- Tilt of Earth’s axis
Examination of students’ awareness of the path of the Sun across the sky showed that
30% of students (year 8 33%, year 9 19%, year 10 25%, year 11 47%) could correlate
the knowledge that the tilt of Earth’s axis and their geographic location in the
southern hemisphere results in the Sun not passing directly overhead at their location.
The most popular alternative conception was that the Sun passes directly overhead
every day at noon, given by 52% of students (year 8 44%, year 9 67%, year 10 58%,
year 11 33%).