Question

What factors are most significant in describing the climate of a region?

a. latitude and longitude
b. temperature and precipitation
c. elevation and amount of greenhouse gases
d. changes in solar radiation and Milankovitch cycles

Answer 1

Use the latitude and longitude to also realise the distance from the region to the sun. E.g Hawaii is located close to the equator, which means the distance from Hawaii to the sun is smaller compared to New Zealand and the sun because New Zealand is much further from the equator. This is means Hawaii receives more intense sun rays, therefore experiences a very tropical climate. New Zealand on the other hand is much further from the sun so experiences less intense sun rays, and therefore has a mild climate.
Another factor to consider is the intertropical convergence zone, a belt of converging trade winds and rising air that encircles the earth near the equator. Variation in the location of the intertropical convergence zone drastically affects rainfall in many equatorial regions, resulting in the wet and dry seasons of the tropics rather than the cold and warm seasons of higher latitudes.

Answer 2

Option (B)

Step-by-step explanation:

The climate refers to the long term changes that occur in terms of weather conditions. The climate of an area is mainly controlled by factors such as temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, latitudinal location, the topography of the area and the elevation.

The two most significant factor that is essential in describing the climate of a particular region are the temperature and precipitation. It is important to mark the average yearly temperature as well as the temperature range that occurs in a particular area. There occurs variation in this temperature range, showing the highest and lowest temperature, in comparison to other areas.

Similarly, the average precipitation, as well as the variation in the yearly rainfall, also is equally important in order to determine the climate of an area.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B).