The amount of time that the moon is up on any given day (or night) varies considerably. The amount of time the moon is out ranges from less than 9 hours to more than 16 hours. We know that the sun is out the longest on the summer solstice (± June 21). After that date, the days gradually get shorter and shorter until the winter solstice (± December 21), the shortest day of the year. After the winter solstice, the days gradually get longer and longer until the next summer solstice. In scientific terms, the number of hours that the sun is out increases and decreases in a cycle with a periodicity of one year. The number of hours that the moon is out also increases and decreases in a cycle. What is the periodicity of that cycle? Is it one synodic month? One sidereal month? One year? Or something else altogether? Use one of your graphs to prove your answer. Why does that cycle have the length that it does? Draw diagrams to illustrate your answers.
The amount of time that the moon is up on any given day (or night) varies considerably. The amount of time the moon is out ranges from less than 9 hours to more than 16 hours. We know that the sun is out the longest on the summer solstice (± June 21). After that date, the days gradually get shorter and shorter until the winter solstice (± December 21), the shortest day of the year. After the winter solstice, the days gradually get longer and longer until the next summer solstice. In scientific terms, the number of hours that the sun is out increases and decreases in a cycle with a periodicity of one year. The number of hours that the moon is out also increases and decreases in a cycle. What is the periodicity of that cycle? Is it one synodic month? One sidereal month? One year? Or something else altogether? Use one of your graphs to prove your answer. Why does that cycle have the length that it does? Draw diagrams to illustrate your answers.
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps