FIGURE 4.1 Atmospheric temperature structure EXERCISE 2: CONTROLS OF TEMPERATURE Temperatures vary greatly from place to place and time to time. The seasonal and daily temperature variations are due to the variations in radiation receipt that we have already examined. Here we will examine the primary causes for the spatial patterns of temperature that exist across the world. Specifically, we will look at each of the four major controls of temperature patterns: latitude, the differential heating and cooling of land and water, ocean currents, and elevation. A: Latitude Latitude is the most important factor affecting the overall pattern of global temperatures. Latitude is such a major control of temperature because it is the primary determinant of the amount of solar radiation received by a location. As we saw in Laboratories 2 and 3, the amount of radiation received is greatest in the low latitudes and least in the high latitudes. 40 introduction to Westher and Climate Lab Manual (A-1) Why is more solar radiation received for the year as a whole in the low latitudes than in the high latirudes? (A-2) Where does the receipt of solar radiation differ the most between summer and winter, in the low latitudes or in the high latitudes? Explain. (A-3) The temperature graphs below are for locations that are similar in terms of the other tempemature controls that we will discuss shorth. However, one of the graphs is for a low latitude location, one is for a middle latitude location, and one is for a high latitude location. Which of the graphs is for a low latitude location? Which one is for a middle latitude location? Bricfly explain. Note: On these and subsequent graphs, J and D stand for January and December, respectively. B: Differential Heating/Cooling of Land and Water Another major control of global temperature patterns is the differential heating and cooling of land and water surfaces. Water surfaces both heat up and cool down more slowly than do land surfaces at a similar latitude. As a result, water surfaces have a moderating effect on air temperatures (as the air is heated and cooled primarily by its underlying surface), Before we examine the influence of this differential heating and cooling on temperature patterns, we should look more closely at the reasons why these differences in heating and cooling exist. The five factors listed below affect the different rates of either heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling of land and water surfaces. a. Transmissivity: Land surfaces are opaque and therefore absorb radiation only at the surface; water is somewhat transparent and therefore absorbs radiation throughout a depth, and the resulting surface heating of water is less than that of the land. b. Mixing: Land is solid and basically stationary, and water is a fluid and mixes freely; this mixing of upper heated water with lower cooler water reduces the rate of heating during the the rate of cooling during the fall and winter. c. Evaporation: As.

1. FIGURE 4.1 Atmospheric temperature structure EXERCISE 2: CONTROLS OF
TEMPERATURE Temperatures vary greatly from place to place and time to time. The seasonal
and daily temperature variations are due to the variations in radiation receipt that we have
already examined. Here we will examine the primary causes for the spatial patterns of
temperature that exist across the world. Specifically, we will look at each of the four major
controls of temperature patterns: latitude, the differential heating and cooling of land and water,
ocean currents, and elevation. A: Latitude Latitude is the most important factor affecting the
overall pattern of global temperatures. Latitude is such a major control of temperature because it
is the primary determinant of the amount of solar radiation received by a location. As we saw in
Laboratories 2 and 3, the amount of radiation received is greatest in the low latitudes and least in
the high latitudes. 40 introduction to Westher and Climate Lab Manual (A-1) Why is more solar
radiation received for the year as a whole in the low latitudes than in the high latirudes? (A-2)
Where does the receipt of solar radiation differ the most between summer and winter, in the low
latitudes or in the high latitudes? Explain. (A-3) The temperature graphs below are for locations
that are similar in terms of the other tempemature controls that we will discuss shorth. However,
one of the graphs is for a low latitude location, one is for a middle latitude location, and one is
for a high latitude location. Which of the graphs is for a low latitude location? Which one is for a
middle latitude location? Bricfly explain. Note: On these and subsequent graphs, J and D stand
for January and December, respectively. B: Differential Heating/Cooling of Land and Water
Another major control of global temperature patterns is the differential heating and cooling of
land and water surfaces. Water surfaces both heat up and cool down more slowly than do land
surfaces at a similar latitude. As a result, water surfaces have a moderating effect on air
temperatures (as the air is heated and cooled primarily by its underlying surface), Before we
examine the influence of this differential heating and cooling on temperature patterns, we should
look more closely at the reasons why these differences in heating and cooling exist. The five
factors listed below affect the different rates of either heating, cooling, or both heating and
cooling of land and water surfaces. a. Transmissivity: Land surfaces are opaque and therefore
absorb radiation only at the surface; water is somewhat transparent and therefore absorbs
radiation throughout a depth, and the resulting surface heating of water is less than that of the
land. b. Mixing: Land is solid and basically stationary, and water is a fluid and mixes freely; this
mixing of upper heated water with lower cooler water reduces the rate of heating during the the
rate of cooling during the fall and winter. c. Evaporation: As we will see in much more detail in
Laboratory 7, evaporation uses energy and is a cooling process there is much more evaporation
over water surfaces than over land surfaces, this results in slower warming of water surfaces than
of land surfaces as much of the energy that would be used for heating the surface is instead used
for evaporation. d. Specific heat: Specific heat is the amount of energy required to raise the
temperature of a given substance; the specific heat of water is about three times greater than that
of land; even ignoring the other factors listed above, this would result in a slower rate of
warming of water than of land. e. Heat capacity: Water can store heat energy better than can
land; a given volume of water having the same temperature as the same volume of land will be
storing more heat energy than the land; as a result, more heat energy must be lost from a given
volume of water for it to cool a given number of degrees than must be lost from the same volume
of land for it to cool the same amount. (B-1) Match each of the five factors listed below, with the
appropriate statement A, B, or C. Statement A: This factor results in a water surface heating
more slowly than a land surface. Statement B: This factor results in a water surface cooling down
more slowly than a land surface. Statement C: This factor results in a water surface both heating

2. more slowly and cooling down more slowly than a land surfice. The differential heating of land
and water has a major influence on global temperature patterns. All else being equal, areas far
removed from a large water body experience the greatest annual temperature ranges (i.e., the
greatest differences between summer and winter temperatures). These land areas far from the
influence of water are referred to as continental. Areas near the moderating water bodies are
referred to as being manine. (B-2) The two temperature graphs below are for locations that are
similar in terms of their latitude and the other temperature controls that we will discuss shortly.
However, one of these graphs is for a continental location, while the other is for a marine
location. Which of the graphs is for a continental location? Briefly explain.