What shapes a place's climate: latitude, height, distance from the sea

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Mount Washington is only about 2° farther north than Boston, yet its July is 13 °C cooler. Which clue explains most of the gap, Ari?

   • The Sun: the summit is closer to it
   • Its latitude: 2° farther north
   • The sea: the summit is right on the coast
   • Its height: 1,910 m above sea level
2. 2.

   Spokane is higher than Seattle, yet Spokane's July is warmer. Which clue explains the warmer July, Bo?

   • Spokane is much nearer the equator
   • Higher places are warmer in summer
   • Spokane is far from the sea, so summers get hotter
   • The sea makes Seattle's summers hotter
3. 3.

   Denver's July is 5 °C cooler than Fresno's. Which explanation uses both clues in the table, Esme?

   • Denver is farther south
   • Denver is higher, so it is nearer the Sun
   • Denver is both higher and farther north
   • Denver is nearer the sea
4. 4.

   Imagine a town moved from the coast to 1,000 km inland, at the same latitude and height. How would its climate change, Jun?

   • Hotter summers and colder winters
   • No change: latitude alone sets climate
   • Warmer year-round, as land holds heat longer than water
   • Milder summers and winters, as inland air changes slowly
5. 5.

   A road climbs from a valley at 500 m to a pass at 2,500 m. What should Kira's trip guide say about the pass?

   • Warmer: heat rises and collects up high
   • Cooler: air gets colder with height
   • The same: height does not change temperature
   • Warmer: it is nearer the Sun
6. 6.

   A model town moves from 20° N to 50° N, keeping its height and its spot on the coast. What happens to its climate, Luz?

   • Warmer: the Sun is nearer to 50° N
   • Colder: the sunlight hits at a lower slant
   • Warmer: far from the equator, light is more direct
   • Colder: the sea chills northern coasts

7. Read this first

   Use this

   Side view of a mountain (example data, not to scale). Note: NWS normal lapse rate, 3.5 degF cooler per 1,000 ft.

8. 7.

   A trail starts at 2,000 ft, where it is 75 °F. The summit is 54 °F. Using 3.5 °F per 1,000 ft, about how high is the summit, Milo?

   • About 21,000 ft
   • About 6,000 ft
   • Lower than 2,000 ft, since it is colder
   • About 8,000 ft
9. 8.

   “example data, not to scale” A lower town at 1,500 ft is 70 °F; an upper town on the same slope is 63 °F. Using 3.5 °F per 1,000 ft, about how high is the upper town, Noah?

   • About 3,500 ft
   • About 2,000 ft
   • About 8,500 ft
   • Below 1,500 ft, since it is cooler
10. 9.

    Ren's friend says the equator is hot because it is closer to the Sun. Agree or disagree?

    • Disagree: sunlight hits the equator more directly
    • Agree: the equator is nearer the Sun
    • Agree: the equator's sunlight is more slanted
    • Disagree: the equator gets the most slanted light
11. 10.

    Tala's friend says mountaintops should be warmer, since heat rises. Agree or disagree?

    • Agree: peaks are nearer the Sun
    • Disagree: air gets colder higher up
    • Agree: heat rises and collects up high
    • Disagree: peaks are cold because the sea is near