Final answer:
The statement that lines of longitude do not affect climate is false; although longitude itself isn't a direct climate driver, the environments it intersects vary greatly due to other geographical factors like latitude, elevation, and proximity to ocean currents.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lines of longitude do not independently affect climate is a false statement because they do intersect various landmasses and bodies of water that have differing climates, even if they fall along the same longitudinal line. Longitude matters less than other factors such as latitude, elevation, and the presence of ocean currents. However, while longitude itself is not a direct climate driver, the places it crosses can significantly differ in climate due to these other factors.
The climate of a region is defined by a combination of various environmental variables. Factors that influence climate include latitude, elevation, nearby wind systems, ocean currents, the position of the land on a continent, and mountain barriers. These aspects contribute to variations in temperature, precipitation, and the general climate of different regions. For example, higher latitudes generally experience cooler climates, and areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight, influencing their temperatures.
Furthermore, ocean currents can transport warm or cold water across long distances, impacting coastal climates; mountain barriers can lead to rain shadows, affecting local precipitation patterns. These variables work in concert to define the unique climatic conditions experienced at any location on the earth, regardless of longitude.