Factors Influencing How Much Sunlight Reaches the Surface:
1) Time Between Sunrise and Sunset
In the summer in the northern hemisphere:
Days get longer as you go north.
Night is shorter as you go north
In the winter in the northern hemisphere:
Days get shorter as you go north.
Night is longer as you go north.
2) Angle of Insolation
Insolation-incoming solar radiation which measures how much solar energy strikes
a given area.
*Closer to the equator- sunlight shines more directly, therefore, receives more
energy which results in greater insolation.
*Farther from the equator- sunlught shines over a larger area, receives less energy
and results in less insolation.
3) Received Solar Energy
4) Atmospheric Absorption
The further away from the equator sunlight has to travel to reach the Earth's surface, the more distance through the atmosphere it has to travel.
5) Sunbeams blockled by clouds
Clouds, haze, smoke, fog, and dust can greatly reduce the sunlight reaching the surface. Clouds absorb and reflect much insolation.
6) Sunlight scattering
refraction- light bending and scattering when it passes from one state of matter to
another.
Light refracts less when it travels through less atmosphere and vice-versa.
ABSORPTION REFLECTION