Temperature

Question 1

Temperature definition

Answer 1

degree of hotness or coldness of a place

Question 2

What is considered high temperature in weather studies

Answer 2

above 20 degrees

Question 3

What is considered low temperature in weather studies

Answer 3

below 10 degrees

Question 4

What determines temperature at a location

Answer 4

energy from the sun absorbed by earth’s surface

Question 5

How does the earth’s surface heat the atmosphere

Answer 5

absorbed solar energy warms surface which releases heat to air

Question 6

How is mean daily temperature calculated

Answer 6

sum of hourly temperatures divided by 24 hours

Question 7

How is mean monthly temperature calculated

Answer 7

average of daily temperatures recorded in a month

Question 8

How is mean annual temperature calculated

Answer 8

average temperature recorded in a year

Question 9

What is diurnal temperature range

Answer 9

difference between maximum and minimum temperatures in a day

Question 10

What is annual temperature range

Answer 10

difference between highest and lowest mean monthly temperatures in a year

Question 11

What are the main factors influencing temperature

Answer 11

latitude altitude distance from ocean cloud cover albedo

Question 12

What are spatial temperature variations

Answer 12

temperature differences from place to place

Question 13

What are temporal temperature variations

Answer 13

temperature differences over time

Question 14

What is latitude

Answer 14

distance north or south from the equator measured in degrees

Question 15

What is the main factor controlling global mean annual temperature patterns

Answer 15

latitude

Question 16

What causes different amounts of insolation at different latitudes

Answer 16

differences in angle of incidence

Question 17

Why do tropics receive more insolation per unit area

Answer 17

higher angle of incidence causing less beam spreading

Question 18

Why do poles receive less insolation per unit area

Answer 18

lower angle of incidence causing more beam spreading

Question 19

Why does insolation lose more energy near the poles

Answer 19

passes through more atmosphere leading to more scattering absorption and reflection

Question 20

Why are tropical temperatures higher

Answer 20

greater insolation absorbed and converted into terrestrial radiation

Question 21

What causes seasons

Answer 21

23.5 degree axial tilt and earth’s revolution around the sun

Question 22

What happens during the June solstice

Answer 22

northern hemisphere tilted toward sun and subsolar point at Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N)

Question 23

Which hemisphere experiences summer during June solstice

Answer 23

northern hemisphere

Question 24

What happens during the December solstice

Answer 24

subsolar point at Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S)

Question 25

Which hemisphere experiences winter during December solstice

Answer 25

northern hemisphere

Question 26

Where is the subsolar point during equinoxes

Answer 26

at the equator (0° latitude)

Question 27

What is altitude

Answer 27

height of a point above sea level

Question 28

How does temperature change with altitude in troposphere

Answer 28

decreases about 6.5°C per km (normal lapse rate)

Question 29

Why is lower troposphere warmer

Answer 29

heated by longwave radiation from earth’s surface

Question 30

Why is air cooler at higher altitudes

Answer 30

less dense air traps less heat

Question 31

What is specific heat capacity

Answer 31

amount of heat needed to raise temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1°C

Question 32

How does water’s specific heat capacity compare to land

Answer 32

about five times higher so heats and cools slower

Question 33

What is the maritime effect

Answer 33

ocean moderates temperatures giving cooler summers and warmer winters in coastal areas

Question 34

What is the continental effect

Answer 34

inland areas have larger annual temperature ranges due to lack of ocean influence

Question 35

What is cloud cover

Answer 35

extent of sky covered by clouds

Question 36

How does dense cloud cover affect diurnal temperature range

Answer 36

makes it smaller

Question 37

How do clouds affect daytime temperatures

Answer 37

reflect insolation reducing heating

Question 38

How do clouds affect nighttime temperatures

Answer 38

trap terrestrial radiation keeping temperatures warmer

Question 39

Why do rainforests have small diurnal temperature ranges

Answer 39

dense cloud cover reduces day heating and traps heat at night

Question 40

Why do deserts have large diurnal temperature ranges

Answer 40

lack of clouds allows strong heating by day and rapid cooling at night

Question 41

What is albedo

Answer 41

reflectivity of a surface

Question 42

How does high albedo affect temperature

Answer 42

more reflection less absorption leading to cooler surfaces

Question 43

How does low albedo affect temperature

Answer 43

more absorption leading to warmer surfaces

Question 44

Why does asphalt increase air temperature

Answer 44

low albedo absorbs most insolation

Question 45

Why does snow keep temperatures low

Answer 45

high albedo reflects most insolation