Question

Leap years account for

A) the combination of Earth's rotation and Earth's orbital motion.
B) the changing length of the year from one year to the next.
C) the mismatch of the exact length of a year and 365 days.
D) the difference between sidereal years and tropical years.

Answer 1

Leap years correct for the difference between the tropical year, which is approximately 365.2422 days, and the standard calendar year of 365 days to prevent the drift of seasons over time.

Step-by-step explanation:

Leap years are added to the calendar to correct for the mismatch of the exact length of a year and the 365 days that are commonly recorded in a calendar year. This discrepancy exists because the tropical year, which is the time it takes the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun, is actually about 365.2422 days. To account for this extra time and prevent the seasonal drift of the calendar, an additional day is added every four years, making the calendar year 366 days instead of the usual 365. The fundamental problem of the calendar is the reconciliation of the day, month, and year, and leap years serve as a mechanism to keep our calendars in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun.