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Overview
How do land and water differences contribute to determine
the temperature of a region?
Students will compare weather data between inland and
coastal cities to determine how land & water differences
affect temperature and complete a short laboratory comparing
the heating rates soil and water. Students will then apply
their results to develop an understanding how local
geography influences the temperature of a
region.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- compare and contrast the temperature of various
cities based on different variables;
- describe the relationship between the results from
the soil/water experiment with real-time temperature
data from cities; &
- interpret information on a chart and graph; and
- investigate and understand how local geography,
specifically land and water differences, influence the
temperature of a particular region.
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Time
One - two 45 minute class periods.
Materials
-
Weather Learning Log or
Student Worksheet
- Part 1: Coastal vs. Inland
- Part 2: Heat Capacity of the Earth's Surfaces
- 2 clear narrow glasses or beakers
- 2 thermometers
- Equal samples of soil and fresh (tap) water
- Heat source (e.g. lamp, etc.)
- Watch or clock with second hand
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Teacher Preparation
- LIMITED ACCESS: If technology resources
are limited, you can access the weather web site
previously and print the weather data or display the
weather web site using a projector or television
screen.
- GRAPHING: Students will be creating a bar and line
graph
for this lesson. If you are new or not familiar with
graphing, please review the
Graphing Tips.
- Before beginning Part 2, the
water and soil should be at room temperature. As a
suggestion, you can set them aside before the activity
is scheduled to take begin.
- Weather related-topics:
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Procedure
Part 1: Coastal vs. Inland
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READ FIRST: There are many differences
in local geography that influence the annual temperature pattern of a region, including
land and water differences such as distance from a large body of water, ocean
currents, and distance from mountains. For this lesson, students will study in
depth how the distance from large bodies of water influence temperature. Begin by leading a brief class discussion with the
students by asking them to think of cities located
near the coast and other cities located inland. After they mention several cities, ask them
to think of weather or temperature differences between
the two types of cities. If any students have visited both or lived in both
coastal and inland cities, encourage them to share with the class any
differences. Then ask them to think of a method to prove their hypotheses. By
relating the concept of the lesson to their own personal experiences, it will spark their interest in the subject and get them thinking about
the relationship between temperature and local
geography. NOTE: The cities that students compare should be of a similar
latitude and elevation so that any differences in the temperature patterns can
be solely attributed to distance from a large body of water since it is the only
difference in the locations. As in the previous lesson, this is very important
for students to learn because the only way to confirm the influence that any
variable has on another is to keep all of the other variables constant.
- Use a wall-size map of Peru to show the students the
locations in the table or distribute individual maps
to each of the students or groups of students. You might mention
that Peru was selected to serve as the example country
to demonstrate the relationship between distance from
a large body of water and temperature because it has many
major cities located along the coast and inland with
similar latitudes and elevations.
- After locating the cities, ask the students if
they can make any predictions about the weather for
any of the locations. You can organize the students in pairs or
small groups so they can share and discuss their
predictions with each other, however each student
should be held responsible for answering each question.
- As an optional activity, lead a whole class
discussion after the pairs/small groups have
answered the questions. This can be
play an important part in assisting the students
elaborate their thoughts.
- Since these are real time weather readings, the
weather stations for each of the locations may submit
the current temperatures to the
weather web site at different times during the day,
and therefore you should only compare the high
temperature readings for today's forecast.
- Depending on the season, students should notice a
difference in the average temperatures of the coastal
and inland cities.
- Answers may vary depending on the individual high temperatures for
the day.
- Students should draw a BAR graph comparing the average temperatures of the
coastal and inland cities. The following is a sample bar graph comparing the
temperature for two items but should serve as an example of what to do.
- Students should attempt to answer why they think the coastal cities have
cooler temperatures than the inland cities. The actual reason why is that large
bodies of water such as lakes and oceans moderate the temperatures of nearby
lands. Since water heats slower than land, the winds coming from the ocean keep
the coastal cities from reaching extreme temperatures of cold and hot.
- Students are now asked to apply this knowledge to formulate hypotheses for
the next part of the lesson. Answers will vary but all should demonstrate an
application of their prior knowledge.
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Part 2: Heat Capacity of the Earth's Surfaces
During the second part of this lesson, students will measure the record the
temperature of equal quantities of water and soil over time as they are heated.
After completing the activity, they will observe that the temperature of the
soil increases faster than water under the same conditions.
- Before students copy the data table into their Weather Learning Logs,
you should review the activity with them and define the vocabulary. Heat
capacity is the ability of an object to store its heat. Like its boiling or
freezing point, heat capacity is also a characteristic of a substance.
- NOTE: If you are using the Student Worksheet, a copy of the table has
already been prepared.
- - 4. Students should follow the directions as described in the
Student Activity.
- Students will draw two line graphs on one graph comparing the change in
soil temperature and the change in water temperature over time.
- Both graphs should steadily rise during the same time period
however the line for the soil temperature should rise more steeply. This will
indicate a greater rate of change in the soil as compared to the water.
