8 Geo.

UNIT: Weather and Climate

Topic: Why Temperatures Vary Throughout the World

Temperatures in different countries vary because of:

1. Their distance from the Equator.

2. Their height above sea level (altitude).

3. Their distance from the sea (continentality).

4. The effect of winds and rain.

5. Their proximity to ocean currents.

QUESTIONS:
1. Why are places near the Equator hotter than places near the poles? Draw a
labeled diagram to help explain your answer. (2)
Places near the equator are hotter because the sun is closer to equator
2. What is the general temperature at the top of a mountain compared to the
temperature at the base of the mountain? (1)
The general temperature at the top of the mountain is 10°.
3. Which gets hotter faster, land or sea? (1)
The land gets hotter than the land.
4. How does the sea affect coastal lands in the hot season and the cold season? (2)
It affects it temperature because land cools and gets hotter than the sea so in hot seasons
countries near the sea are cooler than countries further away from the sea.
5. What type of wind brings rain to the West Indies? (1)
The northeast trade winds
6. What effect do ocean currents have on winds? (1)
They have the effect of changing the temperature of the winds
7. Name one area that is affected by a warm ocean current in the winter. Name the
ocean current responsible for warming this area. (2)
One area is The Bahamas and the ocean current is the Gulf stream.
8 Geo.

UNIT: Weather and Climate

Topic: Why Temperatures Vary Throughout the World.

In the climate of a country, the temperature is very important. Temperatures vary for
several reasons. The most important reasons are:

1. Distance from the Equator.

Places near the Equator are much hotter than places near the Poles. One reason for
this is that the sun is nearer to the Equator than to the Poles.

2. Height above sea level (altitude).

Temperatures decrease as one goes upwards. That is why mountains are cool and
lowlands near them are hot. Temperatures decrease at the rate of 1°F for about every
300 feet of height. (6°C for every 1000m).

3. Distance from the sea (continentality).

Land becomes hot much more quickly than the sea. Land also becomes cool much
more quickly than the sea. So in hot seasons, countries near the sea are cooler than
countries far away from the sea. In the same way, in cold seasons, countries near the
sea are warmer than countries far away from the sea.

4. Winds and rain.

A wind that brings rain makes a hot country cooler. In the West Indies, the northeast
Trade winds bring heavy rain to the east (windward) islands and to The Bahamas,
especially in the hot summer. When the rain falls it becomes much cooler.

5. Ocean currents.
Ocean currents change the temperature of the winds blowing over them. Then the
winds change the temperature of the lands over which they blow. For example, there
is a warm ocean current called the Gulf Stream that flows northward across the
Atlantic Ocean from The Bahamas and the West Indies. When the southwesterly
winds of the North Atlantic Ocean blow over this current they are warmed.