Exploring Elevation and Precipitation
Activity 2
Name: ___________________
Period: ___________________
Date: ____________________
Driving Question: How does precipitation vary with elevation?
Introduction
This lesson will use the same tools in Google Earth and many of the same methods to now explore the
relationship between precipitation and elevation. Again, your challenge is to see if you can find places
that help discover the important relationship between precipitation and elevation.
Exploration Question #1
What is the relationship between elevation and precipitation?
(THIS is the question you need to keep in mind while you work!)
Prediction
Make a prediction about how precipitation will change as the elevation changes.
The precipitation will ____________________ as the elevation _______________________.
(increase, decrease, remain the same)
(increase, decrease, remain the same)
Why do you think that your prediction will be true?
Instructions
1) If it is not open already, download or open the Climate Interaction.kmz from the ___________
website.
2) Turn on the NYS 250m Hillshade model so the hills and mountains across the state are seen
more easily.
3) FIND one or two areas in the state that show a CHANGE in topography over some distance. This
means find one or two areas that are NOT flat! Remember that you can mouse over the land
and see the elevation of the Earth’s surface in the Google Earth window (LOOK down at the
bottom in the middle of the screen).
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4) HIGHLIGHT the Transects folder in your folder list.
5) Use the “Add Path” tool
(LOOK up at the top of the window!) and draw a line transect
across the change in elevation area you found. Your path must be at least 25 miles long, BUT not
more than 150 miles. Name it “Path One”.
6) Highlight the name of your new path and right click on it. Choose the Show Elevation Profile
feature to look closely at the relationship between changes in the shape of the land (terrain)
across your transect and the changes in precipitation shown in the data.
Path One Data
Lowest elevation on
your transect line
Middle elevation on
your transect line
Highest elevation on
your transect line
Elevation value
(feet)
Precipitation value (in)
7) Do the same thing with the second place you found to draw a transect line. Repeat steps 5 to 7
remembering to THINK about how precipitation changes with how high or low the land is
(elevation).
Path Two Data
Lowest elevation on
your transect line
Middle elevation on
your transect line
Highest elevation on
your transect line
Elevation value
(feet)
Precipitation value (in)
Use YOUR data tables to answer the following questions:
A. What DATA did you work with?
What did the data look like?
Which data were most helpful to you in thinking about how precipitation is related to elevation?
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B. Looking at your data tables describe the relationships you found between elevation and
precipitation in New York State?
Path One shows:
Path Two shows:
List at least three other variables (geographic, climatic, etc.) that you think are affecting the
relationship between elevation and precipitation? For each variable, include WHY you think they
affect the relationship.
Variable 1: ____________________________________
How does this variable affect the relationship?
Variable 2: ____________________________________
How does this variable affect the relationship?
Variable 3: ____________________________________
How does this variable affect the relationship?
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C. Include screenshots of any transects or paths that support your conclusions.
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