Science Common Sense

1308 - What causes the difference in solar energy absorption per unit area of land on the Earth's surface due to variations in the angle of sunlight?

Imagine you're holding a flashlight at an angle to a wall. The light spreads out and looks weaker, right? That's because the light is covering a bigger area.

The same thing happens with sunlight on the Earth. When sunlight hits the Earth directly (at a 90-degree angle), it's like shining the flashlight straight at the wall. The light is strong and concentrated.

But when sunlight hits the Earth at an angle (like when it's morning or evening), it's like shining the flashlight at a slant. The light spreads out and gets weaker. This means less energy is absorbed per unit area of land.

So, the difference in solar energy absorption is because of how direct or angled the sunlight is when it hits the Earth.