The sun is higher in the sky in the summer, and it shines down more directly. As a result the sun’s rays are more concentrated. The days are also longer, which gives the sun more time to heat the Earth’s surface.

In winter, the sun is lower in the sky and its light reaches the ground at a greater slant. Therefore, the rays of the sun are spread over a larger area than they are in summer. The days are shorter in winter, which means that the sun has less time to warm the Earth’s surface.

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