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My ex taught grade 6 geography. Is a principal now. Thought the seasons were due to earth tilting back and forth. Didn't get that the tilt was the same, but the

My ex taught grade 6 geography. Is a principal now. Thought the seasons were due to earth tilting back and forth. Didn't get that the tilt was the same, but the position around the sun was different

BubRoss 7y ago
That doesn't seem so bad in the grand scheme of things.
- tbihl 7y ago
  The particular non-fact is unremarkable, but the lack of inquisitiveness is off-putting. It falls down after not so many "why"s. You'd like to imagine a greater love of discovery in the people who are (hopefully) shepherding dozens of kids through their own discoveries, day in and day out.
dboreham 7y ago
Just a reference frame change right?
- 6gvONxR4sf7o 7y ago
  In the same way that "the earth doesn't orbit the sun" is true, yeah it's just a reference frame change.
  - dboreham 7y ago
    Invariant under Lorentz transform.
Gunax 7y ago
While I am also appalled, I imagine everyone has some fundamental misunderstanding about something that is 'obvious' to everyone else. Something akin to 'today's 10,000"
cultofmetatron 7y ago
thats not incorrect though. The orbit of the earth is eliptical and during summer (for the northern hemisphere) the earth's tilts north end towards the sun. Fun fact, it is actually farther away from the sun as well during that time. TLDR: the tilt does in fact affect the season
xenihn 7y ago
Are you saying that you believe that tilt is not a factor for seasons, and that it doesn't change between seasons...? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season#Axial_tilt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season#Axial_tilt
- kingdomcome50 7y ago
  I think what they are saying is that framing the answer to the question, “What causes the seasons the change?” in terms of “tilt” conveys a misunderstanding of how the seasons work. Yes, the earth is tilted on its axis. Yes, this tilt affects how much energy is absorbed (seasons). No, the seasons do not change because of the tilt of the earth. The tilt of the earth does not change. The seasons change because the earth is rotating around the sun. That is, on one side of the sun the northern hemisphere experiences summer and on the other side, winter. It _is_ our orbit that causes seasons to _change_. Said another way, if the earth stopped orbiting seasons would stop changing.
barry-cotter 7y ago
Your ex was correct. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/ https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/ What Causes the Seasons? The Short Answer: Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It's all about Earth's tilt! Many people believe that Earth is closer to the sun in the summer and that is why it is hotter. And, likewise, they think Earth is farthest from the sun in the winter. Although this idea makes sense, it is incorrect. It is true that Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle. It is a bit lop-sided. During part of the year, Earth is closer to the sun than at other times. However, in the Northern Hemisphere, we are having winter when Earth is closest to the sun and summer when it is farthest away! Compared with how far away the sun is, this change in Earth's distance throughout the year does not make much difference to our weather.
- username90 7y ago
  Yes the seasons are due to earths tilt, but the tilt still doesn't change between seasons as his wife thought, only earths position compared to the sun does.
  - barry-cotter 7y ago
    The tilt of the earth relative to the sun does in fact change. That’s what the seasons are. If the earth was tilted but the tilt didn’t change over the course of the year the areas that had longer days due to being tilted towards the sun would be permanently hotter than the areas tilted away. There would be a permanent summer and winter, rather as at the equator it’s always summer. The changing tilt of the earth relative to the sun is what the seasons are.
    - username90 7y ago
      I'm not sure what you are trying to say, you probably misunderstood what elcheif said. Earth is tilted towards the sun in the summer and away from the sun in the winter due to its tilt changing, not due to its position changing. That is what you are saying, what I am saying and what elcheif was saying. What elchaif's ex thought was that earths tilt actually changed over the course of the year instead of earth just moving to the other side of the sun. There is no energy which could alter earths tilt like that, instead the tilt was set in motion a very long time ago and has been basically fixed ever since.
pbhjpbhj 7y ago
Um, isn't it primarily about tilt? Australia and the UK are both at aphelion (furthest distance from the sun, averaged over the day [if you want to be pedantic, and why not!]) at the same time but aren't both in Winter at the same time.

