A solar day is divided into how many equal hours?

A solar day is divided into how many equal hours?

• A. 12
• B. 24
• C. 36
• D. 48

Answer: (B)

A solar day is divided into 24 equal hours because it’s the period from one solar noon to the next, which on average takes 24 hours. The Earth rotates about 360 degrees in that time, so each hour corresponds to roughly 15 degrees of rotation (360/24). Using 24 equal hours makes the day 1440 minutes long, with each hour being 60 minutes. There are small natural variations in the exact length of a solar day, but the standard convention is a mean solar day of 24 hours.

A solar day is divided into 24 equal hours because it’s the period from one solar noon to the next, which on average takes 24 hours. The Earth rotates about 360 degrees in that time, so each hour corresponds to roughly 15 degrees of rotation (360/24). Using 24 equal hours makes the day 1440 minutes long, with each hour being 60 minutes. There are small natural variations in the exact length of a solar day, but the standard convention is a mean solar day of 24 hours.