On which of the following dates is your shadow the shortest at noon?
Your shadow is shortest at noon on 21st June. This date corresponds to the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, when the Sun is at its highest altitude in the sky. As a result, shadows cast at noon are minimized because the Sun is directly overhead.
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Your shadow is shortest at noon on 21st June (option C). This date marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky relative to the observer’s location. At noon on this date, the Sun is directly overhead or very close to it, causing objects to cast the shortest shadows of the year. This phenomenon occurs because the Sun’s rays strike the Earth more directly, minimizing the angle at which they hit objects and thereby reducing shadow length. In contrast, on dates like 25th December (option A), which is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, the Sun is at its lowest point, resulting in longer shadows at noon due to the oblique angle of sunlight. Similarly, dates like 21st March (option B) and 14th February (option D) fall between the solstices, where shadow lengths vary depending on the Sun’s altitude. Therefore, 21st June stands out as the date when your shadow is shortest at noon due to the Sun’s high altitude in the sky.