Coastal and Continental Temperature Ranges – Report Sheet

Name: ______
Date: ______

Questions: Answer all of the following questions in complete and grammatically correct sentences.

1)According to the map above, which two cities investigated in this lab are located on the coastlines of oceans?

2)According to the map above, which two cities investigated in this lab are continental (inland)?

3)Which city has approximately the same latitude (distance north of the Equator) as New York City? (HINT – See the data for latitudes found on your Procedure Page.)

4)Which city has approximately the same latitude as Los Angeles? (HINT – see the data for latitudes found on your Procedure Page.)

5)All four of these are in the United States and therefore are in the northern hemisphere. Suppose you weren’t told the names of the cities or where they were located. How could you tell from the graph that you drew that they were all in the northern hemisphere? (HINT – Use common sense and your knowledge about the seasons in the southern hemisphere as compared to seasons in the northern hemisphere.)

6)TemperatureRange means the difference between the highest average monthly temperature and the lowest average temperature. Please, actually DO the calculations and give me a final answer for questions 6-9.
What is the temperature range for New York? ______

7)What is the temperature range for Bismarck? ______

8)What is the temperature range for Los Angeles? ______

9)What is the temperature range for Phoenix? ______

10)Which city has the greatest temperature range? Why does it have the greatest temperature range? Your explanation should be based on the map and your knowledge of absorption and radiation by soil and water.

11)Look at the graphs for New York and Bismarck. Which city has the faster rate for heating and cooling? (HINT – the steeper the slope of the graph, the faster the rate.)

12)Why does the city named in your answer to question 11 have the faster rate for heating and cooling? Your explanation should be based on the map and your knowledge of absorption and radiation by soil and water?

13)Both Phoenix and Los Angeles are approximately the same distance of the Equator and receive the same intensity of insolation (strength and amount of incoming solar radiation each year). But Phoenix has a greater temperature range than Los Angeles? Your explanation should be based on the map and your knowledge of absorption and radiation by soil and water and even the title of this lab.

14)Buffalo is about 80 miles north of Olean. Why are the winter temperatures usually warmer and summer temperatures cooler in Buffalo than in Olean? Your explanation should be bases on your knowledge of absorption and radiation by soil and water. You may also want to look at the map of New YorkState in your Reference Tables!