Therefore, the students should notice that the temperature of the soil
increased faster than water under the same conditions.
- Students should expect to see the temperature of both substances cool down
but the soil would cool down faster.
- NOTE: If have sufficient time, students can record the temperature for
each of the substances for 10 minutes to observe the changes in cooling.
- Answers will vary however the the total change in temperature for the soil
should be greater than the total change in temperature for the water.
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Part 3: Analyze the Data
- The students should have observed that the temperature of the soil increased
faster than water under the same conditions.
- Similarly, the temperature of the soil should cool off faster
- Based on the data from the previous activity, the students should be able to
determine the cities located inland will heat up and cool down faster and
therefore the distance from a large body of water will influence the temperature
of a region.
- Answers will vary.
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Homework
- Both the latitude and the elevation of the cities could influence the
temperatures of the cities.
- Based on the analysis and assuming all other weather factors remained
constant (same latitude, etc.), Huacho should have more moderate temperatures
because due to its location as a coastal city and its proximity to a large
body of water.
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Assessment
Make each student or cooperative group responsible for
their answers.
Student Activity
NOTE: The following instructions
also appear in the Student
Activities
section of this web site.
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Activity C4: Local
Geography and Temperature |
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Part 1: Coastal vs. Inland
- Locate and mark the following locations on a map of Peru.
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Location |
Latitude |
Altitude (m) |
Location |
High Temperature (ºC) |
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Tumbes |
3.5º
S |
25 |
Coast |
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Iquitos |
3.8°
S |
125 |
Inland |
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Yurimaguas |
5.9°
S |
179 |
Inland |
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Chiclayo |
6.8°
S |
29 |
Coast |
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Trujillo |
8.1°
S |
26 |
Coast |
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Pucallpa |
8.4°
S |
148 |
Inland |
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Chimbote |
9.2°
S |
20 |
Coast |
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Atalaya |
10.7°
S |
450 |
Inland |
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Callao |
12.0º
S |
12 |
Coast |
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| Lima |
12.1°
S |
12 |
Coast |
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Puerto Maldonado |
12.6°
S |
265 |
Inland |
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- Which location do you think will have the highest temperature? the lowest?
Why?
- Access the following link and select each of the cities and record the
high temperature for today's forecast.
NOTE: Since these are real time weather readings, the weather
stations for each of the locations may submit the current temperatures to the
weather web site at different times during the day, and therefore you should
only compare the high temperature readings for today's forecast.
- Do you notice any trends? Which cities tend to have warmer temperatures?
colder temperatures? Describe what you see.
- Calculate the average temperature for the inland and coastal cities.
- Draw a bar graph comparing the two. Label the x-axis Coastal and Inland and
the y-axis in ºC.
- Why do you think one of the locations was on average warmer or colder than
the other?
- Based on your observations above, do you think soil or water will heat up
faster? why?
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Part 2: Heat Capacity of the Earth's Surfaces
- Copy the following data table into your Weather Learning Log:
| Time
(min.) |
Soil
Temperature (ºC) |
Water
Temperature (ºC) |
| Start |
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| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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| 4 |
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| 5 |
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| 6 |
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| 7 |
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| 8 |
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| 9 |
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| 10 |
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- Fill the two clear narrow glasses / beakers with equal volumes of water
(at room temperature) and soil and place the thermometers in each at equal
depths and locations. Note: the thermometers should be suspended so as not to
touch the bottom or sides of the glasses and should be covered by a minimum of
.5 cm.
- Arrange the glasses / beakers at equal distances beneath the heat sources
and record the initial temperatures of the soil and water in your data table.
- Turn on the heat source and record your measurements every minute for 10
minutes.
- Draw one graph containing two line graphs comparing the change in Soil
Temperature and the change in Water Temperature over Time. Label the x-axis
from 0 - 10 minutes and the y-axis in ºC. Don't forget to label each of the
lines to distinguish between the two graphs.
- Do you notice any trends? which had the greatest increase in temperature?
- What would you expect to observe if you recorded the temperature over time
as the water and soil cool down? Why?
- Calculate the total change in temperature for the soil and water.
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Part 3: Analyze the Data
- Based on the experiment you just completed, what conclusions can you make
about which material heated up faster?
- Which material do you expect would cool off faster if you recorded the
temperature after you turned the heat source off? why?
- What do you think is responsible for the differences in temperature between
the coastal cities and the Inland cities? why?
- How do your observations from the two experiments compare with your
hypothesis?
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Homework
- List at least one additional factor that might influence the temperatures of the
cities. Describe how you might measure it.
- Based on your analysis and assuming all other weather factors remained
constant (same latitude, etc.), which of the two cities below would have a
more moderate temperature? why?
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Huacho (Latitude: 11.1º S, Elevation: 67m, Location: Coast)
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Esperanza (Latitude: 9.8º S, Elevation: 253m, Location: Inland)
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