In 3–5 sentences, explain the reasons for the differences in daylight and darkness at the North Pole and South Pole on the December solstice.

1 answer

On the December solstice, the North Pole experiences continuous darkness, while the South Pole enjoys constant daylight. This phenomenon occurs due to the tilt of Earth's axis; during this time, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, resulting in polar night at the North Pole. Conversely, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, allowing the South Pole to bask in 24 hours of sunlight. As a result, the differences in daylight and darkness at the poles during the solstices are primarily driven by Earth's axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun.