The sun creates shadows throughout the day due to its position in the sky and the way light travels. Here’s how it works:
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Light Source: The sun is a powerful source of light. When it shines, it casts light rays in all directions.
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Obstruction of Light: When an object (like a person, tree, or building) blocks the path of these light rays, it prevents the light from reaching the ground behind it. This results in a shadow—the area where the light is blocked.
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Position of the Sun: As the Earth rotates on its axis, the position of the sun changes in the sky throughout the day. This change in position affects the angle at which sunlight hits the object creating the shadow.
- Morning: In the morning, the sun rises in the east, and shadows are long and point toward the west.
- Noon: Around noon, the sun is at its highest point in the sky (this is often referred to as solar noon). During this time, shadows are at their shortest because the light is coming from almost directly above.
- Afternoon: As the sun moves toward the west in the afternoon, shadows begin to lengthen again and point toward the east.
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Shadow Movement: Because of the Earth’s rotation, shadows also shift positions throughout the day, following the sun’s path across the sky. If you were to track a shadow over several hours, you would see it move from one spot to another.
In summary, shadows are formed when an object blocks sunlight, and the sun's changing position in the sky causes these shadows to vary in length and direction throughout the day.