What Factors Affect Temperature - Latitude, Altitude, Wind and More - GCSE Geography?

Temperature is how hot or cold something feels, think of it like how your soup tastes when you're hungry!

Latitude, which means how far a place is from the equator, affects temperature. Places near the equator, like Brazil or Indonesia, get more sunlight all year and stay warm, just like how your face gets warmer when you sit in the sun at the park. Places farther away, like Norway or Canada, get less direct sunlight and are usually colder, like sitting under a blanket on a cloudy day.

Altitude, or how high up a place is, also changes temperature. Mountains are cooler because as you go higher, the air gets thinner and holds less heat, it’s like climbing into the freezer section of the grocery store!

Wind can make things feel colder too. When the wind blows, it moves the cold air around faster, it's like when your mom fans you with a towel on a hot day, but instead, it feels like ice cream is melting all over you!

Other things like oceans, clouds, and even trees can change how warm or cool a place feels, just like how a blanket makes you cozy at night! Temperature is how hot or cold something feels, think of it like how your soup tastes when you're hungry!

Latitude, which means how far a place is from the equator, affects temperature. Places near the equator, like Brazil or Indonesia, get more sunlight all year and stay warm, just like how your face gets warmer when you sit in the sun at the park. Places farther away, like Norway or Canada, get less direct sunlight and are usually colder, like sitting under a blanket on a cloudy day.

Altitude, or how high up a place is, also changes temperature. Mountains are cooler because as you go higher, the air gets thinner and holds less heat, it’s like climbing into the freezer section of the grocery store!

Wind can make things feel colder too. When the wind blows, it moves the cold air around faster, it's like when your mom fans you with a towel on a hot day, but instead, it feels like ice cream is melting all over you!

Other things like oceans, clouds, and even trees can change how warm or cool a place feels, just like how a blanket makes you cozy at night!

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Examples

  1. A place near the equator is warmer because it gets more direct sunlight.
  2. Mountains are colder at higher altitudes since the air is thinner.
  3. Windy days can make a place feel cooler even if the temperature is warm.

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