Final answer:
The correct order of the times of day from earliest to latest is sunrise, morning, night, noon, sunset, afternoon, evening, and midnight, reflecting the Sun's path in the sky.
Step-by-step explanation:
To correctly sort the times of day from earliest to latest based on the given elements, one must understand how the Sun’s position in the sky defines different times within a day. Here is the correct order, starting from earliest to latest:
- Sunrise (1)
- Morning (2)
- Night (3)
- Noon (4)
- Sunset (5)
- Afternoon (6)
- Evening (7)
- Midnight (8)
The order correlates with the Sun’s journey across the sky, beginning with sunrise, followed by morning, as the Sun ascends towards its peak position during noon. After reaching the highest point or meridian, we enter the afternoon. As the Sun moves past the meridian and descends, it leads to sunset. Following this, the evening ushers in the transition from daylight to night, which sets the stage for midnight, the opposite meridian point of noon, marking the start of a new day.