Question

I am outdoors standing up straight. The Sun is directly over my head. Where might I be?

a) At the equator on the summer solstice
b) At the North Pole on the spring equinox
c) At the equator on the fall equinox
d) At 23.5 degrees north latitude on the winter solstice
e) At the South Pole on the winter solstice

Answer 1

The Sun being directly overhead indicates the location must be at the equator during one of the equinoxes, making the correct answer (c) At the equator on the fall equinox.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you are standing outdoors and the Sun is directly overhead, you might be located at a latitude where this occurrence is possible. One such place is the equator during either the spring or fall equinox. During the equinoxes, the Sun shines directly over the equator, providing approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness to all parts of the Earth.

On the summer solstice, the Sun shines directly over the Tropic of Cancer, which is at roughly 23.5 degrees north latitude, not over the equator. Similarly, on the winter solstice, the Sun is over the Tropic of Capricorn, at about 23.5 degrees south latitude, as the north pole is tilted away from the Sun. Therefore, it's not possible for the Sun to be directly overhead at the equator on the summer or winter solstice. The correct answer to your question would be (c) At the equator on the fall equinox, although it would also be correct for the spring equinox, as during both equinoxes, the Sun's direct rays strike the equator.