Hemispheres mostly isolated from each other, and they exchange little heat.