My ex taught grade 6 geography. Is a principal now. Thought the seasons were due to earth tilting back and forth. Didn't get that the tilt was the same, but the position around the sun was different

BubRoss 7y ago

That doesn't seem so bad in the grand scheme of things.

tbihl 7y ago
The particular non-fact is unremarkable, but the lack of inquisitiveness is off-putting. It falls down after not so many "why"s. You'd like to imagine a greater love of discovery in the people who are (hopefully) shepherding dozens of kids through their own discoveries, day in and day out.

dboreham 7y ago

Just a reference frame change right?

6gvONxR4sf7o 7y ago
In the same way that "the earth doesn't orbit the sun" is true, yeah it's just a reference frame change.
- dboreham 7y ago
  Invariant under Lorentz transform.

Gunax 7y ago

While I am also appalled, I imagine everyone has some fundamental misunderstanding about something that is 'obvious' to everyone else. Something akin to 'today's 10,000"

cultofmetatron 7y ago

thats not incorrect though. The orbit of the earth is eliptical and during summer (for the northern hemisphere) the earth's tilts north end towards the sun. Fun fact, it is actually farther away from the sun as well during that time. TLDR: the tilt does in fact affect the season

xenihn 7y ago

Are you saying that you believe that tilt is not a factor for seasons, and that it doesn't change between seasons...? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season#Axial_tilt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season#Axial_tilt

kingdomcome50 7y ago
I think what they are saying is that framing the answer to the question, “What causes the seasons the change?” in terms of “tilt” conveys a misunderstanding of how the seasons work. Yes, the earth is tilted on its axis. Yes, this tilt affects how much energy is absorbed (seasons). No, the seasons do not change because of the tilt of the earth. The tilt of the earth does not change. The seasons change because the earth is rotating around the sun. That is, on one side of the sun the northern hemisphere experiences summer and on the other side, winter. It _is_ our orbit that causes seasons to _change_. Said another way, if the earth stopped orbiting seasons would stop changing.

barry-cotter 7y ago

Your ex was correct. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/ https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/ What Causes the Seasons? The Short Answer: Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It's all about Earth's tilt! Many people believe that Earth is closer to the sun in the summer and that is why it is hotter. And, likewise, they think Earth is farthest from the sun in the winter. Although this idea makes sense, it is incorrect. It is true that Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle. It is a bit lop-sided. During part of the year, Earth is closer to the sun than at other times. However, in the Northern Hemisphere, we are having winter when Earth is closest to the sun and summer when it is farthest away! Compared with how far away the sun is, this change in Earth's distance throughout the year does not make much difference to our weather.

username90 7y ago
Yes the seasons are due to earths tilt, but the tilt still doesn't change between seasons as his wife thought, only earths position compared to the sun does.
- barry-cotter 7y ago
  The tilt of the earth relative to the sun does in fact change. That’s what the seasons are. If the earth was tilted but the tilt didn’t change over the course of the year the areas that had longer days due to being tilted towards the sun would be permanently hotter than the areas tilted away. There would be a permanent summer and winter, rather as at the equator it’s always summer. The changing tilt of the earth relative to the sun is what the seasons are.
  - username90 7y ago
    I'm not sure what you are trying to say, you probably misunderstood what elcheif said. Earth is tilted towards the sun in the summer and away from the sun in the winter due to its tilt changing, not due to its position changing. That is what you are saying, what I am saying and what elcheif was saying. What elchaif's ex thought was that earths tilt actually changed over the course of the year instead of earth just moving to the other side of the sun. There is no energy which could alter earths tilt like that, instead the tilt was set in motion a very long time ago and has been basically fixed ever since.

pbhjpbhj 7y ago

Um, isn't it primarily about tilt? Australia and the UK are both at aphelion (furthest distance from the sun, averaged over the day [if you want to be pedantic, and why not!]) at the same time but aren't both in Winter at the same time.