Seasons and Axial Tilt
Sections
1. Hardware Check
2. Introduction
3. Data Gathering
4. Data Gathering
5. Data Gathering
6. Data Gathering
7. Data Analysis
8. Check Your Understanding
Sections
1. Hardware Check
2. Introduction
3. Data Gathering
4. Data Gathering
5. Data Gathering
6. Data Gathering
7. Data Analysis
8. Check Your Understanding
1. Hardware Check
Goals Microcontroller plugged in
|
2. Introduction
Instructions Read the introduction |  What causes the seasons? Did you know that the Earth's axis of rotation is tilted relative to the plane its orbit sits in by about
23.44 degrees? In this lesson we're going to start exploring how the tilt of the Earth's axis can affect how warm or cold it is.
First, we need a light sensor plugged into analog pin 0. Then we're going to move around to take some measurements of how much light
is hitting a particular place on the planet during different parts of the year. Since the light sensor measures how much light
is striking its surface, it's a good tool to estimate how much light would be striking the surface of the planet if our model were the real thing.
|
3. Data Gathering
Instructions Move to table 1 and take a reading for each city Goals Take Readings for all four cities
| Be careful not to move the base of the globe on the table while you take your readings. Spin the globe so the city you're
measuring the light for is directly facing the light. Then place the light sensor on that city, with the base of the
sensor flat against the globe. Finally, while holding the sensor in place click record. Have another student help you if
you can't reach everything.
Light Sensor Reading 0
|
4. Data Gathering
Instructions Move to table 2 and take a reading for each city Goals Take Readings for all four cities
| Be careful not to move the base of the globe on the table while you take your readings. Spin the globe so the city you're
measuring the light for is directly facing the light. Then place the light sensor on that city, with the base of the
sensor flat against the globe. Finally, while holding the sensor in place click record. Have another student help you if
you can't reach everything.
Light Sensor Reading 0
|
5. Data Gathering
Instructions Move to table 3 and take a reading for each city Goals Take Readings for all four cities
| Be careful not to move the base of the globe on the table while you take your readings. Spin the globe so the city you're
measuring the light for is directly facing the light. Then place the light sensor on that city, with the base of the
sensor flat against the globe. Finally, while holding the sensor in place click record. Have another student help you if
you can't reach everything.
Light Sensor Reading 0
|
6. Data Gathering
Instructions Move to table 4 and take a reading for each city Goals Take Readings for all four cities
| Be careful not to move the base of the globe on the table while you take your readings. Spin the globe so the city you're
measuring the light for is directly facing the light. Then place the light sensor on that city, with the base of the
sensor flat against the globe. Finally, while holding the sensor in place click record. Have another student help you if
you can't reach everything.
Light Sensor Reading 0
|
7. Data Analysis
Instructions Consider the data you've recorded and answer the questions Goals Answer all questions
Submit your answers
|
|
8. Check Your Understanding
Goals Answer all questions
Submit your answers
| When it was Summer for the northern hemisphere what season was the southern hemisphere experiencing?
During Summer and Winter, what caused the most change in the light sensor's reading when moving from the northern to southern hemisphere.
|
9. Lesson Done
Instructions You have completed the lesson. You may scroll up to review the lesson. |
Notepad: You can write any notes you'd like:
© 2015 ManyLabs
