🔍 Key Concepts

• Air temperature and how it is influenced by environmental factors • How seasonal changes affect heating and cooling of the Earth • The roles of latitude (distance from the equator) and altitude (height above sea level)

💭 Think About

• Think about why some places near the equator are warmer than places near the poles, even at the same time of year. • Consider why mountaintops can have snow while nearby sea-level locations are much warmer. • Ask yourself whether air temperature is controlled by just one of these factors, or whether more than one can change it.

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm that season of the year can change the amount of solar heating a location receives. • Confirm that latitude changes the angle of the sun’s rays and typical climate patterns. • Confirm that altitude above sea level affects air pressure and temperature (think of higher elevations being cooler).