Wednesday, March 7, 2012

What is the underlying reason that radiation intensity changes with latitude?

Give two reasons why the solar radiation is more intense in Oklahoma City than in Whitehorse.



Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Latitude is 35 degrees. Angle of Incidence is 55 degrees. Radiation Intensity is 81.92%



Whitehorse, Yukon: Latitude is 61 degrees. Angle of Incidence is 29 degrees. Radiation Intensity is 48.48%What is the underlying reason that radiation intensity changes with latitude?
At shallower angle of incidence the raidation is psread more thinly and more radiation bounces off =%26gt; less intense. Think of throwing a stone into water at a shallow angle... it skips across the surface. Or somone point a hose at you at a shallow angle.



A steeper angle of incidence and the radiation lands more densely and less bounces off. A stone thrown steeply into the water drops straight in. A hose pointed directly at you saturates you.

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