9
Science 9
Quarter 3 – Module 4:
Factors Affecting Climate
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.
Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you to a stepby-step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.
Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each
SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you
will be honest in using these.
In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can
best help you on your home-based learning.
Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And
read the instructions carefully before performing each task.
If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.
Thank you.
ii
What I Need to Know
In Grade 7 Earth and Space, you have learned about weather and the different
factors affecting weather. These factors which you have discussed helped to
determine the weather on a day-to-day basis. Description of what a weather is, was
emphasized as the condition of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.
In this module, you will look into the distinction between weather and climate.
You will also be tasked to identify the factors that affect climate as well as its effect
on the climate of an area.
As you go through this module, you are expected to:
1. Describe climate
2. Identify the factors that affect climate
3. Explain how each factor affects climate
What I Know
Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on your answer sheets.
1. It refers to the atmospheric condition over a long period of time?
a. Weather
c. Monsoon
b. Climate
d. Typhoon
2. How much is the tilt of the earth’s axis?
a. 13.5
c.33.5
b. 23.5
d.43.5
3. It is the distance of a place North or South of the equator.
a. Altitude
c. Latitude
b. Topography
d. Ocean currents
4. Which part of the earth receives most of the sun rays?
a. Equator
c. Northern Hemisphere
b. Arctic Zone
d. Southern Hemisphere
5. What happens to air temperature when altitude increases?
a. Decreases
c. remains the same
b. increases
d. changes
6. What determines the earth’s major climatic zones?
a. Winds
c. Altitude
b. Ocean Currents d. Latitude
7. What causes wind formation?
a. Differences in air pressure
b. Differences in air temperature
c. Equal in air pressure
d. Equal in air temperature
8. Coldest places on earth are found near the
a. Equator
c. Tropics
b. Outer space
d. Poles
9. Cold current brings
water, while warm current takes along
water
a. cold ,warm
c. cold, cold
b. warm, cold
d. warm, warm
10. which of the following does not influenced climate?
a. Altitude
c. Magnitude
b. Latitude
d. Ocean current
11. What will happen when the rates of evaporation and condensation is equal?
a. Cloud form
b. The dew point is reached
c. The humidity increases
d. Precipitation occurs
12. How does the windward side differ from the leeward side of a high land?
a. The windward receives more precipitation than leeward
b. The leeward side has more vegetation than the windward side
c. The windward side receives more heat than the leeward side
d. The leeward side receives more precipitation than the windward side
13. Why are the coldest places on earth found at the poles?
a. Great amount of gaseous particles trap heat from the surface
b. Great amount of the thermal radiation is received by these areas
c. Less amount of the thermal radiation is received by these areas
d. Less amount of gaseous particles trap heat from the surface
14. What happens to water vapor as it rises over the mountain?
a. It rises up to the atmosphere
b. It moves down at the back of the mountain
c. It will result in precipitation on the windward side
d. It condenses to form clouds
15. Which cools and heats faster?
a. Water
c. water and soil
b. Soil
d. can’t be determined
Lesson
5
Factors Affecting Climate
What’s In
From your discussions of the weather, you were able to learn that weather generally
refers to the day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity in the atmosphere
particularly in the troposphere. It also describes the interactions of air, water and
solar energy in a specific period of time. It’s thought of in terms temperature,
humidity, precipitation, brightness visibility and wind on a particular day or hour.
To check how well you understood the discussion in weather, you have to go over the
following activity.
Activity 1
The Weather Taxonomy
Objective: To widen one’s vocabulary in weather
Task#1: To write down a word for each letter of the alphabet that is related to
weather. Write down your answers on the table (copy and fill up the table by writing
down a word for each letter of the alphabet that is related to weather
A
N
B
O
C
P
D
Q
E
R
F
S
G
T
H
U
I
V
J
W
K
X
L
Y
M
Z
What’s New
This section introduces you to climate. You have to encircle the group of letters
which are related to climate. The words can be read vertically, Horizontally,
diagonally and backwards. Sixteen words are hidden. Write your answers on your
answer sheet.
Activity 2
Word Grid – Climate
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What is It
Climate describes the average weather condition of a region over a long period
of time. It includes the average temperature and amount of precipitation of an
area.
What factors affect climate?
There are several factors that affect climate around the world. The varying
influence of this factors lead to the different climate that is experienced around the
world. The factors include the following’
1. Latitude
2. Ocean Currents
3. Wind & Air Masses
4. Elevation (altitude)
5. Relief (topography)
6. Nearness to the bodies of water (continentality)
1. Latitude
• Refers to the distance of a place north or south of the equator. Distance
from the equator is measured in degrees. The equator is at 0 degree
latitude. South or North pole Is at 90 degrees latitude. It dictates the
intensity and duration of sun exposure to the earth.
