1. Matt’s Meteorology Class
Insolation Lab
Matt’s Meteorology Class

2. Claim
With this lab you will observe how Solar Insolation affects our planet.
Definiton of Insolation: the rate of solar radiation per unit of a surface.
In other words: How much solar radiation is a spot on earth actually getting?

3. Some information The Earth is tilted on it’s axis
The angle of tilt changes throughout the year as we rotate around the sun.

4. Remember, the earth rotates around the sun once per year.
Our Winter
(More light on Southern Hemisphere)
Our Summer
(More light on Northern Hemisphere)

5. This creates Seasons
When the southern hemisphere gets more sunlight, it is our winter.
We still get sunlight, but it comes in from a different angle.

6. This is the Angle of Insolation

7. Evidence - Materials
This is what you need to complete this assignment:
Flashlight
Graph Paper
Lab report with data table

8. Lab Procedure
Step 1
Assume that each square on the graph paper equals one meter square.
Place the lamp vertical and exactly 1cm above the graph paper.

9. Outline the light that is well defined light on your graph paper.
Count how many meters squared are covered by the brightest light. (You may have to add up halves or parts of squares)
Fill in the data table on your lab report

10. Make sure bottom of the lamp is 1cm above the graph paper.
Step two
Now turn the lamp at an angle of 22 degrees off the horizontal at a different part of your graph paper or a new piece of graph paper.
Make sure bottom of the lamp is 1cm above the graph paper.
Turn on the flashlight and draw the area that is the well defined brightest part of light.
Count how many squares are within the bright area and fill in the data table. 22

11. So you should now have data from two different angles22

12. Assume the flashlight puts out 100 watts per day.
Step 3
Assume the flashlight puts out 100 watts per day.
Compute how many watts per meter squared per day each square of graph paper will receive.
Example:
If your light covered 5 squares on your graph paper, you would use the following equation.
100 ÷ 5 = 20 watts/ m2

13. Reasoning Answer the questions.
How does the angle of insolation affect temperature?
How does the angle of insolation affect seasons?
Which locations on earth get more solar radiation and which get less radiation AND WHY?