GUIPOS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Pob. Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur

WORKSHEET IN SCIENCE 9
Quarter 3 - Week 5

Name of Learner: ________________________________ Grade & Section: ___________ Date: ________

A. Topic: FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE (Latitude, Altitude and Topography)

B. MELCS with Code: Explain how different factors affect the climate of an area. (S9ES-IIIe-30)
C. Week Number: Quarter 3 – Week 5
D. Objectives: After going through this worksheet, you are expected to:
a) Explain how latitude, altitude and topography affect the climate of an area.
E. Background Information:

Climate is the general pattern of weather in a particular area over a long period. On the other hand,
the weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a specific place and time.
Temperature and precipitation are two noticeable factors that describe climate. Both temperature
and precipitation are influenced by other factors. What are the factors affecting the climate? How does
each factor affect climate?

Factors Affecting Climate Latitude

LATITUDE
The Illustration in Figure 3 shows the latitudinal sections of the Earth. The equator serves as a
reference point and is set at 0º latitude. The latitudinal sections in the Northern Hemisphere are the Tropic of
Cancer (23.5º N) and the Arctic Circle (66.5º N). Capping the Northern Hemisphere is the North Pole (90º N).
The latitudinal sections in the Southern Hemisphere are the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5º S ) and the Antarctic
Circle (66.5º S). The South Pole (90º N) is at the base of the Southern
Hemisphere.

As the latitude increases north or south of the equator, the temperature decreases. The latitudinal
position of a country or its distance from the equator and the Earth's axial tilt defines its climate. In areas
farther from the equator, the air temperature is lower, resulting in a cold climate. In areas near the equator,
the air temperature is higher, resulting in a warm climate.
Figure 3. Latitudinal sections of the Earth
Source: https//www.google.com.learn.e-limu.org

ALTITUDE

The altitude of a place also determines its climate. Even places near
the equator experience a cold climate if they are located at a higher altitude
compared to those areas located at sea level.

Look at Figure 4. Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in Africa and is found

near the equator. It stands 5895 m above sea level. The peak of this
mountain is covered with ice. How is this possible? That's because the air
temperature decreases as altitude increases. Figure 4. Mt.Kiliminjaro
Source:http://www.eight.co.uk
Refer to Figure 5. Why is it that during summer, many people visit
Baguio City? Obviously, the reason is the cold climate there. It has an
annual average temperature of 16ºC. It has an elevation of 1435 m above
sea level. Baguio City has a lower temperature and cold climate than the
surrounding areas because of its high altitude or elevation. The air
temperature decreases as the altitude increases.

Why do mountain climbers wear jackets and thick clothes when they
go up the mountain? The higher the altitude or elevation, the lower the
Figure 5. Baguio City
Source:https//Felevation.maplogs.com
temperature. For every 1000-m, there is a drop of 6.50ºC. At higher elevations, the air molecules are farther
apart, thus making the air less dense. Lighter air cannot absorb much heat, making air temperature lower.
Ultimately, the decrease in air temperature is due to the decrease in air pressure.

TOPOGRAPHY
The topography is another factor that affects the climate of a particular place. One of the topographic
features of an area already mentioned is the mountain, shown in Figure 6. Mountainous areas greatly affect
the amount of precipitation in a certain region.

The area in which the wind blows is called the windward side. Here, the wind is blocked by the
mountain, forcing it to move upward. As it moves up, the water vapor condenses and forms clouds. This will
result in precipitation on the windward side. The air moves down towards the opposite region called the
leeward side. The cold air mass starts to absorb heat and becomes warm and dry. As a result, the area near
the leeward side becomes dry and has less precipitation. The dry region on the leeward side is called a rain
shadow. Vegetation in this region includes desert plants and grassland.

Figure 6.The SurfaceFeatures

Source:The rainshadow effect -Free ZIMSEC and Cambridge Revision

F. Activities
Activity 1: Something Is Wrong!
Directions: Write true if the statement is correct. If false, change the underlined word to make the
sentence correct. Write the correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.
__________1. Weather is the overall atmospheric condition of a place for a short period of time and place.
__________2. Latitude, altitude, and topography are factors that affect climate.
__________3. The closer the place is to the equator, the warmer the climate; the farther the place is from
the equator, the hotter the climate.
__________4. Ocean is a topographical feature of the land that affects climate by blocking rain.
__________5. Air temperature decreases when altitude increases.
__________6. Mountain ranges affect the formation of precipitation in a certain region.
__________7. The dry region on the leeward side is called the rainbow.
__________8. The decrease in air temperature is due to the increase in air pressure.
__________9. Lighter air cannot absorb much heat, making air temperature lower.
_________10. The area in which the wind blows is called the windward side.

Activity 2: Sunlight Strikes Again!

Objective:
 Explain how latitude affects climate.
Materials Needed:
 Pencil or ballpen
Procedure:
1. Analyze the Illustration below.
 2. Use Figure 1 to complete Table 1

Table 1. Five Important Lines of Latitude

Latitude Name Climate

(1) ____________ Arctic Circle (4) __________
23.5 0 N (3) __________ temperate
00 Equator hotter
(2) ____________ Tropic of Capricorn (5) _________
66.5 0 S Antarctic Circle colder

3. Answer the guide questions briefly. You may use a separate sheet of paper for your answer.
Q1. What is the angle at which the Earth's axis tilts?

Q2. Which part of the Earth receives most of the sun's rays?

Q3. Why do places far from the equator receive less amount of heat?

Q4. Why are the coldest places on Earth found near the poles?

Q5. Why are places with high temperatures found at the equator?

Q6. How does latitude affect climate?

Activity 3: The Higher, the Colder

Objective:
 Explain how altitude affects climate.
Materials Needed:
 Pencil or ballpen
Procedure:
1. Analyze the table below.

Table 2. Different Cities in the Philippines and Their Annual Average Temperature
City Elevation Above Temperature (0C)
Sea level (m)
Bacolod 10 27.5
Baguio 1435 16
Laoag 20 27.3
Manila 10 27.7
Tacloban 20 29.4
Tagytay 640 22.7
Zamboanga 30 27.6

2. Answer the guide questions briefly. You may use another sheet of paper for your answers.
Q1. Which place is the coldest? __________________________________________
Q2. Which place is the hottest? __________________________________________
Q3. Based on the data above, what is the relationship between the altitude and temperature of a place?
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