4E Geography Elective Core Assignment 2Variable weather and changing climate

Factors influencing the temperature of locations

Skills/Knowledge: - Drawing annotated diagrams- Analysing and describing climographs- Analysing and describe choropleth maps - Explaining the various factors that affect temperature of places.

Feedback:3 – Excellent!2 – Reaching there, please continue to work on the area identified.1 – Please listen to feedback, work on correcting the area(s) of concern and clarify ASAP.

Observation

Interpretation of questions 1 2 3

Content Knowledge 1 2 3

Understanding of concept 1 2 3

Coherence and organisation 1 2 3

Handwriting 1 2 3

Effort 1 2 3

Time management 1 2 3 NA

Additional comments from your teacher:

Student Reflection:

1 Star (what way you did well) 1 Wish (what you could improve on based on teacher’s feedback)

This has to do with how you answered. Do not just blindly copy the observation above!

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1. Differentiate between weather and climate. [1]

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2. With reference to Fig.1(Fig. 2.13 in TB pg 79), describe and account for the variation in mean annual temperature. (Refer to chapt 3, pg 146 to learn more about choropleth maps)

[5]

Fig. 1

3. Refer to Fig. 2 below. Temperature decreases 6.5oC with every increase of 1,000 metres in altitude.

Place Latitude AltitudeMount Kinabalu, Borneo 6o5’N 4,095mGeorgetown, Guyana 6o48’N 0m

Fig. 2

(a) If the mean annual temperature at Georgetown, Guyana is 28o C, calculate the likely mean temperature at the peak of Mount Kinabalu.

[1]

(b) Explain why places at higher altitude have a lower temperature. [3]

4. Refer to Fig. 3 (Fig. 2.88 in TB pg77)

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Fig. 3

(a) Calculate the annual temperature range of Fairbanks and Anchorage. [2]

(b) Explain the differences in the annual temperature ranges of Fairbanks and Anchorage.

[6]

5. Deserts generally have no cloud cover. Using annotated diagrams, explain why hot deserts (e.g. Sahara Desert) are often very hot in the day and cold at night.

[4]

6. With reference to Fig. 4 (Fig. 2.10b in TB pg 78), describe the difference in the annual temperature patterns of Singapore and Quito.

[3]

Suggested response

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1. Differentiate between weather and climate. [1]Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time while climate is the average condition of the atmosphere of a specific place over a long period of time, usually over 30 years.

2. With reference to Fig.1(Fig. 2.13 in TB pg 79), describe and account for the variation in mean annual temperature. (Refer to chapt 3, pg 146 to learn more about choropleth maps)

[5]

Fig. 1 Fig. 2.13 shows that mean temperature varies across the earth

in relation to latitude. Higher mean annual temperatures are found near the equator

and mean annual temperatures decrease progressively towards higher latitudes.

This is because the angle of incidence of the sun rays is larger at places near the equator. The amount of heat received at these places is concentrated and greater than places at higher latitudes. For e.g. places near the equator have a high mean temperature of 27oC, while the United Kingdom experiences lower mean annual temperature at 8oC

Amongst areas with high mean temperature there are places with lower mean annual temperatures such as the Himalayas, which is located to the north of India.

The Himalayas experiences low mean annual temperature of -3oC. This is due to their high altitudes. Air that is nearer to the earth’s surface is denser thus it is able to absorb more heat from the longwave radiation. Places such as the Himalayas which is further away from the earth’s surface has lesser air density, resulting in the less absorption of longwave radiation, and hence a lower temperature.

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3. Refer to Fig. 2 below. Temperature decreases 6.5oC with every increase of 1,000 metres in altitude.

Place Latitude AltitudeMount Kinabalu, Borneo

6o5’N 4,095m

Georgetown, Guyana 6o48’N 0mFig. 2

(a) If the mean annual temperature at Georgetown, Guyana is 28o C, calculate the likely mean temperature at the peak of Mount Kinabalu.

[1]

What do you need to calculate? How much will the temperature drop by if the height of Mt Kinabalu is at 4095m?

Temperature difference between Georgetown and peak of Mt Kinabalu

= 40951000×6.5℃=26.6℃

Temperature at peak of Mt Kinabalu = 28 – 26.6 = 1.4℃

(b) Explain why places at higher altitude have a lower temperature. [3] the sun’s solar energy enters the atmosphere and reaches the

earth’s surface in the form of shortwave radiation, heating up the surface of the earth, the warm surface then emits heat in the form of longwave which warms up the surrounding atmosphere.

thus the higher up the atmosphere, the further away from the surface of the earth which is heated by the sun, thus leading to lower temperatures.

At the same time, as air is denser at lower altitudes, thus there is a higher concentration of greenhouse gases, thus able to absorb more heat from longwave radiation from the earth’s surface as compared to the top of the mountain where air is less dense, thus leading to lower temperatures.

4. Refer to Fig. 3 (Fig. 2.88 in TB pg77)

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Fig. 3

(a) Calculate the annual temperature range of Fairbanks and Anchorage. [2]Fairbanks: Mean max – mean min = 16 – (-23) = 39℃; Anchorage: 14 – (- 9) = 23℃

(b) Explain the differences in the annual temperature ranges of Fairbanks and Anchorage.

[6]

Describe the difference in annual mean temperature range: Anchorage has a smaller annual mean temperature range than

Fairbanks.

Provide the reasons Anchorage is located near the sea and is influenced by

maritime effect; the effect that large ocean bodies have on the climate on coastal areas.

During summer, the land gets heated up more quickly than the sea, resulting in the air over the sea being cooler than the air over the land hence cooling down the surrounding temperature at Anchorage.

During winter the air over the sea remains warmer than the air over land, hence increasing the temperature over the Anchorage.

Resultant effect is Anchorage will experience a warmer winter and cooler summer when compared to Fairbanks, and hence smaller mean temperature range.

In contrast, Fairbanks being located inland is not influenced by the sea hence it experiences a warmer summer and colder winters, thus resulting in a larger mean annual temperature range for Fairbanks.

5. Deserts generally have no cloud cover. Using annotated diagrams, explain why hot deserts (e.g. Sahara Desert) are often very hot in the day and cold at night.

[4]

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6. With reference to Fig. 4 (Fig. 2.10b in TB pg 78), describe the difference in the annual temperature patterns of Singapore and Quito.

[3]

Overview: The temperatures in both Singapore and Quito generally do not

fluctuate much throughout the year.

Data to support: The mean annual temperature range for Singapore is 1.5℃ while

it is 1.0℃ for Quito. However, the mean temperatures are generally higher in

Singapore at 27.5℃ than in Quito at 14.0℃ although they are located along the same latitude.

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