Final answer:
Seasonal temperature differences are influenced by Earth's axial tilt. The most extreme seasonal differences would be with a tilt of 90°, followed by 45°, the current 23.5°, and the least with a tilt of 0°. A greater axial tilt leads to more extreme seasons, while a smaller tilt or no tilt results in milder or non-existent seasons, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The seasonal temperature differences between summer and winter on Earth are determined by the axis tilt. The ranking of the seasonal temperature differences, from the most extreme to the least extreme, based on different hypothetical axis tilts is as follows:
- A- Tilt = 90°: This would lead to the most extreme seasons because one hemisphere would be in constant sunlight while the other would be in constant darkness at any given point during the orbit.
- B- Tilt = 45°: While not as extreme as a 90° tilt, a 45° tilt would still produce significant variation in the angle and duration of sunlight, creating pronounced seasons.
- C- Both 23.5° tilts: Representing the current tilt of Earth's axis, this results in moderate seasons that we experience today with notable but not extreme differences in temperature between summer and winter.
- D- Tilt = 0°: The least extreme, or virtually non-existent, seasons would occur with a 0° tilt since sunlight would be evenly distributed throughout the year leading to negligible temperature variation between seasons.
Earth's actual axis tilt of around 23.5° leads to the familiar moderate seasons. A greater tilt results in more extreme seasons, with hotter summers and colder winters, while a smaller tilt results in milder seasons. The axial tilt is the key factor in the intensity of the seasons, not Earth's distance from the Sun.