If the Earth's axial tilt were smaller (10 degrees instead of 23 1/2 degrees)

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks us to reason about how changing the Earth's axial tilt would affect seasonal temperature variations.
Option 1: 'seasonal temperature variations would be the same' would be incorrect because the tilt angle is a primary factor in how sunlight is distributed across seasons; reducing tilt reduces the difference between seasons.
Option 2: 'seasonal temperature variations would be larger' runs counter to the physics: a smaller tilt means less variation in solar incidence over the year, so seasons would not become more extreme.
Option 3: 'all seasons would be hotter' is a misinterpretation. A change in tilt shifts insolation patterns but does not uniformly raise temperatures everywhere; some areas might warm or cool differently, but the key effect is the magnitude of seasonal swings, not a universal warming.
Option 4: 'all seasons would be cooler' similarly assumes a uniform cooling, which is not supported by the role of tilt. The tilt affects seasonal contrast more than a blanket rise or fall in average temperatures.
Option 5: 'seasonal temperature variations would be smaller' aligns with the understanding that a smaller axial tilt reduces the seasonal angle of sunlight across the year, leading to milder differences between summer and winter temperatures, and thus smaller seasonal variations.
Overall, recognizing that axial tilt modulates the distribution of solar energy between seasons explains why reducing tilt dampens seasonal swings rather than maintaining them, warming all seasons, or cooling them uniformly. The core takeaway is that the magnitude of seasonal variation tracks the tilt angle, with smaller tilt yielding smaller seasonal contrast.

ASTRON 2140 AU2025 (23428) Final - 2025 Dec 12

If the Earth's axial tilt were smaller (10 degrees instead of 23 1/2 degrees)

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