From: Paul Doherty (pauld@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Thu Nov 06 2003 - 13:52:44 PST
Message-Id: <l0311070fbbd07049db59@[192.168.112.78]> Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2003 13:52:44 -0800 From: Paul Doherty <pauld@exploratorium.edu> Subject: Re: pinhole Seasons in Antarctica & Emperor Penguins
Hi Craig
there are astronomical seasons defined by the position of the sun relative
to the stars and there are informal seasons based on climate.
Thus coastal California has a mediterranean climate with a rainy season and
a dry season.
So formally the season in antarctica is spring based on the position of the
sun with respect to the constellations. I think this is the correct answer
because this is a formal test question.
Informally, it is summer with the following informal definition. If it is
dark for 24 hours at a time it is winter, if it is light 24 hours at a time
it is summer, if the sun rises and sets it is spring or fall. In november
it is light 24 hours at a time at the emperor penguin colonies. So
informally it is winter.
Paul D
>This may be a question for Paul, considering his recent trip to the southern
>continent. We gave our physics students a fairly difficult
>kinematics/friction problem that involved an Emperor Penguin. We offered a
>gift certificate for the correct answer. To avoid multiple awards, we asked
>a "tie-breaker" question.
>
>Our tie-breaker question was,"If the situation involving the penguin
>happened today, November 3rd, 2003, what season is it relative to the
>penguin?"
>
>We thought it would be easy to eliminate incorrect responses. We assumed
>that because Emperor Penguins are only found in Antarctica, and that,
>Antarctica, being in the Southern Hemisphere, would be experiencing Spring.
>
>After considerable deliberation with internet savvy students, we are having
>difficulty awarding the prize. While the students seem to understand the
>difference in seasons between the Northern Hemisphere and Southern
>Hemisphere, they are coming up with different answers. Some students say it
>is Spring and some say it is Summer. National Geographic states that there
>are only two Antarctic seasons; Winter and Summer. We were under the
>impression that the seasons, EVERYWHERE on the planet, are due to the
>Earth's position relative to the Sun.
>
>Is it true that Antarctica experiences only two seasons; Winter and Summer?
>
>Is it correct to say that it is NEVER Spring in Antarctica, regardless of
>the position of the Earth relative to the Sun? Why/Why not?
>
>Which answer should receive the prize?
>
>Thanks for any help!!!
>
>
>Craig Childress
>Hillsdale High School
>(650) 378-8170 x226
>(650) 574-4173 FAX
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Frustrated with dial-up? Get high-speed for as low as $26.95.
>https://broadband.msn.com (Prices may vary by service area.)
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>To unsubscribe from pinhole, send an email to requests@exploratorium.edu
>with the words 'unsubscribe pinhole' (without the quotes) in the SUBJECT
>of the email.
>
>To subscribe to the digest and only get 1 combined message a day, send an
>email to requests@exploratorium.edu with the words 'subscribe digest
>pinhole' (without the quotes) in the SUBJECT of the email.
>
>Check out what your colleagues have written on Pinhole in the Pinhole
>archives at: http://saturn.exploratorium.edu/ti/alumni/pinhole.html
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Mon Aug 02 2004 - 12:05:32 PDT