Which of the following best describes the equinox?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Consider the concept of an equinox and what it signifies in Earth's solar year.
Option 1: 'It occurs four times during the year.' This is incorrect because there are two equinoxes per year (vernal/spring and autumnal/fall), not four.
Option 2: 'It is the longest day of the year at any given place.' This describes the solstices, specifically the summer solstice, not the equinox. Equinoxes are not about the longest day but about day and night balance.
Option 3: 'It occurs when the subsolar point is at one of the tropics.' When the subsolar point reaches the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn, it corresponds to the solstices, not the equinoxes, so this statement misdefines the equinox.
Option 4: 'It has 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night for all locations.' This captures the defining idea of an equinox: roughly equal day and night lengths worldwide, though in practice there can be slight deviations due to atmospheric refraction and the way sunrise/sunset are measured. Overall, this is the best description of an equinox among the options.

Which of the following best describes the equinox?

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