Heating by the Sun
I can explain why the heating effect of the Sun is greater at midday than at sunrise.
Heating by the Sun
I can explain why the heating effect of the Sun is greater at midday than at sunrise.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Heating a surface from directly overhead is more effective than heating a surface at a different angle.
- When rays of light hit a surface face-on, they are less spread out than if they hit at an angle.
- At a place on Earth, the heating effect of the Sun is greatest at midday and lowest at sunrise and sunset.
- Over a day, Earth's spin changes the Sun's height in the sky and the angle at which the Sun's rays arrive at a place.
Keywords
Heating - Anything that raises the temperature of an object is heating the object.
Ray - Rays are straight lines with arrowheads, drawn to represent light.
Angle - An angle measures the difference between two directions, in degrees.
Thermometer - A thermometer is used to measure temperature in degrees Celsius.
Common misconception
Students may think that the midday Sun is higher in the sky because the Sun is further away then, or that the midday Sun has a greater heating effect because the Sun is closer or hotter then.
Use physical models (such as a globe, or a flat card in front of a light bulb with a thermometer attached) to show students how the changes observed over a day to Sun's position in the sky and the Sun's heating effect are caused by Earth's spin.
To help you plan your year 7 science lesson on: Heating by the Sun, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 7 science lesson on: Heating by the Sun, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Our solar system and beyond unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
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Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the angle of the surface to the rays
the temperature rise in two minutes
the distance between the centre of the card and the heater