36 Questions
What is the term for the sun's apparent location in the sky east or west of true south?
Azimuth angle
Which angle defines the off-south position in the horizon?
Azimuth angle
What determines the height of the sun above the horizon?
Altitude angle
When does the shortest solar day typically occur for places in the northern hemisphere?
Around December 21 (winter solstice)
During which phenomenon should the length of the day be theoretically equal to the length of the night?
Spring equinox
What is the angle formed between the plane of the equator and a line drawn from the center of the sun to the center of the Earth called?
Solar Declination
During which celestial event is the declination angle equal to 0?
Spring Equinox
What is the angle between the sun and the local horizon directly beneath the sun known as?
Altitude Angle
In terms of its reference, when is the azimuth angle positive?
When the sun is in the east
What causes the seasonal variation of the solar declination angle?
Axial Tilt of Earth
What is the declination angle denoted by?
δ
At what point is the Earth nearest the sun during its orbit?
Perihelion
What is the tilt equal to for the highest average insolation on a PV module?
Latitude
Which of the following days marks the summer solstice?
June 21
What would be the variation in distance on July 4 from the aphelion point?
$152 - 4$ million kilometers
What is the typical unit for peak sun hours?
MJ/m²
Which type of radiation reaches the earth surface directly from the sun?
Direct radiation
What represents the sum of direct and diffuse radiation in solar radiation components?
Global solar radiation
If the Air Mass is 1.5, what are the values of h1 and h2?
h1=1, h2=1.5
What is the term used to describe the sun's height above the horizon?
Altitude Angle
What is the relationship between solar declination, latitude, and zenith angle?
Solar declination is directly proportional to latitude and inversely proportional to zenith angle
How does the altitude angle of the sun change throughout the day at a specific location?
It reaches its peak at noon and then decreases
How does the seasonal variation of solar declination affect solar radiation at different latitudes?
It causes a decrease in solar radiation at higher latitudes
How does the azimuth angle relate to the orientation of a solar panel?
Azimuth angle determines the direction a solar panel faces
How does the altitude angle of the sun at solar noon compare at different latitudes?
It is highest at lower latitudes
What is the astronomical unit (AU) used for in the solar system?
Measuring the average distance between Earth and the sun
What is the estimated travel time for photons released in fusion reactions at the sun's core to reach the surface?
Thousands of years
What is the speed at which solar radiation travels?
186,000 mi/sec
How much energy from the sun hits the Earth every hour?
430 quintillion Joules
What does solar insolation refer to?
The intensity of solar radiation reaching a given area
What is the term for the angle between the sun and the local horizon?
Altitude angle
Which angle defines the sun's position north or south of the equator?
Solar declination
What causes the seasonal variation of solar declination?
Earth's tilt relative to its orbit around the sun
In which phenomenon does the sun have its highest altitude and lowest daily path length for an observer at 0° latitude?
Summer solstice
What is the name for the angle that defines the sun's compass direction in the sky?
Azimuth angle
At what angle are the rays of the sun most intense for an observer at equator during the equinoxes?
$90^{\circ}$
Test your knowledge about the impacts of atmospheric effects on solar radiation at the Earth's surface and the characteristics of solar radiation. Learn about the immense amount of energy that the Earth receives from the sun hourly.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
