P27, 28, 29

TOPIC 4. CLIMATE

A) WEATHER ELEMENTS

TEMASEK SECONDARY SEC 3NA MYE 2014

1	Define the terms “weather” and “climate”.                                                                                                                   [2]
	Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions of a place over a short period of time [1m] while climate refers to the average atmospheric conditions of a place over a long period of time of 30 years or more. [1m]

B) TEMPERATURE

* Study Fig. 6, which shows the location and annual temperature of Dallas and San Diego.
Location and temperature of Dallas and San Diego Fig. 6
(a)	Name the phenomenon that causes San Diego to have a more moderate temperature than Dallas.                                                                                                                                 [1]
	·        Maritime influence/effect
(b)	Explain how the phenomenon stated in (a)(i) resulted in a cooler summer in San Diego than Dallas.                                                                                                                                 [3]
	·        San Diego is a coastal region, ·        During summer the air over the sea is cooler than the air over the land as land heats up more quickly than the sea. ·        The cooler air over the sea helps lower the temperature of coastal areas hence San Diego experiences cooler temperature than Dallas in summer.

TEMASEK SECONDARY 3NA MYE 2014

2	How would the daily temperature range of a coastal area be different from that of an inland area?   Account for this difference.	[5]
	·       Daily temperature range of coastal area will be smaller than that of an inland area [1m]
	·       Water has a higher heat capacity than land [1m]
	·       During the day, the land heats up faster than the sea. This results a higher pressure over the sea and lower pressure over the land, generating sea breeze. [1m]
	·       At night, the sea cools down slower than the sea. This results in higher pressure over the land and lower pressure over the sea, generating land breeze. [1m]
	·       Sea breeze helps to lower the temperature of coastal areas in the day. At night, land breeze helps to increase the temperature of coastal areas. [1m]

PASIR RIS SECONDARY PRELIMS 2014

3		‘Areas along the same latitude experience similar temperatures.’  How far do you agree with the statement? Support your answer using evidence.	[6]
		This question is on how temperatures are affected by latitude and other factors such as altitude, cloud cover and distance from sea. Clear examples and reference to specific examples are required.
	L1: 0-2m At this level answers will be generalised or with minimal support if any given at all. Reasoning rather weak and expression maybe unclear. A basic answer that has little development. Answers lack examples or other evidence, or it is so sketchy that it adds little support to the answer. Write about temperatures/ latitudes with no reference to the question. 1m. One-sided answer. Areas along the same latitude experience similar temperatures 2m. With examples/specifics given 2m
	L2: 3-4m Disagreement or agreement will be supported by appropriate detail. (4-5m) Or, both agreement and disagreement are considered, but support is so patchy so that the answer is not full. Good reasoning and logic in parts of the answer with good expression in places. Some examples or other evidence will be presented to support answers in at least one place in the answer. Two-sided answer. Areas along the same latitude do not experience similar temperatures. Explain one other factor 3m, 2 other factors 4m with clear examples/specifics given
	L3: 5-6m At this level answers will be comprehensive and supported by sound knowledge. Both agreement and disagreement are considered and well supported. Reasoning is clear and logical with good expression of language. Examples or other evidence to support answers will be extensive.  Two-sided answer and explain 3 other factors 5m. A balanced conclusion addressing how temperature varies due to the four factors. 6m with clear examples/specifics given

Similar temperature due to:

1)      Latitude

·        same latitude = same angle of incidence from the sun’s rays

·        same amt of concentration of sunlight from the sun

·        E.g. SG and Msia : similar temp

Different temperature due to:

1)      Altitude

·        Vertical distance from the sea level

·        Higher altitude = lower temp because

·        Earth’s surface is heated by sun’s rays

·        Heat emit into atmosphere via longwave radiation

·        Higher altitude = further away from earth’s surface = less longwave radiation absorbed = less heat = lower temp than lower altitude

·        In addition, Higher altitude – air is less dense: absorb less heat

·        E.g. Cameron Highlands is higher altitude, lower temp than Kuala Lampur in Msia/ Mt Batur in Bali is higher altitude, lower temp than Kuta in Bali

2)      Distance from the sea

·        Sea heats up and cools down slower than land

·        Coastal areas: maritime effect – air over sea is warmer than inland during summer. Therefore, warmer winter and air over sea is cooler than inland during summer. Therefore, cooler summer

·        Inland: continental effect – warmer summer and cooler winter

·        E.g. Anchorage is coastal area, Fairbanks is inland

·        Anchorage experience maritime effect and would not have same temperature as Fairbanks even though they are of the same latitude.

Conclusion:

Areas of the same latitude might have similar temperature but may not be true for all regions as there are other factors that affect temperature, such as altitude and distance from the sea.

C) RAIN

TEMASEK SECONDARY SCHOOL SEC 3NA MYE 2014

4		With the aid of a well-labelled diagram, account for the formation of relief rain.                             [5]
		As the wind blows across the sea, it picks up moisture. When the moist air encounters the highland, it is forced to rise. As the air rises, temperature decreases and relative humidity increases. At dew point temperature, the air is saturated and condensation soon occurs where water vapour condense to water droplets to form clouds. When the water droplets are too heavy to be suspended, they fall as relief rain on the windward side of the highland.

D) RELATIVE HUMIDITY

ANGLICAN HIGH MYE 2014

5       Study Fig. 1, which shows the relationship between relative humidity and air temperature.

Fig. 1
With reference to Figure 1, describe and explain the relationship between relative humidity and air temperature.                                                                                                                                                         [4]

Describe [2m]

-           As temperature increases, the relative humidity within a parcel of air reduces/As the temperature decreases, the relative humidity within a parcel of air increases.

OR there is an inverse relationship between temperature and relative humidity

-         For every 10 deg increase in temperature, relative humidity decreases by roughly 50%

Explain [2m]

-            Warm air has the ability to hold more water vapour

-           Hence as the parcel of air increases in temperature while the amount of absolute water vapour remains the same, there is an overall decrease in the relative humidity/percentage of air saturated by water vapour