Final answer:
The idea that changing distance between the Sun and Earth causes the seasons is false. This is evidenced by Earth's relatively minor orbital distance variation and its closest approach to the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere's winter, and by the consistent tilt of Earth's axis, which governs the directness of the Sun's rays during different seasons.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false that the varying distance between the Sun and Earth can account for the seasons. The first piece of evidence is that Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse and the distance varies by only about 3%, which is not enough to cause significant variations in the Sun's heating. Additionally, during the Northern Hemisphere's winter, Earth is actually closest to the Sun, contradicting the idea that distance is the primary factor in seasonal temperature changes.
The second piece of evidence comes from the tilt of Earth's axis. The tilt of approximately 23.5° means the Sun's rays strike the Earth more directly during summer, creating warmer temperatures, and more indirectly during winter, resulting in colder temperatures. This axial tilt explains why when it's summer in one hemisphere, it is winter in the other, which would not make sense if seasonal changes were due to Earth's distance from the Sun.