Question

Describe the global distribution of temperature with its characteristics.

Answer 1

• Temperature is highest near the Equator because this region receives nearly vertical rays of the Sun throughout the year.
• Temperature decreases from the Equator towards the poles as the Sun’s rays become more slanting.
• Isotherms are lines joining places having the same temperature. They generally run from west to east, roughly parallel to latitudes.
• Land heats and cools faster than water. Therefore, interiors of continents experience greater temperature variation than coastal regions.
• Ocean currents influence coastal temperatures. Warm currents increase temperature, while cold currents decrease it.
• Altitude affects temperature. Higher places are generally cooler than low-lying areas.
• The Northern Hemisphere shows greater temperature variation because it has more land area, while the Southern Hemisphere has more oceans and therefore more moderate temperatures.
• Seasonal changes shift the temperature zones northward and southward according to the apparent movement of the Sun.