• Places at low latitudes (close to the equator) receive greater sunlight than
places located at high latitude (far from the equator)
• The equator is the portion of the earth which receives the greatest solar
energy; thus, it is the warmest or hottest. As a point moves away from
the equator, the solar energy it receives decreases. Thus, places in higher
latitudes are much colder.
• With respect to the latitude, there are three general climate zones which
includes:
a. Tropic or tropical climate (at tropical latitude)
• The amount of solar heating between summer and winter do not
differ much, so the average monthly temperature is almost the same
throughout the year.
b. Temperate climate (in the middle latitude)
• From the tropics (23.5 degrees North or South) to the arctic and
Antarctic circles (about 60 degrees North or South), solar heating is
greater in summer than in winter. In these latitudes, summers are
therefore warmer than in winter.
c. Arctic climate (in high latitudes)
• From mid -latitudes and upward close to the poles, the sun never
rises during the large portions of the year. Summers are cool to mild
and winters are extremely cold.
2. Ocean currents
• Acts as a conveyor belts of warm and cold water, sending heat
towards the polar regions and helping tropical areas cool off
• Regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven
distribution of solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface. Without
currents in the ocean, regional temperatures would be more
extreme-super hot at the equator and frigid towards the poles
(https://ocean explorer.hoaa.gov)
How does ocean currents affect climate?
Caused by the global winds blowing across the ocean surface and
the differences in water temperature and water salinity
• Warm ocean currents that flow towards toward the poles result in
warm air masses that move over land causing the climate of the
land to be warmer
• Cold ocean currents that flow towards the equator results in cold air
masses causing the climate of the nearby land to be cooler.
3. Winds and air masses
• Earth’s moisture and heat is distributed globally through the global
movement of air masses.
• Forms when air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low
pressure.
• Affects climate because they move solar energy from one place to
another, causing the temperature in one place to decrease and the
temperature in another place to increase.
• The humidity and temperature of an air mass depend on the earth’s
surface over which it moves. Air masses that originate from high
latitudes are colder than air masses that form over low latitudes and
the tropics, and those that form over the oceans are relatively humid
than those, that form over the continents are relatively dry
4. Elevation (altitudes)
• Refers to the height above sea level
• The altitude of a place depends on its terrain or the presence of
highland and lowland features.
• As elevation (altitude) increases, temperature tends to decrease. For
every 1000 meter (1 kilometer) rise in the altitude, air temperature
decreases by 6.5 degrees Celsius
5. Relief (topography)
• Refers to the shape of the land’s surface.
• Includes some of the topographical features of the earth (mountains,
hills, valleys, mountain ranges, lakes.
• As air is forced to rise over the mountain (wind ward side), the
temperature decreases and condensation increases. As it condenses,
water droplets get bigger and heavier and are forced to fall. Once the
air mass goes over the mountain (leeward side), the temperature and
evaporation increase but condensation decreases, thus precipitation
does not happen; thus creating a rain shadow (dry area on the
leeward side of a mountain range).
6. Nearness to bodies of water
• Bodies of water such as oceans, rivers, and lakes can affect an area’s
climate. It absorbs and releases heat more slowly than land. This
quality helps regulates the air temperature over the land nearby
• During day time, land heats up faster than water so the air over the
land becomes warmer and less dense. It rises and is replaced by a
cooler denser air flowing from over the water (sea breeze)
•
During nighttime, land cools faster than water as does the
corresponding air ;thus creating land breeze. It is where the warm air
•
over the water rises and is replaced by the cooler and denser air from
the land.
What’s More
Activity 3
The Factors Affecting Climate
Copy and fill up the table by writing down the ways in which each of the following
factors affect climate in your activity notebook.
Factors
EFFECT ON CLIMATE
Latitude
Ocean currents
Winds and air masses
Elevation (altitude)
Relief (topography)
Nearness to bodies of
water
What I Have Learned
Copy and fill up the Climate Frames with the concepts that you have learned in
climate in your answer sheet.
Activity 4
CLIMATE FRAMES
My chosen word is climate .
I know that I know
First, I know
In addition, I know
Finally, I know
Now you know something I know
.
.
.
.
.
What I Can Do
Activity 5
The Why’s of Climate
Answer the following questions. Write your answer in your answer sheet.
1. Why do mountain climbers wear jackets and thick clothes when they go up
the mountain?
2. Why do clouds form as air moves over a mountain?
3. Why do some areas that are far from bodies of water have extreme climate?
4. Why do cool surface currents caused the air above them to become cooler?
5. Poland lies at 52-degrees north latitude. Nigeria lies at 9 degrees north
latitude. Which country receives more sunlight? Why?
