Sunlight warms the Earth's surface. On a sunny day sand on a beach, a metal slide and a dark pavement can get hot. Water in a paddling pool warms up slowly through the day. In the shade, where sunlight is blocked, things stay cooler.
We can test this. Put one cup of water in the sun and one in the shade. After an hour, feel them or use a thermometer: the cup in the sun is warmer. People use shade to keep cool: umbrellas at the beach, trees in the playground and roofs on bus stops. Hats and sun cream protect our skin from strong sunshine.
Worked example
Two ice cubes are put outside, one in the sun and one in the shade. Which melts first?
- Sunlight warms things up.
- The shade blocks the sunlight.
Answer:The ice cube in the sun melts first.
Key words
- sunlight
- light and warmth from the Sun
- shade
- a place where sunlight is blocked
- warm
- a little bit hot
- thermometer
- a tool that measures how hot something is
Practise this
New questions every time.
NGSS-referenced: K-PS3-1