Latitude and Climate: Higher Latitude, Colder Climate Quiz and Flashcards

Questions and Answers

The location's distance from the equator

A location at 0° latitude

Because they receive less concentrated energy from the sun

Degrees Signup and view all the answers

Lower latitudes tend to have warmer climates Signup and view all the answers

Air molecules are spaced farther apart at higher altitudes Signup and view all the answers

They warm the air above them Signup and view all the answers

They receive more concentrated, direct energy from the sun Signup and view all the answers

As air density increases, temperature increases Signup and view all the answers

They regulate the temperature of the surrounding land Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Latitude measures how far north or south a place is from the equator, and is measured in degrees.
Places closest to the equator (0º latitude) receive more concentrated, direct energy from the sun.
Areas at higher latitudes (farther from the equator) receive energy from the sun that is spread over a larger area and is less concentrated.
Lower latitudes tend to have warmer climates than higher latitudes.

Altitude affects local climate, with temperatures becoming cooler as altitude increases.
This is due to air density, with air molecules being spaced farther apart at higher altitudes, making the air less dense.
At lower altitudes, air molecules are closer together, making the air more dense, and trapping heat, resulting in warmer temperatures.

Bodies of water take a long time to heat up or cool down compared to the surrounding land.
This helps keep nearby temperatures from becoming too extreme.
In winter, heat from bodies of water warms the air above, which then blows over the land, warming it.