Final answer:
The angle of insolation affects soil temperature, with higher angles resulting in more direct sunlight and therefore higher temperatures. The time of year and Earth's tilt influence these angles, which are more direct during summer and lead to increased temperatures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indeed, when the angle of insolation is higher, the temperature of the soil will usually be higher because the soil receives more direct sunlight. This is because the sunlight is concentrated over a smaller area, leading to more intense heating. During summer, when the Sun is high in the sky, the sunlight arrives at a steeper, more direct angle compared to winter when the Sun is low and sunlight hits at a shallower angle.
Insolation levels vary by season due to the tilt of Earth's axis. In summer, the Earth’s tilt makes the Sun appear higher in the sky, and its rays hit the ground more directly and intensely, while in winter, the Sun is lower and its rays spread out over a wider area, resulting in less effective heating.
Regions that are closer to the equator experience higher angles of insolation throughout the year, leading to warmer temperatures, versus regions farther from the equator which have lower insolation angles and typically colder temperatures.