Assessment
Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it in your activity note book
1. Climate is different from weather in that:
a. Climate involves a longer period of time
b. Weather lasted for three months
c. Climate changes frequently and rapidly
d. None of the above
2. During summer, many people visit Baguio because of the cold weather
what do you think makes Baguio cold?
a. Topography
b. Distance from the ocean
c. Altitude
d. All of the above
3. What happens to air temperature as the altitude increases?
a. Remains the same
b. Varies
c. Increases
d. Decreases
4. City A is surrounded by bodies of water and has a moderate climate it is
located near the equator. What will most likely affect the climate of the
city?
a. Altitude
b. Latitude
c. Topography
d. All of the above
5. There are three general climatic zones with respect to latitude, which one
is not?
a. Polar
b. Tropic
c. Temperate
d. Equatorial
6. As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy;
a. decreases
b. increases
c. stays the same
d. varies
7. As you move away from the equator towards the north and south poles,
temperature becomes;
a. varies b. stays the same c. cooler
d. hotter
8. Mountains are cooler than low lands because;
a. Low lands are closer to the oceans
b. There are fewer mountains near the oceans
c. Air temperature decreases 6.5 degree Celsius for every 1km rise in the
ocean
d. None of the above
9. Which side of a mountains receives the most precipitation?
a. Leeward side
b. Windward side
c. Rain shadow
d. Peak
10. Why do places at the same latitude but different altitudes have different
climates?
a. The amount of heat received varies.
b. The amount of precipitation varies
c. The higher altitudes have lower temperature
d. The higher altitudes have higher temperature
11. Why does cloud formation disappears the air moves slowly towards the
leeward side of the mountain?
a. The air condenses as it moves to the leeward side
b. The amount of water vapor is not enough
c. The temperature becomes lower
d. There is too much water vapor
12. How do oceans currents affect climate?
a. Ocean currents either warm or cool the air above them
b. Ocean currents just warms the air above
c. Ocean currents just cools the air above
d. Ocean currents changes the climate of a certain area
13. How does body of water regulate the temperature of a certain region or
country?
a. Body water warms the air of a certain region or country
b. Body of water cools the air of a certain region or country
c. Body of water circulates the warm air and cold air of a certain region
or country
d. Body of water moderates the temperature
14. What is the relationship between altitude and temperature of a place?
a. As the altitude increases, temperature decreases
b. As the altitude decreases, temperature decreases
c. As the altitude increases, temperature increases
d. As the altitude increases, temperature remains the same
15. Which or the following best describes climate?
a. The weather that occurs in the atmosphere within a day
b. The pattern of weather that occurs in a region over a long period of
time
c. The pattern of weather that occurs in a region over a short period of
time
d. The disturbance in the atmosphere that happens in a long period of
time
Additional Activities
Complete each the statement below by providing answers in the blanks. Write your
answers on your answer sheet.
A. Latitude
1. When the area is farther from the equator, the air temperature is
.
2. When the area is
to the equator the air temperature is higher.
3. The sun’s rays strike vertically in places near the
.
B. Ocean currents
4. The current flows in a clockwise direction in the
.
5. The current flows in a
direction in the southern
hemisphere .
6. The clockwise and counter clockwise direction of these ocean currents are
caused by the
.
C. Winds and air masses
7. Air masses that originate from high latitudes are
.
8. Air masses that form over
and warmer.
9. Earth’s
and
is distributed globally through
the global movement of air masses.
D. Elevation (altitude)
10. Air temperature
as the altitude increases
11. For every
rise in the altitude, air temperature decreases by
6.5 degree Celsius
12. As the altitude
, air temperature increases
E. Relief/ topography
13. The
dry
region
on
the
leeward
side
is
called
the
.
14. The side of the mountain facing the wind and has low temperature is the
.
15. The side of the mountain which experiences high temperature is the
.
F. Nearness to bodies of water
16. Bodies of water can affect an areas
.
17.
absorbs and releases heat more slowly than land.
18. Places that are
the oceans have moderate climate as the body
of water regulates temperature .
References
Abistado,j.,andM.Valdoz.2014.Science Links. Work text in science and technology.
Manila ,Philippines.Rex Book Store,inc.
Alvarez,L.et.al.2014.Science 9 Learners Module. Philippines . FEP Printing
Corporation.
https://education.seattlepi-com.what are the four factors that influence weather
https://www.birdsvilleschools.net
https://en.m.wikipedia.org.LOWERN
https://mountainstudiesinstitute.squarespace.com.Factors that affect climate
worksheet