What is the Difference Between Evening and Afternoon

The main difference between evening and afternoon is the time factor; evening occurs between 5 pm to 7 pm, while afternoon starts around 1 pm and ends towards 5 pm. Simply put, the afternoon occurs before the evening.

Afternoon and evening are two main parts of a day on Earth. When it is afternoon, we usually greet people saying, ‘Good Afternoon’. When it is the evening time, we greet people saying, ‘Good Evening’. Therefore, daily greetings are also set according to the time of the day.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Evening 
      – Definition, Features 
2. What is Afternoon
     – Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Evening and Afternoon
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Evening and Afternoon
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Afternoon, Evening

What is Evening

Evening is the time period of an Earth day that occurs at the end of the afternoon. The time period between. 5 pm to 7.00 p. m is usually considered the evening. However, the specific time at which the evening starts can vary according to the geographical location of a place. Furthermore, the exact timing of the evening is never the same. It is subjected to change throughout the whole year.

Some consider the evening the last part of the day. However, it’s actually the second last part of the day on the Earth. The word “Evening” is derived from Old English, and it was first used during the 15^th century. Back then, it meant “the sunset or the time around sunset”. Generally, the greeting “Good evening!’ is used to greet a person in the evening and also at night instead of saying ‘Good Night.’

What is Afternoon

Generally, the time duration between 1 pm to 8 pm is considered the afternoon. It is the time period that occurs after 12.00 pm, just before the evening.  Simply put, afternoon is the time period between noon and evening. However, the timings of noon, similar to the timings of evening, continue to change throughout the year. Consequently, the timing of the afternoon keeps on changing as well.

Focusing on the sun and its effect on afternoon, the sun is relatively brighter and glaring due to its low angle in the afternoon. This phenomenon affects human life in some dimensions, including body temperature, hormones, and attentiveness.

Similarities Between Evening and Afternoon

• Both evening and afternoon are two of the four main parts of an Earth day: morning, afternoon, evening and night.
• Both evening and afternoon are two phenomena that occur due to Earth rotating around its own axis.
• The time period of evening and afternoon may change throughout the year according to the geographical location of a country.
• Both evening and afternoon are connected to the movement of the sun.

Difference Between Evening and Afternoon

Definition

Evening is the period of time that begins when the afternoon ends, while afternoon is the time period between noon and evening.

The Sun

The setting of the sun or twilight marks the beginning of the evening while the sun starts descending from its peak when the afternoon starts.

Time Duration

When you take one Earth day, the evening usually extends from 5 pm to 7 pm whereas the afternoon begins after the noon and comes to an end around 5 pm.

Greetings

When it is the afternoon people say “Good afternoon!” and when it is the evening or night, people say “Good evening!”

Conclusion

The main difference between evening and afternoon is that evening occurs between 5 pm to 7 pm, while afternoon is between 1 pm to 5 pm. Both evening and afternoon are two main parts of an Earth day which are categorized by the clock or timing. Furthermore, the timings of evening and afternoon both do not remain constant throughout the year and usually depend on the geographical location.

Reference:

1. “Day and Night.” Department of Education and Training Victoria.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Sea-sunset-boat-sailing-dusk” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Sea-sun-afternoon-sunlight-sunbeam” (CC0) via Pixabay