March
Definition
March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. March is a spring month in the Northern Hemisphere and an autumn month in the Southern Hemisphere.
March is the first month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The days start to get longer, and the weather starts to warm up. Plants start to bud and bloom, and animals start to come out of hibernation.
The vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs on or around March 20. The vernal equinox is the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north. This means that day and night are of equal length everywhere on Earth.
March is also a time for holidays and celebrations. In the United States, March is Women's History Month and St. Patrick's Day. In many countries around the world, March is also the month of Nowruz, the New Year holiday.
How can the word be used?
The March equinox is the first day of spring.
Different forms of the word
Noun: The third month of the year, in the Gregorian calendar, between February and April.
Verb: To march, or to walk with a regular, determined pace.
Adjective: Describing something that is related to March. For example, you could say "March weather" or "March madness".
Etymology
The word "March" comes from the Latin word "Martius", which was named after Mars, the Roman god of war.
The word "March" was first used in English in the 8th century. It was originally used to describe the month of March, but it soon came to be used in a more general sense to describe anything that was related to war or to a military campaign.
Question
What months come before and after March?
AQA Science Exam Question and Answer
Question:
Explain the concept of the equinox and its relevance to the month of March. How does the equinox affect the length of day and night during this time? Provide examples of regions where this phenomenon is most pronounced.
Answer:
The concept of the equinox is essential to understanding the changes in day and night lengths during the month of March. An equinox occurs when the Earth's axial tilt is such that the plane of the Earth's equator passes through the centre of the Sun, causing both hemispheres to receive nearly equal amounts of sunlight. The equinoxes mark the transition between seasons and are a key event in Earth's annual orbit around the Sun.
In March, specifically around March 20th or 21st, the vernal equinox takes place in the Northern Hemisphere. During this time, day and night are approximately of equal length, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs because the Sun is directly over the Earth's equator, and both hemispheres experience similar amounts of daylight.
However, it's important to note that the equinox doesn't affect all regions equally. Near the equator, the length of day and night remains relatively consistent throughout the year. Conversely, regions closer to the poles experience a more pronounced change in day length during the equinox, with the Arctic Circle having a rapid increase in daylight hours around this time.
Understanding the equinox and its impact on day and night lengths is fundamental to comprehending the Earth's axial tilt and its effects on the changing seasons.