Lab # _____ Coastal and Continental Temperature Ranges
Introduction:
Approximately 70 % of Earth’s surface is covered by water. The unequal rates of the heating of land
and water cause temperature conditions which significantly affect local and world-wide weather
patterns. There are large variations in average monthly temperatures among cities located at the
same latitude. This suggests that factors besides the angle and duration of insolation affect the rate
of heating and cooling of any given location. Air temperature is greatly affected by the location of a
place relative to a large body of water.
Problem: How do the temperatures of four cities on the same line of latitude compare?
Purpose: You will graph the average monthly temperatures of coastal and inland continental regions
and interpret the range in temperatures.
Vocabulary: - temperature range – average daily temperature – average monthly temperature – Specific Heat – coastal – continental – insolation – season
Procedure:
1.
a.
Locate the four identified cities on the map of the United States.
New York, NY b. Bismarck, ND c. Los Angeles, CA d. Phoenix, AZ
2.
Graph the average monthly temperatures for the four cities given on the data chart. Plot
all four curves on the same set of axes. Use a different symbol for each city and include a key.
Jan
New York, NY
32
Bismarck, ND
7
Los Angeles, CA 57
Phoenix, AZ
52
Feb
33
15
59
56
Mar
41
26
60
61
Apr
53
43
62
68
May
62
55
65
77
June
71
64
69
87
July
77
70
74
92
Aug
75
69
75
90
Sept
68
57
73
85
Oct
56
46
69
73
Nov
47
29
63
61
Dec
36
15
58
55
Questions:
1.
Even if you didn’t know these were all cities of the United States (hint* in the Northern
Hemisphere), how could you tell from the temperature curves that they were all in the
Northern Hemisphere?
2.
Which city has the greatest yearly temperature range?
3.
Explain the cause for the greater range you observed in question number two.
4.
How do the rates of heating and cooling differ for New York and Bismarck?
5.
What is the yearly temperature range for Los Angeles?
6.
What is the yearly temperature range for Phoenix?
7.
Since los Angeles and Phoenix are at the same latitude, what can you infer about the
intensity of insolation at both locations?
8.
Considering the intensity of insolation for Los Angeles and Phoenix, explain the
differences in the temperature curves for the two cities.
9.
How does the lack of atmospheric moisture in California’s Mohave Desert cause a large
daily temperature range? (Consider the high specific heat of water and low specific heat of
land)
Conclusion:
Describe the difference in the annual temperature range between a coastal region and an inland
region. Discuss the primary cause of this difference. Include how specific heat relates to the
concept. Identify a city from the map, that you might like to live in and discuss the climate and
temperature range you would expect it to have.