Page 152 - Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography 4th Canadian Edition

5
concepts
key learning
Global Temperatures
After reading the chapter, you should be able to:
• Define the concept of temperature, and distinguish between kelvin, Celsius, and Fahrenheit temperature scales and how they are measured.
• Explain the effects of latitude, altitude and elevation, and cloud cover on global temperature patterns.
• Review the differences in heating of land versus water that produce continen- tal effects and marine effects on temperatures, and utilize a pair of cities to illustrate these differences.
• Interpret the pattern of earth’s temperatures from their portrayal on January and July temperature maps and on a map of annual temperature ranges.
• Discuss heat waves and the heat index as a measure of human heat response.
Wildfires raged across australia during the 2013 summer heat wave, fuelled by drought and record-breaking high temperatures. in australia’s island state of Tasmania, bushfires destroyed over 80 homes. Pictured here, wildfire smoke consumes the horizon over the beaches near Carlton, Tasmania, about 20 km east of Hobart on January 4th. Over
a two-day period, new records for Hobart included the hottest January night ever (23.4°C) followed by the highest maximum daytime temperature in 130 years (41.8°C). This heat wave fits the overall pattern of global climate change that is underway. [Joanne giuliani.]