QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments  Name:
Unit 11.2
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
How is the global climate changing?
Key Questions:
1. What is the global temperature pattern?
2. What are the factors affecting temperature patterns?
3. What is the global precipitation pattern?
4. What are the major climatic types/zones?
5. Is the global climate changing?
Preparatory task
Find out the meaning of the BOLD words. Write down the definition in Chinese in the boxes below.
Passage A
1. (1) Solar radiation is the energy released from the sun. (2) Scattering, (3) reflection and
(4) absorption are the main processes that will occur when solar radiation enters the atmosphere.
2. (5) Insolation is the solar radiation that is received in the atmosphere or on the earth’s surface.
3. The climate of the world is quite complicated. In general, the temperature and the precipitation of the
world decreases with increasing (6) latitude.
4. There are some factors affecting the world’s climate including (7) angle of the sun, land and sea and
distance from the sea ((8) coastal area and (9) inland area).
5. We can use temperature and rainfall to generalize climatic characteristics all over the world. The world
can be generalized into five major climatic zones/types. They are (10) Tropical climate, (11) Arid
climate, (12) Temperate climate, (13) Cold climate and (14) Polar climate.
English
Chinese
1.
solar radiation
太陽輻射
2.
scattering
3.
reflection
4.
absorption
5.
insolation
散落
反射
吸收
日射
6.
latitude
絳度
7.
angle of the sun
日射角
8.
coastal area
沿岸
9.
inland area
內陸
10. Tropical climate
11. Arid climate
12. Temperate climate
13. Cold climate
14. Polar climate
熱帶氣候
乾旱氣候
溫和氣候
寒冷氣候
極地氣候
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
Name:
1. What is the global temperature pattern?
Task 1: Define and identify the composition of solar radiation
The following figure shows the composition of solar radiation

Definition: Solar radiation is the energy released from the sun.

Composition: Solar radiation is mainly composed of
(i)
ultraviolet (UV) radiation,
(ii) visible light
(iii) infrared radiation.
Task 2: Name the four main processes (P, Q, R and S) occur when solar radiation
enters the atmosphere.
The following figure shows the condition when solar radiation enters the atmosphere.
Solar radiation 100%
The edge of the atmosphere
P
22%
Q
R
(20%)
S

P
Scattering/Reflection

Q
Reflection/Scattering

R
Absorption by the atmosphere

S
Absorption by the earth’s surface
(58%)
2
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
Task 3: Refer to the following figure and answer the questions below.
Figure 1a shows the average annual insolation over the earth’s surface.
i)
Define insolation.
Insolation refers to the solar radiation that is received in the atmosphere or on the earth’s surface.
ii)
How much of the solar radiation becomes insolation? (Hint: According to Task 2)
_______________________________________________________________________________
iii) Describe the spatial distribution of average annual insolation on the earth’s surface.
Spatial distribution
Amount of insolation received
Equatorial regions
The largest / Large / Less / The least
Around 23½N and S
The largest / Large / Less / The least
40-50N and S
The largest / Large / Less / The least
Polar regions.
The largest / Large / Less / The least
 The spatial distribution of insolation on the earth’s surface is (even / uneven).
 The largest amount of insolation received is located _________________________________
 In general, the temperature of the world (decreases / increases) with increasing latitude .
3
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
Task 4: Refer to the following figures and answer the questions below.
Figure 1b shows the distribution of temperature pattern of the world.

(Low latitude / High latitude) has a higher temperature.

Although on the same latitude, the temperature is (different / the same). On the northern hemisphere,
the sea has a (higher / lower) temperature than the land.

The season in the northern hemisphere is (winter / summer).
Figure 1c shows the distribution of temperature pattern of the world.

Low latitude / High latitude) has a higher temperature.

Although on the same latitude, the temperature is (different / the same). On the northern hemisphere,
the sea has a (higher / lower) temperature than that on the land.

The season in the northern hemisphere is (winter / summer).
4
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
2. What are the factors affecting temperature patterns?
Factor 1: Angle of the sun (Latitude)

In low-latitude regions, more insolation is received. This is because the angle of the sun
is ( larger / smaller ) . The amount of insolation concentrates on a ( larger / smaller ) area in
these regions. Air temperature is therefore ( higher / lower ).

In high-latitude regions, ___________ insolation is received. This is because the angle of the sun
is ___________. The same amount of insolation is spread out on a larger area in these regions.
Air temperature is therefore ____________.
Factor 2: Land and sea
The following figures show the temperature of Place A and Place B in summer and winter.

( Place A / Place B ) has a higher temperature in summer.

( Place A / Place B ) has a higher temperature in winter.

( The land / the sea ) absorbs and loses heat quickly. As a result, it is ______
______

in summer
( The land / the sea ) absorbs and loses heat slowly. As a result, it is ______
_______
in winter and
in winter and
in summer.
5
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
Factor 3: Distance from the sea
The following figures show the temperature of Place C and Place D in summer and winter on a certain day.
i)
What are the range of temperature of place C and D on a certain day? Complete the table below.
Places
Summer
Winter
Range of temperature on a certain day
C (Coastal area)
D (Inland area)
ii)
Describe and explain which place has a larger range of temperature.

(Place C / Place D) has a larger range of temperature.

The land absorbs and loses heat (quickly / slowly). The land will be (cold / hot) in winter and
(cold / hot) in summer.

(Place C / Place D) is an inland area, there will be (high / low) temperature in summer and
(high / low) temperature in winter. The range of temperature should be great.
iii) Describe and explain which place has a smaller range of temperature.

(Place C / Place D) has a smaller range of temperature.

The sea absorbs and loses heat (quickly / slowly). Since (Place C / Place D) is a coastal area, the
cool onshore wind in summer will (rise / lower) the temperature while the warm onshore wind in
winter will (rise / lower) the temperature there.

There will be (hot / cool) temperature in summer and warm temperature in winter. The annual
range of temperature should be small
6
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
3. What is the global precipitation pattern?
The following map shows the world distribution of precipitation.
i) Describe the spatial distribution of precipitation on the earth’s surface.
The spatial distribution
Amount of precipitation received
Around the equator / Near the poles
The larger
Inland areas / Coastal areas
The larger
 The spatial distribution of precipitation on the earth’s surface is ( even / uneven ).
 In general, the precipitation of the world ( decreases / increases ) with increasing latitude .
7
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
Name:
4. What are the major global climatic types/zones?
Köppen proposed a classification system of climate in 1918 to generalize climatic characteristics in
different places. The following map shows the distribution of the five major climatic types/zones.
i) The following table describes the characteristics of each climatic type/zone. Identify the climatic
types/zones.
Climatic type/zone
Tropical climate
Letter
symbol
Characteristics
A
Hot and wet all year (Average temperature of the coldest
month >18C)
Aridclimate
B
Very dry all year (Potential evaporation > Precipitation
Temperate climate
C
Cold winters and mild summers (Average temperature
of the coldest month is between 18C and 0C)
Cold climate
D
Very cold all year (Average temperature of the coldest
month is ≤0C; the warmest month >10C)
Polar climate
E
Very cold and dry all year (average temperature of the
warmest month <10C)
8
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
5.
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
Is the global climate changing?
Figure 5a shows the global average temperature from 1880 to 2011.
Figure 5b shows the changes in global precipitation.
i)
Refer to Figure 5a and 5b.
Complete the chart below which summarizes some major climate changes in the world in recent
decades.
9
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
10
QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School
Changing climate, changing environments 
Name:
2014-2015 S3 Geography
( )
S.3(
)
11