Based on Figure 3, a beam of sunlight covers a __________________ area over higher latitudes than near the Equator.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question refers to a specific figure and asks about how a beam of sunlight covers an area over higher latitudes compared to near the Equator.
Option 1: Smaller. This would imply that sunlight covers less area at higher latitudes, which contradicts the general expectation that the Sun's rays are more spread out and diffuse over larger horizontal areas as latitude increases due to the oblique angle, leading to a larger footprint. Therefore, this option is inconsistent with common solar geometry.
Option 2: Larger. As latitude increases away from the equator, the Sun’s rays strike the Earth at a more oblique angle, spreading the incoming energy over a broader surface area. This creates a more diffuse and wider beam footprint on the surface, making the covered area larger at higher latitudes than near the Equator. This aligns with the geometric effect of solar incidence angle on footprint size.
In short, the size of the sunlight footprint grows with latitude because the same vertical height corresponds to a longer horizontal path when the sun is lower in the sky, reducing the concentration of energy per unit area. Conversely, at the equator the Sun is more directly overhead, concentrating energy over a smaller area. Thus, the correct understanding is that the beam covers a larger area at higher latitudes, not a smaller one.

F25 MET D010L 65Z Meteorology Lab Investigation2 Quiz

Based on Figure 3, a beam of sunlight covers a __________________ area over higher latitudes than near the Equator.

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