Weather and climate

1. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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4E Geography Elective Core Assignment 2
Variable 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!
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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
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Student Reflection:
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2. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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1. Differentiate betweenweatherandclimate. [1]
2. Withreference toFig.1(Fig.2.13in TB pg 79), describe andaccountfor the
variationinmeanannual temperature.(Refertochapt 3, pg 146 to learnmore
aboutchoroplethmaps)
[5]
Fig. 1
3. RefertoFig.2 below.Temperature decreases6.5o
Cwitheveryincrease of 1,000
metresinaltitude.
Place Latitude Altitude
Mount Kinabalu,Borneo 6o
5’N 4,095m
Georgetown,Guyana 6o
48’N 0m
Fig. 2
(a) If the meanannual temperature atGeorgetown,Guyanais28o C
, calculate the
likelymeantemperature atthe peakof Mount Kinabalu.
[1]
(b) Explainwhyplacesathigheraltitude have alowertemperature. [3]

3. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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4. RefertoFig.3 (Fig.2.88 inTB pg77)
Fig. 3
(a) Calculate the annual temperature range of FairbanksandAnchorage. [2]
(b) Explainthe differencesinthe annual temperaturerangesof Fairbanksand
Anchorage.
[6]
5. Desertsgenerally havenocloudcover.Usingannotateddiagrams,explainwhy
hot deserts(e.g.SaharaDesert) are oftenveryhotinthe day andcold at night.
[4]
6. Withreference toFig.4 (Fig.2.10b inTB pg 78), describe the difference inthe
annual temperature patternsof Singapore andQuito.
[3]

4. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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Suggested response
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 27o
C, while the United Kingdom
experiences lower mean annual temperature at 8o
C
 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 -
3o
C. 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

5. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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density, resulting in the less absorption of longwave
radiation, and hence a lower temperature.
3. Refer to Fig. 2 below. Temperature decreases 6.5o
C with every increase
of 1,000 metres in altitude.
Place Latitude Altitude
Mount Kinabalu,
Borneo
6o
5’N 4,095m
Georgetown, Guyana 6o
48’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]
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
=
𝟒𝟎𝟗𝟓
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
× 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 energyenters 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)

6. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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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]

7. 4E5N GeographyElective Core assignment2
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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 generallydo 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 generallyhigher in
Singapore at 27.5℃ than in Quito at 14.0℃ although they are
located along the same latitude.