Final answer:
The observation that New York State has more hours of daylight in summer than in winter can be explained by the tilt of Earth's axis and its effect on the position and intensity of the Sun.
Step-by-step explanation:
The observation that New York State has several more hours of daylight in summer than in winter can be explained by the tilt of Earth's axis and its effect on the position and intensity of the Sun. During summer, the tilt of Earth's axis causes the Sun to be higher in the sky and its rays to strike Earth more directly. As a result, the Sun is in the sky for more than half of the day and can heat Earth longer, leading to longer daylight hours. On the other hand, during winter, the tilt of Earth's axis causes the Sun to be low in the sky and its rays to come in at more of an angle. This results in fewer than 12 hours of daylight as the Sun has less time to heat.