Answer:
The option that is NOT a correct explanation for the extra heating of the summer in the United States is Option B. "The Earth is closer to the Sun in June than in December."
Step-by-step explanation:
The variance in temperature between the summer and winter in the United States is largely because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. Many believe that the Sun must be closer to Earth during the summer months, but this is incorrect. The Sun is actually closest to the Earth in January and it is farthest away in July.
The warmth from the Sun during the summer months is more because the light does not spread out as much, thus concentrating the energy from it during the summer months. The rays of the Sun are hitting our planet at a steep angle during the summer. Also, the longer daylight hours make it so the sun heats the atmosphere for longer periods of time and thus there is a greater increase in temperatures. The areas closest to the equator experience less variation in this tilt and there the days and nights are largely the same all year long.
In the wintertime, the angle at which the Sun's rays hit the earth is shallow allowing more light to disperse across our landscape. This minimizes how much light is actually directed at one spot in winter. The days are shorter in winter and there is less time during the day to build warmth from the sun.