Theory question 304
WeatherExplain how the following factors affect the temperature of a place: (a) altitude; (b) distance from the sea; (c) Slope and aspect.
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(a) Temperature falls with height at about 6.5°C per 1,000 m; the atmosphere is heated from the ground by terrestrial radiation, so air further from the ground is cooler; air at height is thinner and holds less heat; so highland places (e.g. Jos Plateau) are cooler than lowlands.
(b) Land heats and cools faster than the sea; the sea warms places near it in winter and cools them in summer; coastal places have a small annual and daily range (maritime climate); inland places have hot summers, cold winters and a large range (continental climate).
(c) Slopes facing the sun (south-facing in the northern hemisphere) receive direct rays and are warmer; slopes facing away are in shade and cooler; gentle slopes may collect cold air in valleys at night (temperature inversion).
Explain each factor, not just state it.