Materials
- Globe, world map, or mapping software
- Graph paper or computer graphing program
- Calculator
- Table 3.4
- Table 3.5
Procedure
A. Comparing climate across latitude.
- Examine a globe or world map. Make a prediction about the relationship between latitude and air temperature for locations on land.
- Familiarize yourself with the location of the cities listed in Table 3.4.
- Make an x-y scatterplot using Table 3.4, showing the average temperature in January and July plotted against latitude. If possible include the cities as data labels on your graph.
- (Optional) Calculate the average temperature range or difference between January and July for each city. Add this information to Table 3.4 and plot this data against latitude.
- Analyze any patterns that you notice in your graph and hypothesize a reason for these patterns.
- Re-examine your world map. Determine if there are any geographic features, such as bodies of water, mountains, or deserts that might help to explain discrepancies between the relationship of latitude and temperature.
B. Comparing climate between environments.
- Familiarize yourself with the location of the cities listed in Table 3.5 using a world map or globe. These cities are located at very similar latitudes and on the same continents as the cities in Part A, but their environments are very different.
- Use a world map or globe to determine if these cities are located along a coast or inland. Add this information to Table 3.5.
- Calculate the difference between average day and night temperatures in January in each city. Add this information to Table 3.5.
- Make a prediction about the relationship between environmental location (inland or coastal) and the difference between day and night temperature.
- Make an x-y scatterplot using Table 3.5, showing the 24-hour temperature range in January against location. If possible include the cities as data labels on your graph.
- Analyze any patterns that you notice in your graph and hypothesize a reason for these patterns.