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The surface temperature of the Earth is affected by many different factors. Although Earth's orbit alters the distance between the sun and Earth, the change in surface temperature is minimal compared to other factors.

As evidence of this, consider the surface temperature at the poles, well below freezing at all times. Now compare this with the temperature in the tropics, where the temperature can be 60C higher than the poles.

Consider also the change in temperature between night and day. Once again, there is a significant change in temperature with no significant change in distance from the sun.

Factors such as cloud, wind and many other meteorological factors change the surface temperature more than the distance from the sun.

However, we are able to say that the energy that reaches the Earth from the sun is reduced when Earth is further away from the sun. The amount of energy is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between sun and Earth.

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12y ago

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