The correct answer is: D. All of the above
The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane. This tilt causes the Sun’s rays to hit the Earth’s surface at different angles throughout the year. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it experiences summer. When it is tilted away from the Sun, it experiences winter. The amount of daylight hours also changes throughout the year. In the summer, there are more daylight hours than in the winter. This is because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun in the summer and away from the Sun in the winter.
The Earth’s distance from the Sun does not change significantly enough to affect the seasons. The Earth’s orbit around the Sun is elliptical, but the difference in distance between the Earth’s closest and farthest points from the Sun is only about 3%. This small difference in distance does not have a significant effect on the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface.
Therefore, the seasons are caused by the Earth’s tilt and the angle at which sunlight reaches the Earth’s surface. The Earth’s distance from the Sun does not play a significant role in the seasons.