why is the antartic so cold?

Question

include pictures of earth position and why that postion effects the weather in the artic and antartic

Answer 1

COS of the ice and snow

Answer 2

the antarctic is located in the southern hemisphere and is so cold due to the lack of sunshine that it gets. as the earth spins on its axis at an angle the antarctic is in the shade of the earth for many months and gets little daylight and as we know the sun keeps the planet warm by directing the solar radiation at it. any place that is too far away form the direct sunlight i.e. further from the equator then the colder it will be. dont know how to post pictures so have to describe it. take a football and place on the floor(this is the sun) then take another(the earth) and mark n and s poles. then tilt at 45 degrees now orbit this ball around the sun in a circle while spinning the ball round. you will notice that the equator (centre circumference of ball) is closer to the sun all the time and if you relate to where the s pole is then you can see why it is so cold there.

Answer 3

First, assume certain things to be known or constant, such as
the distance from equator is same for arctic and antarctic, degrees of axis tilt equal and opposite winter and summer, atmosphere composition and thickness same everywhere.
(I know axis tilt and atmospheric condition are not constant)

we all know winter time is colder than summer time, and most people quickly see the distance from the sun to a given point on the earth changes with axis tilt, or the fact that daylight is longer in summer shorter in winter.


energy is transferred from the sun in the form radiation from the fusion reactions. Luckily, for us, the third rock has an atmosphere that not only is air to breathe but it acts as a shield from the worst of the radiation. Which if unshielded would cause earth to heat up uncontrolably and burn off the atmosphere.(not good)! The radiation that does penetrate, reaches earth and is either absorbed or reflected back out to space. Then the green house effect occurs and the atmospherere redirects some of that energy back to earth =>on a sunny day it gets warmer as the day goes on until sundown and the multiplication effect goes away and the light turns to dark as the light finally continues out in space and is not redirected

the closer to sun or more direct the sunlight the greater the warming effect.

since the earth is a sphere, the further n-s from the equator the less direct (angle of atack). Think of rocks on water the more direct more likely to penetrate surface of the water and transfer its energy (big splash), yet lower thge angle of attack and that same rock is more likely to bounce off the water (skipping rocks) and were it not for gravity would continue off into space

or think of the astronauts upon reentry have a certain window(angle of attack) to steep and they'll burn up, to shallow and they'll bounce off.

the same thing happens to radiation and the atmosphere so that in winter the sunlight is at lowest angle of attack in relation to the atmosphere => less radiation actually penetrates => less energy to transfer=> colder temperature at the poles even though some parts of the year it is light all day long.

Yet, why is antarctic still colder yet?

The northern icecap is located over the arctic ocean => ice surface is nearer sealevel

Anarctica on the other hand, is not just ice, it is actually the seventh continent of the world complete with mountain ranges. Which, due to the shifting of the earths tectonic plates was once a tropical paradise is now located as far south from the equator as can almost be. So if you include, not just ice and snow thickness above sealevel, but also the increased elevation due to being on land and located in the mountains thereof. and we all know the higher the elevation the lower the temperature=>ALL THINGS CONSIDERED THAT IS WHY ANARCTIC EXTREMELY COLD. (opposite is true for death valley Cal. closer to equator and actually located below sea level and that is why record highs recorded there0

Answer 4

Most of the earths heat is gereated by direct sunlight.

If you look at a tenis ball or football etc next to a bed side lamp, you will see that the light will mainly hit the closest part of the ball to the lamp. the further parts of the ball will stay mostly in shadow.

The closest part of the earth to the sun is the equator -this is why countries around the equator are always wormer, and the parts further away are the poles - north and south.

Answer 5

it would want to properly be because it truly is continually snowing in places at the same time with Antarctica. yet we would want to in reality have snow each so often in wintry climate, so the air isn't a similar high quality for making proper snow (if it truly is sensible). it truly is only a idea besides the undeniable fact that. i might want to properly be proved incorrect, besides the undeniable fact that it truly is the most important massive difference proper to the snow fall in 2 distinct international places. it would want to properly be that we've were given too a lot moisture in the air, that would want to help in melting a snowflake previously it touches the floor. really like ice-cubes in beverages; no matter if the drink is warmth, warm or chilly, the ice will ultimately melt. =o]

Answer 6

First off, it's "Arctic" and "Antarctic" (not to insult you in any way...most people don't know that)

Second, this is because of the 23-degree angle at which the Earth rotates. leaning the poles away from direct sunlight at almost all hours of any given day.

Answer 7

It is so far away form the equator in the southern hemisphere.
Less heat from the sun.

Answer 8

coz its too far away from the equator.
Hope this website helps..

http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/index.shtml

Answer 9

because the sun didn't reach it directly.

Answer 10

because it is full of ice