Which of the following helps to explain why even though northern latitudes experience 24 hours of sunlight on June 22, they are not warmer than latitudes further south?

The correct answer is: All of the above.

The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane. This means that the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct sunlight during the summer months than the Southern Hemisphere. However, the Northern Hemisphere also has more landmass at higher latitudes, where the sun’s rays are less direct. This means that the solar energy is spread over a larger area, and the ground does not heat up as much. Additionally, snow and ice in the Northern Hemisphere reflect a lot of the sun’s energy back into space. Finally, increased cloud cover in the Northern Hemisphere also reflects solar energy. All of these factors contribute to the fact that even though northern latitudes experience 24 hours of sunlight on June 22, they are not warmer than latitudes further south.

Here is a more detailed explanation of each option:

• Option A: Solar energy is spread over a larger area in northern latitudes. This is because the Earth’s surface is curved, and the sun’s rays are more spread out at higher latitudes. This means that each square meter of land receives less solar energy at higher latitudes.
• Option B: Some of the sun’s energy is reflected by snow and ice in the northern latitudes. Snow and ice are very good at reflecting sunlight back into space. This means that less of the sun’s energy is absorbed by the ground at higher latitudes.
• Option C: Increased cloud cover reflects solar energy in the northern latitudes. Clouds reflect sunlight back into space, just like snow and ice. This means that less of the sun’s energy reaches the ground at higher latitudes.
• Option D: Solar energy is used to melt frozen soil in the northern latitudes. When the sun shines on frozen soil, it melts the ice and snow. This process requires a lot of energy, which means that less of the sun’s energy is available to warm the ground.

All of these factors contribute to the fact that even though northern latitudes experience 24 hours of sunlight on June 22, they are not warmer than latitudes further south.